The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-11-26
NEWBURY.

From Godey's Magazine we CLEAN his.
tory appropriate for Thanksgiving
week:
The earliest record which we have of
an American Thanksgiving day is found
in the New England annals of 1921. In
the autumn of that year Governor Brad
ford, so saith the chronicler, sent out
men to procure some game, in order that
the New England cOlonists might prop
erly enjoy day of thanksgiving in re-
membrance of the fruits of their labors
during the year that had passed An
other day of rejoicing was set apart and
''solemnized" as ''a day of thanksgiving
unto the Lord, after an abundant har-
vest in 1922: 1t is stated that, on this
occasion, MassasOit and his council of
braves were invited to participate in the
festivities, and that they did so, spending
three days i'll feasting. Evidently the
Indian friends of the colonists found
Thanksgiving day day to be made the
most of.
These Thanksgiving days were not,
however, of official character. The first
official pupIic Thanksgiving day was not
until the year 1851; and even this day
was not at first intended to be a day of
rejoicing and thanksgiving 1t had been
set apart as day of fasting and prayer
for relief. The cOlOnists were in great
distress; famine was imminent: vessel
laden with provisions, and long at sea,
had not arrived, But just before the day
of fasting came, the ship made port; and
authorities from day of sorrow to a
day of thanksgiving This was the first
real Thanksgiving day of the American
people.
Thanksgiving days were occasionally
observed also i'll the New Netherland
after this date; but it was not until Feb
ruary, 1914, that another official Thanks
giving day was proclaimed That year
Governor kieft proclaimed "a day of
general thanksgiving, the occasion being
the victory of the colonists over the In
dams. At the conclusion of the peace, in
1913, another Thanksgiving day was
proclaimed. We are not told that the
Indians were idvited to this ceremony.
Occasional DAYS of fasting, prayer, and
thanksgiving were kept by the various
colonists, at different times; but no gen
eral Thanksgiving day was set apart,
until 1775, when the Continental con
greSS adopted the practice of designating
such days The first was Thursday, July
-, 177j. The following Thanksgiving
days were also suggested by the Cont
mental congress: Friday, May II, 1776;
December II, l776;, Wednesday, April &,
day, April %, 1882. These days were
suggested in the form of recommends
tons to the states, whose governors
were asked to issue prOclamatiOns to
their peoples for days of thanksgiving
Business with one exception, was sus-
pended on these occasions. Washington
also issued a special proclamation to the
Colonial army for general ThankSgiv-
ing day on Thursday, December IS,
1777; and again on May 7, ITS
The first national Thanksgiving day
was by proclamation of President Wash |
ington, set for Thursday, November 26 |
1889. The second was set for Thursday, |
February 10, 1895. The honor of the |
first suggestion seems to belong to Rep |
resentative Elias BoudinOt, who moved, |
in the house, that the President, be re-
quested to recommend ga day of Thanks
giving and Prayer, to be observed by the
people of the United States" There was
some opposition to the motion, the OBJ
jections advanced being that such thing
might tend to imitation of the trivOlities
and pOmps of Kingdoms and other harm
full doing; but the motion prevailed, and
Thursday, November 26, 1889, became the
first national Thanksgiving day or the
American people.
Other presidents, after Washington,
issued Thanksgiving day proGlamations
from time to time; until now it is become
the annual practice of the President OF
the United States to name the last Thurs
day in November as a day to be observed
by thanksgiving and prayer. Governors
of states issue their proclamations to cor
respond, thus making the observance uni
In the New England states Thanksgiv-
ing day has been observed annually for
over a century Ghe custom has eX
tended to other states, one at time, ,
until, today, it prevails almost every
where in the country, and is observed by ,
Americans in foreign lands with a senti-
ment that is not only religious bat patrI- )
otto 1t is lelal holiday also. Accord
ing to the official reports on the subject
in 1893 there were, at that date, but =
eight sections of the country where :
Thanksgiving day was not recognized: =
Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, I
Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah.
The rest of the Union had adopted the =
general custom. Latest reports $3.50 |
show that there are now but three sec
tiOnS in which Thanksgiving day is not '
officially cOgnized-Alabama Louisiana
Mississippi Y
Much interest is conferred in the wa '
ter case on trial since last Tuesday at \
Wells River Many witnesses have '
been called there to testify; latest re- '
ports say that the hearing will prob '
ably be closed in time for Thanksgiv- '
ing.
Miss Ella M. Bixby, Christian En- y
deavorer Evangelist, is home for d few
days. Y
The revival meetings have continued Y
through the week at the Nj. +. church.
We are glad to report that several con- a
versions have taken place and that the . =
good work continues. =
Union Thanksgiving day services B
were held at the Methodist church. i
Mr.. Denney, who used to do thriv- =
ing work Turning pianos all through {
this section, has been in town selling {
goods for Boston house. Although {
stone blind Mr.. Denny gets around as l
well as ever, and loves game of whist l
as of yOre. 1
Notwithstanding the free advertis- +
ing that the concert to be given i'm +
Hall, Saturday Nov. 9th by +
Eastman's orchestra of Portsmouth, 9
n. H., and the newspaper notice in -
the Vermont Waterman by the New =
bury correspondent (whO says he has q
learned that the concert for Saturday H
night has been postponed. We are II
pleased to say that Eastman's orchestra i
is surely coming and will give one of 4
the finest concerts in Seminary Hall :,
on Saturday evening from 40 to 9 Z
that it has been the pleasure of New K
hurry uaou1a to hear and everyone Il