The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-27
OUR THANKSGIVING DAY.
Its Origin as National Observance
Thanksgiving Proclamations of the Rev

|
| In 1867, in recommending the observ-
ance of certain day for a national
! thanksgiving, President Andrew john
son began his proclamation thus:
In conformity with a recent custom
| that may now be regarded as establlsheo
on national consent and approval, etc.
The custom had really been in vogue
but five years, and had its origin In
Lincoln's proclamation of 1862. Before
that there had been national THANKS
givings, sometimes on the recommends
ton of the President, sometimes on -he
recommendation of Congress, but they
had occurred at irregular intervals and
were in recognition OF some unusual
event, The observance of the day, as
annually ordained by Congress, began
and ended with the Revolutionary war.
The first recommendations under this
head of the Continental Congress can
hardly be called a thanksgiving how
ever. On December 16, 1776, the follow
ing was adopted:
| Whereas, The war in which the United
| States are engaged with Great Britain
| has not only been prolonged, but is like
| IL to be carried to the greatest exbreml-
| ty; and, whereas, it becomes all public
! bodies, as well as private persons, to rev
| erence the Providence of God, and look
up to him as the supreme disposer of
| all events, and the arbiter of the fate of
nations, Therefore,
| Resolved, That it be recommended
| to all the United States, as soon as posi-
BILE, to appoint day of solemn fasting
and humiliation; to implore OF Al
mighty God the forgiveness OF the many
| sins prevailing among all ranks, and to
| beg the countenance and assistance of
| his Providence in the prosecution OF the
present just and necessary war.
The Congress do, also, in the most
| earnest manner, recommend to all the
mem beers of the United States, and par
| ticularly the officers civil and military.
under them. TO exercise repentance and
reformation; and further, require OF
them the strict observation of the arti-
/ cles oflwar, and particularly that part
| of said articles which fOrbds profane
swearing and all immortality, of which
all such off GERS are desired to take no.
| tice.
| 1t is left to each State to issue procla-
| nations fixing the day Ethat appears
proper within bounds.
In the fall of 17T there was a recon-
mendation which was for a more genuine
| Thanksgiving. On October z, Burgoyne
| surrendered to Gates at Saratoga, and on
the 31st two letters from Gates were read
| in Congress.
| One transmitted copy of letter from
him to Gen. Vaughan, the other con-
tanned the convention of surrender. AS
soon as they had been referred to the
Board of War, it was
Resolved, That committee of three be
| appointed to prepare recommendation
to the several States. to set apart day
| for thanksgiving, for the signal success
| lately obtained over the enemies of these
| United States.
Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee
and Gen. Daniel Roberdeau were selected
as the committee. Adams and Rober-
deau were Presby terians, the latter be-
ing an elder in the church, and Lee was
an Episcopalian, but they had no diff
Guilty in preparing an address which
! breathed simple, non-sectalian piety.
1t was reported to Congress Nov. ].
agreed to at once, and an adjournment
was taken without further business be-
ing transacted.
| On Nov.7 Congress ordered that .dupli-
Gates of this recommendation, signed by
the president, Henry Laurens, be sent to
the Presidents and Governors of the
several States, and to Generals Wash
ipgton and Gates The observance
country. No date was specified in the
recommendation, and it VISA received by
the different States at different times.
Almost precisely one year later. on Nov.
Z, 177S, Congress took the subject up
again, and
Ordered, That the chaplains of Con-
gress prepare and report recommends
ton to the several States, to set apart the
3Oth day of December next as a day of
general thanksgiving throughout the
United States.
The year had not been a prosperous
one, but the alliance with France had
become an accomplished fact, and the
future was full of hope. The recommen-
dation of the chapIains was read in Con-
gress Nov. 16, and the following day was
adopted after undergoing some modif-
cation. After brief recital of the mer-
cies OF the Almighty, it was
Recommended to the legislative or ex-
ecutive authority OF each OF SAID States,
to appoint Wednesday the 30th of Deem
Der next, to be observed as a day of pub
lie thanksgiving and praise, that all
people may, with united hearts. 90 that
day, express just sense Of His unmerlt-
ed favors; particularly in that it hath
pleased Him, by his overruling provi-
dence, to support us in just and neces-
sary war for the defence Of our rights
and liberties, by affording US seasonable
supplies for our armies. by disposing the
heart of powerful monarch to enter
into alliance with us, and aid our cause
by defeating she councils and evil designs
of our enemies, and giving us victory
over their ships;s and by the continuance
OF that union among these States, which,
by His blessing, will be their future
strength and glory.
The following year the session of Con-
gress on October IA was opened with the
reading of letter from Gen. Washington,
enclosing one from Major Gen. Sullivan,
which gave an account of his successful
expedition against the hostile Indians
Elbridge Gerry, seconded by Robert
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