Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-11-30
OUR RPIRSTTHANKSGIVINGDA DAY
s,,,;mors American.


Giving Day commenced with the gather
Ing Of their first crops by the Pilgrim
Fathers. in yhat was then the New Eng
land wilderness, and the day has always
remained the principal holiday with us,
stnrdy pioneers having carried the goou
custom along with them INTO every
State Of tho Union. With the gather
ing of the crops Of the year 1923, the
second harvest after their arrival, tho
day gained especial significance from
the fact that long period OF drougnt
had threatened the colonlsts Win
famine, which was fortunately aVerted
just as IL in response to thair prayers
by The coming Of rain, and the custom
Of holding THANKSGIVING. annually
after harvest was thereafter most
solemnly observed.
Ths3A merican Thanksgiving Day is
really, thei efore, OF Puritan origin, and
on that account. perhaps, has always
held lis own as great national holiday
more strongly in the Eastern States, II
possible, than anywhere, the subse-
ouent feast of Christmas never having
been regarded as Of equal Importance.
The pivotal point which that Thanks
giving Day, celebrated 2I6 Years ago,
occupies 10 one OF our great national
institutions, therefore, makes the de-
tails of that event of the very highest
interest to oil Americans. 1t was Will
liam Bradford, the first governor OF the
New England colonies, who had the
honor of initiating the custom nov fol-
lowed Dy our presidents, by issuing the
first Thanksgiving proclamation.
Looking back across almost three
centuries TO that time when those
stout. hearted wanderers, who were then
unaware of what a Canaan they had
found, and who had been fearing the
worst on account of the adverse
weather, stood rejoicing over their
sudden deliverance from famine, one
cannot fail to be touched ty the pathos
of theii situation and thrilled with
the gladness which caused them to
offer up their praise and thanks for
the mercy vouchsafed by Providence.
There has probably never been a
Thanksgiving Day celebrated since,
when the feelings of thankfulness were
SO heartily and gratefully expressed.
The period Of one day was absolutely
inadequate for the rendering of oil the
thanks which the thy Pilgrims felt
it their duty to offer, SO they made
good half-week Of it, beginning on
Thursday morning and bringing it TO a
close before the dawn OF the next Sab
bath.
Honored guests at the celebration
were the Ii dian Chief Massasoit, and
90 of his leading warriors.
The issuing of the proclamation by
Gov. Bradford had stirred up the
hunters of the colony to make what
preparations they could for the feast
by iansacking the forrest for all the
game which could be found, and the
bags secured by them were such as
would rouse the envy OF many modern
Nimiod. There were wild turkeys in
abundance, together with ducks and
various kinds of game, with which the
primeval forest abounded. Massasoit
and his warriors brought in plentiful
supply of oysters to swell the feast.
The bill of fare which resulted from
the united efforts of the hunters and
the good Puritan housewives, was one
with which any but the most exaoting
| epicure might have been satisfied.
The entrees consisted OF oysters, yeni-
son, pasties, savory meat stews, broiled
| fish, clam chowder, -four dumplings,
and roasts of all kinds. This was fol.
lowed by the piece de resistance. which
has ever thereafter remained the prin-
ciral feature of the Thanksgiving
dinner--roast turkey, with which the
cooks served dressing Of beech nuts
and numerous vegetables aud salads.
Cakes and plum porridge lent the
finishing touches to the course, and it
may be safely assumed that there was
no one who left the first Thanksgiving
dinner table hungry.
The biggest banquet of all was given
on Saturday to wind up the cello
bration, and, as the weather was ex-
tremely mild. tho tables were set out
in tho forest, and an oil fresoo feast
enjoyed, which furnished the Indian
| guests with an exalted idea of the
astronomical accomplishments of their
new friends. The celebration was
wound up rs it was commenced, with
a service of praise and prayer, which
also greatly impressed the Indian
visitors.
1t was not until President Lincoln, IS
time that the custom of issuing a
Thanksgiving Day proclamation hy the
President of the United States was
inaugurated, although on two previous
occasions of special character, procla.
nations had been issued.
The circumstances under which Lin
coins first proclamation was made
were in sense fully as momentous
as were those under which that Of Gov.
Bradford was issued Wearied with
internecine strife, the American nation.
which had sprung from a handful OF
coionists at that early period of its
history to nation powerful enough
to put 100000 troops in the field,
was about to end the most painful and
bitter war of all history.
| The conflict was not quite over hut
the result was foregone conclusion.
owing to the fact that the South was
unable to further Irolopg it, and the
feeling of JOY at this fact was almost
indsecribable.
4 1t was, therefore. with a practically
unanimous feeling Of thankfulness that
the nation, in 1864, welcomed the
Presidents timely suggestion, and in
spites of the many sad gaps in the
family circles, united to ceiebrate che
occasion, feeling of profound satisl
faction reigned.
Since these two memorable procla-
nations wore issued, there have been
many others of note. A year later
the darkest episode In our annals had
closed, and although the shadow Of n
martyred President somewhat marred
the full joyfulness of the occasion, the
nation was again profoundly stirred 10
the uttering OF deer and heartfelt
| thanks.
The swords had been turned into
pruning hooks and the battle charger
neighed peacefully in the pasture.
while the Blue and Gray clasped hands
once more over the bloody chasm which
had rent a nation in twain.