The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-29


esrty and solemnity about II.
The day SET apart for national
thanksgivlng. praise and prayer VAS
Aug. 9. This proclamation. unlike all
its predecessors, was written on a gilt
edged sheet of parchment OF unusual
size. Up 90 this time November aid
noi appear To- bc a popular time for
thahksgiNing, though. as is Well known.
I'm classical times il had always been
The autumn, and very htly too. in
which thanks We're given 10 the gods for
plentiful harvests. The appropriateness
OF holding such thank Offering cere-
monies at the time when all the har-
vests and fruits had been gathered in
uiu not seem 10 occur To the American
Hnluu until the year 1868, when Pres
l"enl Lincoln issued a proclamation
'"''lS attention To the fact OF the
.ounlty being blessed with fruitful
neiuS aud healthful skies in the midst
VI N'Vli war of unequaled magnitude and
s''erlty' The president then goes on
~ point out the blessings which have
p'iaHen The United states. and sets
VA 'he last Thursday in November.
Mi'hou' naming the actual date. as "a
u"S Vi thanksgiving and praise to our
pehehSeht Rather who dwclleth In the
hehNeNS' But during all that time the
shduo" OF war hung darkly over the
lahu ana the hearts OF the people, and
even the president could not help re-
ieffihs again and again IN his message
OF thahk Offering to those troubles
Whlch lay so heavily on his own heart
at the time He ferventiy lmplores the
interposltion OF Almighty God TO heal
the sreuE4eH=el the nation and to restore
IL as soon as might be consistent with
the divine purpose 20 the full enjoyment
Of peace and harmony. tranquility ana
union.
The third regular Thanksgiving proc
lamation was issued by Andrew John
son on oct, 2S and appointed the first
Thursday in December as a day of ma
tional thanksgiving "to the Creator OF
the universe for these great deliver
ances and blessings" This seems TO be
the latest Thanksgiving day ever cell
ebrated i'm this country The original
draft OF this proclamation rs written on
one page OF plain foolscap and Is i'm the
handwriting of Secretary Seward. II is
interesting 10 note the different
changes. emendations and interpola
tions made by the secretary of state
/ MI. SEMHfu StfIiIS w ia VIC NilhhS'A III
mind several times during the framin,
| OF the document, for the page is ful
| OF scratches and erasures. The procla
nation was finally made very short
| tho original document scarcely hllini
| it's one page. The secretary seems u
| have had trouble in starting the doc
ument, which chanced to be the mrs
one after the war. He first begins VIII
| Whereas il has pleased Almighty Goo
| TO save the" then changed the save
| Ia '"withhold from and, finally max
| ing a third correction, put IN 10 re-
| lieve the" but, scratching that out, ne
| makes clean start again by rewriting,
| .sWhereas ID has pleased Almighty God
during the year which has now come
| Ia An and 10 relicxe our beloved coun'
try i'm the great" but again ne chanseo
his mind and wrote from the 1eariu
sco,irce OF civil war and 10 vouchsat'
| to MS The promise" Here again anothe
| change had TO be made. changing IN
| the last sentence to read. and to per
| mir ma 20 secure the blessings of peace
! unity ana harmony with the great en-
| largement OF civil liberty. 1t is ais
to he noticed that Mr.. Seward intende
inserting another sentence before tn
word blessings" but apparently wrol
II so badly that the copying clerk !
desperation left il out entirely. IN
rest OF the proclamation is made UP c
a recommendation for prayer an
thanksgiving.
Johnson's second proclamation wa
the first to name definitely a date
Thursday Nov. %, 1885, as a day o
thanks. but does not mention 1t as IN
t last --rnuTSday m November the da'
now observed.
The first official Thanksgiving procla
nation of President Grant was issue'
oct ;. 1869, and is written on heav!
parchment. 1t covers two large page
of this parchment and sets forth NOV
IS as the national holiday. Genera
Grant seems to have followed a stereo
typed form Of expression in all OF nj
documents of this character, ana MOS
of them too. are brief.
\ special Thanksgiving day was or
dered IN June. 1876. setting forth the fol
lowing Fourth of July. the centennla
i anriyersarv of the independence Of th'
United states. as a day of natlona
thank Offering. In TINS pfocla ai'i"'io
Grant saws. THE founders OF the gov
| arumpnt at It's Dllli astA ~ 49,
invoked blessings and the protectiof
NJ the divine Providence 10 the 10 col
onies and the 100000 have expanded
into q nation of strength and power
commanding position which was thei
desired and for which fervent prayers
were then offered" In view OF the iui
GIlment of those prayers tne presiueh
invites the good people OF the unite'
ctatos % celebrate the Fourth OF july
in addition 10 their usual observance
~ the day. in such a manner ana IL
! s,ch time as their respective locahtie'
md religious associations make mos
, cnnvenient TO mark the occasion D,
+ son,o public. or religious, or deVou
{ thankseiving TO Almighty God Tor TN
/ tIosslngs which have been bestowe'
/ ~nnon rs as nation during the cen
, ,,,r, nj our existence and humbly 10 oe
! vote the continuance Of His favor ah'
His protection"
The first proclamation issued by fres
! idenf HAYES covered four closely Writ
, ,cn pages of large foolscap ana rs SUI
lied with large white ribbon. the doc
; ,,,rent is most beautifully executed Al
: gour of this presidents messages wer
b couched i'm conventional Language
graceful. and studied, and all were Ver
b