Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-10

a man who on the day before Thanksgiv-
ing met with a nytsh3p at the top of avhigh
hill and dropped FROM his wagon the keg of
Thanksgiving treacle, which rolled down the
hill, distributing It's Sweetness all along the
routes much to- tte damage of his wife's
temper and his OWN discontinue. Sweet
enin'" seems to have been scarce in those
early years, and some of the makeshifts for
"sugher" are realty quite comical.
The First Reclamation.
The first Thanksgiving proclamation that
was ever printed was issued in 1877. and
a copy Of it is in tnS collection of the Mas
sachusetts State Historical Society. Dur
ing the revolutionary times many Thanks
giving days were ordered. and Congress al
ways adjourned on the day set. Gen. WASH
ington issued a Thanksgiving proclamation
to the continental army Thursday, Decem-
Der IS, 1777, and again at Valley Forge on
May Z, IT'S. Elevensyears later, as Presi-
dent Of the United States he issued the
first national Thanksgiving proclamation,
a document which is now in possession Of
Rev. ]. A. Wellman, who inherited it from
his grandfather. Congress discussed with
the seriousness Of the times the advisability
o. Nesting the President to Issue. tn,s
proclamation, and many were the objections
raised.
Elias BoudInot, Representative, precipi-
tated the discussion by moving that the
ii Sc request the President to recommend
a day Of public thanksgiving and prayer, in
acknowledge ent of the many signal IA
vors If Almighty God, and especially His
affording them the opportunity, peaceably,
to establish a constitution of government
for their safety and happiness" The mo-
ton seems to have raised a pretty dis
turbance. Roger Sherman of Connecticut
favored the resolution. Burke of South
Carolina opposed 1t, because he professed
not to like this mimicking European GUS
TOMS"
tucker of Virginia interposed his objec-
ton to such hurried action, and suggested
that it would be quite as well to wait until
the boosted constitutional government had
had a fair trial before returning thanks
for It, and, anyhow, in his opinion, the
states ought to be left to issue such procla-
nation for themselves, If they desired so
to do In spite of objection the President
was requested to issue the national procla-
nation, and Id so. appointing as Thanks
giving day Thursday, November %, 1889.
since Lincoln's Administrations.
The Book of Common Prayer, revised in
1850 for the use of the Protestant Epls-
copal Church in America, directed "A form Of
prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God
for the fruits Of the EARTH and all the other
blessings Of His merciful providence; to be
used yearly on the first Thursday in No
vember, or on such other day as shall be ap-
pointed by the civil authority" 1t stands
today. as 1t did then.
From Washington's time to Lincoln the
ISIS aECe Oh q tnSHhSSiNlnS
was of an intermittent character. Some
times President thought Of 1t, but more
often he did not. Quite frequently gov
errors Of states issued request for a gen.
eral observance of some one day in the
year sas one of thanksgiving and prayer in
their particular commemorative. but 1t was
not until 1853 that such proclamation be-
came a settled national feature. President
Lincoln, after the battle of Gettysburg, is
sued proclamation recommending the peo-
pie to set apart the 9th day OF August ito
be observed as day of national thanks
giving, praise and prayer to Almighty God I"
The next year he issued another proclama-
ton, and since then no President has
neglected to issue an annual Thanksgiving
proclamation for
"All the blessings of the fields,
All the stores ths garG5n yields,
Flocks that whiten all the plain,
Yellow sheaves tofnripened grain
Peace, prosperity and health,
Private bliss and public wealth,
knowledge, with it's gladdening streams,
And pure religions hoier beams"