The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-28
PAST THANKSGlVlNGS.
ACCOUNT OF THE HOLIDAY SINCE
ITS ESTABLISHMENT.

! Twenty-s six Years Since the Firs National
Procismstion--A Retrospect over the
Past Quarter Century - Prominent
Events that Marked Each Day,
lFopsilgAt.l
I fwer's,slN years have passed since Pres
wont Lincoln issued the first national pro-
clamatioD setting apart the last Thursday
in November, 1868, as a day OF national
thanksgiy ing for general blessings, exactly
in accordance With the time-honored New
England idea, which from IN 4 time n
the present has carried its sete..c and eIe-
waiting joys 20 an Overwhelming circle,
HntH to-day It's observance is universal
throughout the length and breadth OF our
great land. Two other Presidents. both
sons Of glorious old Virginia, had proclaimed
general Thanksgiving Days. George w ash
instDh appointed one in i1s0 for the adop-
ton Of the Constitution, and another in 1895
for the suppression Of the Whisky fnsp'rec,
tiOn In western Pennsylvania, while Jaiies
Madison proclaimed ohe IN 1915 Tor peace
with England, But these occasions differed
from the festival established by the New
England Puritans in that they were Thanks
giving Days for special blessings-the out
come Of some untOward eyent-whereas our
pilgrim forefathers intended Thauk sgiving
Day as an annual religious festival 10 De
devoted to Thanksgiving and praise TO God
not for any particular occurrence, but 10y all
the countless fnercies ahd ci.ts which we
are constantly enjoying at His hands. 1t
was not, therefore, until after 1863 that from
purely New England institution Thanks
giving Day gradually became national
festival Of rejoicing universally celebrated
in all parts Of our country.
LOOKING RACK IN RETROSPECT
over the quarter Of century that has pass
ed since then we find that Thanksgiving
Day has been rarely prolific IN important
events, and that the sweet New England
festival has heen signaized by lcyB and sor-
rows Of more than passing moment during
that period, Each year as the brightly
coiored leaves have rustled in the Novem.
ber air and reunited families have assein,
bled at cheerful fresides Under the spell OF
the Christian thought OF the early Massa-
chusetts prilgrims, mothers and sister.
gathered nom afar have found, TO occupy
their their thoughts and tongues, many oc-
currences Of great importance to our nation,
and even to mankind at large.
The Thanksgiving Days OF
1858 ANp 1874
found the whole nation plunged in deadly
strife--friend against friend, brother against
brother. But in that darkest hour Of our
cOuntry's history even the people Of the
stricken South. who had struggled so long
and nobly. could find something to be thank.
ful for in the hope that the cruel war might
soon be ended.
When Thanksgiving bay dawned in 1895,
the war was over. President
ANDREW JOHNSON
recognized the fact. appointing Thursday,
December !, as Thanksgiving Day instead
Of the last Thursday in November, accord
ing 10 usual custom, and advising the whole
people 10 give thanks that they had been
delivered from the scOurgc Of war. An adj
dtional cause for thanksgiving was that
President Johnson had previously issued a
proclamation restoring the privilege of the
writ OF hdbedS c0rpus-the citizens defense
and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS during the war.
THANKSGIVING DAY, 1866,
found the country excited over the Fenian
movement 10 free Ireland and events in
Mexico. In the affairs of the latter country
the United States had begun 10 take hand
against the French usurpers. News came
on Thanksgiving morning that United
States troops had crossed the Rio Grande 10
occupy Matamoras, and that the usurping
Emperor, MaXimillian, was about to leave
the country. though never permitted TO do
so, as the Mex leans shot him in the follow
ing year.
A general rain-st0rm prevailed through
out large portion of our country on
THANKSGIVING DAY, 1867.
interfering largely with the celebration of
the occasion. The most remarkable event
OF the day was the completion by Weston.
the famous New England walker, of his long
tramp from Portland, Me-, TO Chicago. Ill.
lie entered the latter city at . O'Clock on
Thanksgiving morning, having covered the
distance-1 3OOmiles-between the two places
in lust twenty-five days. He was welcomed
BY the mayor Of the city and a brass band
and $4,000 people, and was given recep-
tiOn, afternoon and night, at Ge crosby
Opera House. His performance was con-
sidered the most wonderful pedestrian feat
on record up TO that time.
Nothing OF national importance occupied
the public mind on
THANkSGI WING, 1858,
but ON that Of 1869 the whole people were
rejoicing over the victory won by Walter
Brown, Of Portland, Me-, over j. II. Sadler
Of London. Eng, on November 18th of that
year, in an International sculling match on
the river Tyne, in the latter country.
THE EFRANCO-PRUssIAN WAR
was the absorbing topic Of conversation on
Thanksgiving Day, 1870. The old-time lee
ture associations were then in the hey-dey
OF their glory, and many large audiences all
over the country listened that Thanksgiving
night 10 lectures from the late Charles
sumner and others on "The Great Duel Be
tween France and Prussia"
Thanksgiving Day, 1871, was remarkable
for the
BITTER, COLD WEATHER
which prevailed over large portion OF our
land. At many points in the northwest the
f.Il Ia
zers, while at many places in New England
il marked from l3 to 20 degrees below. The
great feature Of the day was prize fight be-
tween Jem Mace, the famous Gypsy ex-
champion Of England. and Joe Coburn, an
Irish-American pugilist, for the champion
ship of the world and $1,000. II was fought
at Montgomery station, near Bay 1t. Louis,
Miss, and was witnessed by 800 spectators.
Neither man seemed anxious TO night, and
after they had spared for three hours and
thirty-eight minutes without materially
damaging each other the referee declared
the mill draw.
The great heart Of the nation was throb-
bing with sympathy when daylight broke
on.
THANKSGIVING MORNING, lsI2,
for i'm this dawn came the teiegraphic IL
nOuncement that nine bodies had been re-
covered from the sm0uldering ruins OF the
fre which had nearly destroyed the city of
Boston on November nth, and that nine
teen Of its supposed victims were still miss
ing. over the wires flashed also an unfa-
vorable report OF the condition Of Horace
Greeley, the famous journalist, who had been
the Democratic candidate in the Prssiden-
tial election Of that year, and whose death
VAS momentarily expected at Tarrytown,
y. Y. where he expired ut $3.50 O'Clock on
tho follaxxipp pNQulu0.