The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-23

fast day was issued by President James
Buchanan on Dec. a. 1850. and reads as
follows:
FIRST PROCLAMATION.
Numerous appeals have been made to
me by pious and patriotic associations and
citizens in view OF the present distracted
and dangerous condition Of our country, to
recommend that a day be set apart for
humiliation, fasting and prayer throughout
the Union. In compliance with their request,
and my own sense of duty, designate Fri
day. the Attn day of January, 1861 for this
purpose, and recommend that the people
assemble on that day. according to their
general forms of worship. to keep it as a
solemn fast
The Union of the States is at the present
moment threatened with alarming and i'm
mediate danger panic and distress Of
tearIul character prevail throughout the
land-our laboring population are without
employment, and consequently deprived OF
the means OF earning their bread-indeed,
nope seems to have deserted the minds of
men. All classes are in a state of con-
tuslon and dismay and the wisest coun-
disregardeG.
In. this, the hour of our calamity and
PERIL to whom shall we resort for relief
but to the God of our fathers? His omnipo-
tent arm only can save us from the awful
euects or our own crimes and folles, our
own ingratitude and guilt towards our
Let US, then, with deep contrition and
patient sorrow, unite in humbling ourselves
neiore the Most High. in confessing our
inuIVluual and national sins and in ac-
knowledging the justice Of our punishment.
Let us iTnplore Him to remove from our
hearts that false pride OF opinion which
WouIo lmpel us to persevere in wrong for
Inc sake OF consistency rather than yield a
just submission to the unforeseen exigencies
With dee Ws are nog % Let us
me friendship and good will which pre-
vailed IN former days among the people OF
Ine several States and, above all, to
civil war and blood guiltiness Let our
fsrvent prayers ascend to His throne that
ne would not desert us in this hour of ex-
IRENE peril, but remember us as He did
our fathers in the darkest days of the rev.
ointi4n, and preserve our Constitution and
our Union-the work of their hands-for
ages yet to come. An omnipitent Provi-
dence may override existing evils for per-
manent good He can make the wrath of
man to praise Him and the remainder of
wrath he can restrain. Let me invoke
every Individual in whatever sphere of life
sponsibility to God and his country, for
Keeping this day holy and for contributing
all in his power to remove our actual and
impending difficulties.
Washington, Dec. a. 1861
thanksgiving day may be regarded as the
OF the festival shows that 1t was Intended
Tor the closing up Of a year. Then the har-
Vestlng or corn was completed and all the
WORK OF an agricultural people, for such
were the early Americans who first gave
the day Its present sgnificance-was fin
ished. Agriculturally, the year had come to
an END. 1t was an arithmetical day on
which to count up the harvest and the
profits. 1t was day of rejoicing and was
larly in New England Then for once only
In the year, the whole family came together
mostly on horseback or with OK teams and
began to tell the news. In those early days
the spirit of adoption was strong and the
nelp was truly a part of the family Mo-
BODY was left out or lacked share in the
common rejoicing and story telling. New
babies were brought in for exhibition and
comparison with earlier arrivals; news from
an sections garnered for months previously
was told with great gusto and received with
an interest and appreciation unimpaired by
It's age. How different we're those thanks
givings to the ones we have nowadays.
This year the American people have much
Tor which TO give thanks. There are signs
that business Is coming out of the torpid
state in which 1t has been sunk for so long.
In spite Of partisan sneers there are signs
OF Increased prosperity During the past
year. many. mills, long silent. have given
forth sounds of activity. Agriculture has
become a paying thing. The American
farmer has this year reaped crops un-
equaled in their bounty for many years.
These crops have found market in other
countries less fortunate, less favored OF
God than our own. Locally the people of
Greater New York have experienced many
blessings during the past year, for which
they should give heartfelt thanks. The late
election, in spite of its results, should be
matter for rejoicing The better instincts,
the higher impulses and the purer motives
of the inhabitants OF the great city have
given birth to a political sentiment which
found utterance in the protest amazingly
large which the independent, honest voters
entered against the corruption of the ma
chimes These aressigns of the times. Next
Thursday should bring some deeper sig
nificance than that Of mere holiday to
| the mind of the nation. 1t should be day
| for sincere thanks for prosperity, for re-
| newed activity in commercial and agri-
| cultural circles, and for evidences of moral
| growth among the great masses of the
| American people.