Semi=weekly graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1895-1902, 1895-11-20
HAIL HAIL, I'll | H. WING
THE PRESIDENTS PROCLAMATION
AND HOW n IS WRITTEN.


Washington Issued The First Proclamation.
only General. However siuce LincoInfs
Time-The Ceremony IN the state De-
partment- what the Proclamation Says.
A few DAYS since the president issued
through the press his annual Thanks
giving proclamation. The custom OF
issuing q national proclamation has
been annual only since Lincoln's time
though George Washington issued as
early as 1889 a proclamation, which
has served as a model for his successors.
The Revolutionary fathers believed they
had particular reason for giving thanks,
and they lost few opportunities OF doing
so. Thus in the continental congress
there were resolutions passed setting
aside days for acknowledging the klna-
ness of Providence in giving victory to
the Reyolutionist forces. The chapialns
of congress were the primo movers IN
this. But the thanks OF the nation were
given rather grudgingly afterward. aud
il was due to q Boston woman's efforts
that President Lincoln made habit OF
proclaiming @ special day for giving
thanks.
Since Lincoln s time the presidents
have all issued Thanksgiving proclama-
lions carly in November These procla-
nations are composed usually by the
presidents themselves, and il most IN
stances they have been written with the
president own hand. From the White
House they have gone to the state de-
partment, where they have been copied
with exaetness on that Offices blue
paper. The proclamation is never type
written. The typewriter is used in all
the departments freely, with the excep-
ton of the state department Here Sec
rotary Gresham used IT for his CORE
spondence, but before him It was moi
used even for tho secretary's letters. No
official document emmating from the
state department. Is ever written OF the
typewriter. 1t is invariably engrossed
in flowing script ON the departments
blue bond paper.
When the proclamation has been en-
crossed, it is sent to the Office eff the
clerk of pardons and commissions. Ho
has the custody Of the great seal No
impression of this can be made without
a special warrant signed by the presi-
dent of the United States himself. This
seal is kept constantly under lock and
key, except when tits in use for the at
testing of pardons commissions or proc
lamations of the president. It is an
elaborate affair, which cost $1,000, and
the making Of the impression is accom-
plished with much ceremony and not
little labor
When the seal has been affixed the
document is copied by clerks, and copies
are sent to the governors Of all the
states. 1t is given to the press at the
same time, and the press associations
telegraph it to all tho quarters Of the
country for publication. 1t finds its way
into good many thousand newspapers,
and probably is read by ten or fifteen
millions of the people Of the United
States
The first Thanksgiving proclamation,
that of President Washington, was is
sued in New York Oct. 3. 1889. Presi-
dent Washington, it viii be seen, took
time by the forelock. There was no tele-
graph in his day to transmit the procla
nation to the uttermost parts of the
United States. 1t had to reach the in
terror by stage and carrier, and no doubt
many of the people who had some reason
to give thanks did not hear Of this APP
pointment of Nov 26 for that purpose
until November was long past The
original of the Washington proclama-
ton is in the hands of the Rev J. W.
Wellman, who inherited it remotely
from his great grandfather, William
Ripley of Cornish, n H. Il was much
like the proclamation of today 1t began
with the formal, "By the President of
the United States OF America-A Proc
1amation. .
In the first paragraph the president
says that whereas it is the duty Of all
nations to acknowledge tho providence
of Almighty God, to obey his VIII, to be
grateful for his benefits and humbly TO
implore his protection aud favor, and
whereas both houses of congress have,
by their joint committee, requested me
ito recommend to the people Of the
United States day of public thanks
giving and prayer, to be observed by
acknowledging with grateful hearts the
many signal favors Of Almighty God,
especially by affording them an oppor-
tunity peaeeably to establish form Of
government for their safety and happi-
ness, now, therefore, he recommends
and assigns Thursday, the Both day of
November as a day Of thanksgiving
New York Sun.