Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-11-28
THANKSGIVING pAv.


fwashing1sa etAr.l
Every rear st about this time the Prof
ideut OF the United States issues proc
lamalIou fixiug "1hsnksgiving day." ~
n has come 20 be known. Every year
the proclamation OF the President 10
transmitted 70 the GOVERNOR Of the
states, and the day named BY the rresi-
dent u Get aside - y general holiday:
Originally it vas intended ~ . day OF
fasting and prayer. Now it % Gay
Of feasting and frolic and football games.
Every good American 70 thankful that
he 10 an American S65 days 10 tho year
and one day extra In leap years. he
does not need special day Get aside Tor
rejoicing.
proclamation n Q serious duty for the
President for Il 10 customary for him
TO write this proclamation with his own
hand and to put Into Il % much OF tho
spirit Of the day a possible. President
Harrison used to take . pencil and q
little pad Of paper snd write out the
proclamation iu full. Then he would
turn Il over to ono OF the executive
clerks to be copied. Mr.. Harrison pre-
ferred to use his pencil rather than to
dictate. President Cleveland also writes
some things with his own hand, but lie
uses stenographer, too, q great deal.
The first draft Of the proclamation 10
copied and the copy IL sent TO the state
department. There are two or three
clerks 10 the department who make
speciality Of penmanship. One Of these
eDgroeses the proclamation on parch-
ment artistically. The parchment IL
sent back to the white House to receive
the President's signature. When
Grover Cleveland has been written at
the bottom Of Il II IL taken back to the
state department, where Walter Y.
Greshams signature sttests that OF the
President. Then the great seal OF the
state department IL affixed. IL IL Q very
ornate seal. II ought to be for It coat
O., 900. Il ID kept In 4 rosewood case IN
the bureau Of commissions and pardons,
and lts custodian is George Bartle, who
has been In the department service for
forty -seven years. Bartle was sppolnt-
cd TO clerkship by Daniel Webster.
He Il one of the Oldest employees OF the
government mt Washington.
Il takes On order from the President
of the United States to procure an I'm.
preston Of the seal. Ctlleetors OF
seals and autographs frequently write
TO the Secretary OF State for copies OF
the seal Of state. The same formal re-
ply Il sent to all Of them-that under
the law no impressions OF the seal can
20 out Of the department unless they
are affixed to official papers. The Pres.
ldent Of the United States could give
authority to collector to obtain an im-
preston of the seal. But no President
has ever done so. The law OF 1850 says
that the seal shall not be affixed to any
instrument except commission
"without the special warrant OF the
President therefor" The President,
therefore, when he sends Q Thank.giv-
Ing proclamation to the state DEPART
ment for the seal sends with 1t copy
of the following printed form, duly
filled out and signed:
81 hereby authorize and direct the
secretary Of state to cause the seal OF
the United States to be affixed to -,
dated this day and signed by me, and
for doing 80 this shall be his warrant"
When Mr.. Bartle receives this order
he unlocks the rosewood case, puts n
scalloped circle Of paper In the press,
aud with light turn Of the heavy
steel ball above brings the seal down on
the paper and leaves Its impress there.
Then the stamped piece OF paper IL fas-
tened to the proclamation aud 1t is
ready to 20 to the world.
Bartle IL very conscientious about
the exercise of his duties toward the
great seal, and he has controversies not
lnfrequently with people who are In n
hurry for public documents, and who
do not understand why the state DEPART
ment has not authority under the gen.
eral law to affix the great seal to any
document bearing the Presidents sigma
ture.
When the proclamation has been CON-
pleted by the addition Of the seal, clerks
Of the state department are set to work
making copies for Transmission to the
governors OF the states and territories.
These copies are not made on typewrit-
er or with manlfoldlng paper or by any
other process OF duplication. The state
department uses the typewriter for some
purposes .Abut not for official correspond
ence. All of the copies Of the proclams.
ton are written out ON long sheets OF
blue paper which are used for official
correspondence. Each governor who
receives copy of the Presidents prOcla-
nation will make q proclamation OF his
own. But In the meantime the prOcla.
nation Of the President has been made
public, and the people all over the
country know what day has been chosen
for Thanksgiving.