The National tribune., 1898-11-17
THANKSGIVING DAY.

LII IliC ANeAtiOlstiA L
Days in our history there have been few
in which the subjects for National graft
tude to the All-Wise Disposer of human
affairs have been so profoundly beneE-
cent as those for which we shall return
thanks next Thursday.
During the Revolution Congress an
nually ordained day of thanksgiving,
but in several of the years the clouds
lowered so darkly that there was much
more occasion for fasting and prayer
than popular rejoicing.
There was much more reason for
heartiness in the Thanksgiving which
was ordained in 1884 upon the con-
clusion of peace with Great Britain and
final recognition of our independence.
The people generally did not appreci-
ate it as much then as their descendants
have since the occasion for the next
National Thanksgiving, which was in
1859, for the adoption of the Constitu-
ton There was much opposition to
the organic bond which made us q real
Nation, and several of the States had
only given a tardy and reluctant assent.
Rhode Island did not adopt it till the
next year.
The next National Thanksgiving
was proclaimed by Washington, in
1895, on account of the suppression of
the Whisky Instruction, which was
the first assertion Of the National power
against domestic rebellion. Again,
only the far-seeing appreciated the I'M
portance of this, for it was a demon
stration that the newborn Nation had
power to maintain itself.
It was 90 years before President
saw occasion for another National
Thanksgiving Then President Madi-
son proclaimed one for the conclusion
of peace with Great Britain. We had
much reason to be thankful. The war
had been a very severe tax upon our
scanty resources, and, released by an
overwhelming victory over her arch
enemy, Napoleon, Great Britain was in
shape to do US incalculable injury. But
she was as tired of fighting as we were.
and gladly assented to an end being
made to a war in which she was gaining
nothing and suffering terribly from our
depredatiOns on her commerce. Both
sides were very willing to quit, without
saying anything about the original
subject of quarrel. Our main gain was
in standing before the Nations of the
world
Thereupon National Thanksgiving
ceased for 48 years, and we had instead
State Thanksgiving, mainly in New
England. Sometimes a Governor of
another State would issue a proclama-
ton, but it seemed to be felt that graft
tude to God for the blessings of the
year was bounded by State lines, and
people of one State had little thankful
ness or care for the country as whole.
Probably the fact that public Thanks
giving was Yankee or Puritan custom
had much to do with its non-acceptance
by the South and Presidents controlled
by the South.
July Is, 1862, President Lincoln
proclaimed his first one, for Aug. 6, for
victories by the army and navy of the
United States, so signal and SO effective
as to furnish reasonable grounds for
augmented confidence that the Union of
these States will be maintained, their
Constitution preserved, and their peace
and prosperity permanently secured"
But by Thanksgiving Day the people
had reason to fear that it might be
premature, for the rebel armies were
gathering in the East and the West to
run the Union forces back to the Poto-
mac and the Ohio.
The next year 1894 = Presiden.
Lincoln had much more reason for
thanksgiving, for his proclamation,
issued Oct. 3, was after the browning
victories Of Vicksburg and Gettysburg,
and before Thanksgiving Day arrived
Bragg's army had been driven off the
nights of Lookout Mountain and