The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-24
THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION
The AsheviiIe Citizen Thinks the Sec
rotary of State Ought 10 Have Signed


Ii.
VIII our Thanksgiving Day be legal {?
The Governor OF North Carolina has
proclaimed next Thursday, the 2Sth,
as day OF Thanksgiving and praise. to
God, and to his proclamation has af-
fixed the Great Seal of the State.
But the Secretary of State did not
sign the document.
And there are those who think the
signature of Charles M. Cooke should
be seen ON the proclamation.
1t is true that Major Samuel +. Tel
fair, as private secretary to the Gov
ernor, attests that the proclamation is
''by the Governor" but some do say
that is not sufficient.
One gentleman in calling attention
to the document, said: Il am under
the impression that it has been the
custom in this State to have the docu
ment signed by the Secretary on State.
| know it is so in other States, and /
think Secretary of State Coke signed
the last proclamation before this"
And the "Asheville Citizen" has this
to say of the alleged omissions.
''WHERE WAS THE SECRETARY OF
STATE?
Are we to have, in this year of grace,
1895, sufficiently legal State Thanks
giving day? Gov Carr's proclama-
ton closes as follows:
LIN witness whereof, / have here
unto set my hand and caused the great
seal of the State of North Carolina to
be affixed. Done at the city of Raleigh,
this 14th of November, in the year of
our Lord one thousand, eight hundred
and ninety five, and in the one hun
dred and twentieth year of our Ameri-
can Independence. Elias Carr. BY the
Governor: S. L. Telfair, private secre-
tary. Estate Seal.)'
Now the question is, What has the
private secretary of the Governor to do
with the official proclamation? The
Presidents national proclamation is
ianked by the certificate of the Secre-
tary of State for the United States.
Where was our own Secretary of State,
c. NJ. Cooke, when Governor Carr pro-
claimed?
THE private secretary of the Gov
ernor, it is true, is by the statute,
State officer, but the Secretary OF State
is q constitution made official, and it
would seem that Thanksgiving pro-
clamation to come up to its full meas
ure of benefit, should be as formal and
dignified as the circumstances VIII
permit Our conclusion, therefore, rs
that the proclamation will enable us
to do the fair thing by Thanksgiving
day, but that Secretary Cooke cannot
eat his turkey officially.
Capt. Charles NJ. Cooke, Secretary OF
State, was seen by reporter last
night. He said:
Il was not asked TO sign the Thanks
giving Proclamation, and l suppose IT
was unnecessary for me to do so, ana
was not the custom in this State.
THE entente cordiale between Gov
ernor Carr and myself has never been
disturbed. Our relations have always
been most cordial.
Il think this matter of my not sign
ing the proclamation is too trifilng an
affair to notice. | do not consider it
a matter of the slightest Importance,
one way or the other"
Mr.. r. M. Furman, State Auditor,
said: 1T is not necessary for the Sec
rotary of State to sign the Thanksgiy-
ing proclamation, or any other procla-
nation issued by the Governor. The
Governor is the keeper of the Great
Seal of the State, and his private sec
rotary witnesses all documents, except
commissions to- office and land grants.
Both of these require the attest Of the
Secretary of State.
The custom differs in the various
States of the Union. | do not think
any Thanksgiving proclamation in
North Carolina has ever been signed
by the Secretary of State"