The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-03-15
THE PROCLAMATION.
WORKING UP SENTIMENTS APPRo-
PIRATE TO THANKSGIVING.

Picks Up Additions I'm Inks Of All Col
ors-Finally Engrossed on Cream Col
ored. Gilt Edged Paper and signed.
The connection Of that time honored
document, the Thanksgiving proclama-
lion, which sails forth annually AZ the
impromptu expression Of the national
executives religious gratitude, Is the
terror of the state department. Every
year it is called upon to produce some
thing new in that line, and its efforts to
say the anne thing In q different way,
10 avoid if possible verbatim copying
II last years letter. Is one Of the veneer
able jokes Of the diplomatic greenroom.
>About the first or second week Of No.
vember, everybody knowing that the
day falls ON the last Thursday Of that
month, the chief clerk or some assist
ant secretary suggests that 1t is time to
think about the proclamation"
The chief clerS accordingly y
down the list Of drafting clerks, ascer-
tains which of Uncle Sans servants Is
at the time basking in i%nnocuous desue-
tude and dispatches to the delinquent
by messenger an order to get up = draft
for the proclamation.
This rouses the clerk from his lethar.
81. He rises to the situation with alac-
rity. His first inspiration 10 to turn out
q paper different from its predecessors.
The second arrests the divine afflatus.
What ON earth can he say that has not
been said?
He writes the word ''whereas'' and
pauses. In despair, at length, he turns
for help to the classics-that iA he con-
suits what Van Buren,, Tyler and Fill
more have said in past years and makes
that q groundwork for q draft. This
embryo proclamation is then sent.
through the chief clerk, to tho assistant
secretaries I
The first touch mp the document re-
oeives is the insertion Of q lot Of capital
rs for dedication, which the clerk has
forgotten in the throes of composition.
Then an assistant secretary, finding it
remiss in pious fervor, proceeds to in
sert piety with red ink marginal notes.
Thus the word prayer is followed by
songs of praise, and tribute of graf
itude"i is bracketed after worship. So
long. SO faithfully has this servant Of
the people discharged this self appoint
ed task that he is known in Office par
lance as the ''divine i~nvocator."
Thus revised the draft proceeds to
some other grand mogul Of the diplo-
matic greenroom, who finds that now
that the Deity has been duly attended
to something complimentary il due the
nation at large. So carrots, in blue PEN
oil, insert ''our prosperity and great.
ness" the ''labors Of our people" or
''our marts Of trade and traffic"
This tricolor draft IL now handed
around again and encounters an oficial
in . new vein. His lunch did not agree
with him. He 10 in . penitentemp6ds
Seizing . pencil. he adds ''that We have
not been visited with swift punishment
for bur shortcomings" -
Another handles the document and
finds that it is too general, fails to iden-
tify the year, SO he brings in . few
master strokes in purple indelible pot.
hooks abiding to the deadly march Of
pestilenoe," ''afiictive dispensation"
and ''fury of the elements."
The document now seems to meet the
requirements. It is sent to an engross-
ing clerk, who proceeds to ''fecit secun-
dunn artem," like q drug clerk making
up q prescription. There are rules to be
observed, rules as inviolable as those
governing the Bank Of England. A oer-
tain q colored gilt edged paper ID
used. An deliberately ornamental title
il fiourished half way down the page I'm
old German capital script announcing
"A Proclamation BY the President Of tho
United Stares." The original whereas
has met with many vicissitudes during
the travels Of the draft.
Restored to its proper dignity, the
chief difficulty now II t~odisentangle tho
many colored insertions which crawl
like caterpillars all oven the sheet. BY
standing on his bead, squirting ON the
bias or humping his guessing bump TO
its utmost the ~engrossing clerk at last
turns ont . highly respectable and dec
orous looking document. 81" ~
He submits it to the chief clerk.
Meanwhile he waits In nervous sus-
pense lest it be returned with q request
for another copy or be disfgured by the
insertion Of more colored caterpillara.
II the engrossed copy 10 approved. II
il taken to the White House. The exSc-
ctive may or may not read 1t. It's pref
ty safe to say he does not, but he never
fails to sign 1t. With the presidents
signature it returns to the state depart
ment.
A Autograph copy is struck of and
sent abroad to q ministers and con-
suls.
The original is filed in the ''Book OF
Credence," q somber, venerable volume
exhaling an old time aroma from ita
yellow time stained pages, which pre-
serves from the foundation of our glori-
q republic the proclamations Of all
our executives in exquisite script, foz
the typewriter. that cruel electrocutcs
Of the episSoiary ART. mas yet 90 desc.
crate the precious flies of the state ar.
ohives.
Before seeking it's m~ausoleum, howev.