Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-11-22
IhanksgivIng Day.

Ns
 EDITOR ENTERPRIsE:-In the national thanksgiving of President Washington in 1789, he proclaimed the first national thanksgiving. We may be very certain that it was the sincere utterance of his big and generous heart. He at least was strictly honest in the sight of God and man, when he surveyed the many won derful victories of freedom in the new world. the enewly founded nation its active, aspiring people no wonder he was trans ported with much gratitude. How fear ful had been the struggle of the revolu- ton, the doubts that followed it's wonder ful success, the bleeding, impoverished country. the much divided people, the intrigues of the enemy, the dissensions of factions, the hints of conspiracy and re- bellion; but now all secured peace The wonderful commerce springing up in moment as it were like magic; New York was already the centere of great trade; cities sprung up in the wilderness; States were formed in the wild west. and indus try succeeded the horrors of warefare. | Washington set the example at Mount Vernon of frugality, labor, and agricul- | tural success.
 To us who view such a first thanksgiv- | ing there IS less hopeful side to the pie ! | ledge we almost wonder that the little country survived. We can see at glance l all it's perils. Intense sectional hatred prevailed, Kentucky had already planned a separate government; Pennsylvania was more than half rebellious; western Massa- chusetts was only imperfectly subdued. The English held nearly all the posts on the northern frontier, and claimed their debts; at any time they might unite with the many malcontents and send their fleets and large armies against the little tottering state. The government was overwhelmed with debt. The little army disbanded, murmured and almost star ved. France was keenly watching us, hoping to profit from the many misfor- tunes of the English race. The thous- ands of savages who peopled the west; a line of fire might blaze along the frontier at any moment of time, and cover with dismay the few settlers in the wilderness.
 Over hundred years have passed since these things occurred, and once again the people are called upon to give thanks.
 The retrospect is at least encouraging since the present election. From ocean to ocean spreads an active republic cover ed in every direction with glittering railways and telegraph lines, sown thick with cities and towns, linked by the bonds of a common education, and rising year by year in the path of knowledge and science. Science has made men capable of self government; it's miracles, that would have estonished our ancestors
 are being daily surpassed by miracles yet more wonderful.
 The senses are enlarged and made al l most limitless; the voice, the eye, the ear even the touch. have been taught to al
 most girdle the earth and dissect the
 stars. Life is made more secure and comfortable by thousands of inventions The homes of the laboring men are sup , piled with conveniences that hundred years ago were never hoped for. The city is provided with a flow of good wa ter, the streets are no longer perpetual sources of disease; levers are driven from our midst by strict quarantine. Possibly
 a higher standard of morals has beer reached by our politicians than could have been expected of those in the be f ginning of the century; we have passed D the days of Tweed, and Burr, yet to oul
 successors in the next century we shal seem perhaps faulty as our ancestor t seem to us of this scientific say.
 s Cicero exclaimed, what will men thinl o of us six hundred years from now? It i
 difficult to day.
 - But for us we will give thanks witt e Washington that the fair propect stil S opens for freedom, that knowledge is ad :, vanceing. Science is powerful, the high Il CT elements of mans nature slowly ar 0 unfolding; that our country is still tn a favored home of labor and of educatet n thought.
 Mr. Editor of THE FLORENCE ENTER PRISE let us be thankful. PC.