The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-26
MOST THANKFUL
NATION IN
THE WORLD.
And the Different Things for Which
The Presidents Have Given Thanks
from Washington to President
Mckinley.
Let US give fhanksl,l

Inc Pigrims of that day, standing
upon plymouth Rock little thought
.nal those same words would bound
Lnfo ugh the generations and be echoed
IA the centuries to come.
They little thought those devout and
9nWorldly Pilgrims, that other nations
besides the English would find their
way to the newly discovered shores
and, glad for blessings say Let us
give thanks with your
Let us give thanks is the watch
WORD OF the Thanksgiving of to-day
FROM a feeling Of sentiment it has be-
come a national institution, perhaps the
strongest of all national institutions
II was not until 1889, when the coll
ONES had developed into fourishing
lltle fspubilc, with George Washing
ton as its head, that Thanksgiving was
olIl-falIy recommended to be set aside
as q day of fasting and prayer
THE. FIRST PROCLAMATION.
On October 3, 1889, Washington issued
- proclamation that on the 10Th of the
following November, all places of bust
ness should be closed and that the
whole nation should unite lin rendering
to that great and glorious Being our
sincere and humble thanks, for His
kind care and protection of the people
of this country previous to their be-
coming a nation; for the signal and
manifold mercies and the favorable in
terpositiOn of His providence in the
course and conclusion Of the late war;
for the great degree of TRANQUILITY
union and plenty which we have since
enjoyed. &c The peaceable and rational
manner in Whltr we have been enabled
TO establish constitutions of govern
ment, for our safety and happiness, and
in general, for all the great favors
which He has been pleased to confer
upon us.
President .Iohn Adams thought that
the safety and prosperity of nations
ultimately and essentially depend upon
the protection and blessing of Almighty
God and the national acknowledgment
of this truth.
During his first term as President
there was a great deal Of trouble among
the nations across the water and his
first Thanksgiving proclamation showed
that what he was most thankful for
was that THE calamities which afflict-
ed foreign nations visited Lot the
t}nlted states, and, further, that it's
people were exempt from boring wars
enjoying a great degree of internal
tranquility
A short while before there had been
formed in certain counties in Penn
SylVanla combinations to defeat the ex-
scution Of the laws laying duties upon
spirits distilled within the United
states, and these were the source Of
tnuch annoyance to the government.
But these combina tons were scattered
and IN the close OF his proclamations
recommending that the 9Th day of Nav.
President Adams requested the people
70 be especially grateful "for the con-
tinuation Of internal tranquility by the
suppression of recent insurrection
which 50 waistonly threatened the
happy course of our public affairs ),
1898, be observed as Thanksgiying
President Madison f1is that the bles,
sings for which the american neonIe
should he thankful were MANY ana
varied. but he was particularly CRATE
full because God had blessed the Unit
I'd States with a political constitution
founded on the will and AUTHORITY NJ
the whole people. which guaranteed to
each citizen unbounded security NOT
only to his person and property. but IA
those sacred rights of conscience 50
essential 10 bis present happiness and
SO dear to his future success
THANKFUL FOR PEACE.
On, March 4, 1914. President Madison
issued what was perhaps the most i'm
portant proclamation of his admins
tration. II was just after the treaty
OF peace between the United States
and England had been signed at Client
and iii appointing the second Thursday
in April 10 be observed as THANKSGIVING
he requested the people of America to
be specially thankful TO Almighty God
for His great goodness manifested in
restoring them peace"
We have no more records of Thanks
giving pro:lamations of Presidents I'M
III the time of Lincoln in 1862. when he
appointed no particular day, but re-
qGesteS that the people of the United
States "shaald. IN their next weekly