The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-12-05
History Of the Day.

it is true, informs us that the
pious people of Lyden, Holland,
observed day of thanksgiving as
early as 1875, to commemorate the
first anniversary of the raising of
the siege of that city. In 1923 a
day of fasting and prayer was ap-
pointed on account of the drought.
Rain came abundantly while the
people were praying, aud the gov
ernor appointed day of thanks
giving which was observed with
religious exercises.
The first Thanksgiving, appoin-
ted by authority in America, was
proclaimed in Massachusetts Bay
in 1881. Owing to the great scare
ity of provisions and consequent
menace of starvation, the 22d of
February was designated to be
observed as a fast day. Before
that date a long expected vessel
arrived from Ireland loaded with
provisions, and the fast day was
changed into one of thanksgiving.
Benjamin Franklin relates that
in time of great dependency
among the first settlers of New
England it was proposed in one of
their public meetings to proclaim
a fast. An aged farmer rose and
spoke of provoking Heaven
with their complaints and of the
many mercies they had received
and of the causes they had for
giving thanks. He then made a
motion that, instead of appoint
ing day of fasting they should
appoint day of thanksgiving
To this the assembly readily
agreed.
Massachusetts was the first of
the colonies to appoint an annual
thanksgiving by the proclamation
of the English governor. During
the revolution Thanksgiving Day
was a national institution, being
annually recommended by con-
gress; but aftera general thanks
giving for peace in 1874 there was
no national appointment until
1889, when Washington, by re-
quest of congress, recommended
a day of thanksgiving for the a.
doption ofthe Constitution. Wash
ingtOn issued second proclama-
ton of thanksgiving in 1895 on ac-
count of the suppression of insur-
rection. President Madison,
by request of congress, recon-
mended a thanksgiving for peace
in 1915, but official recommenda-
ton of a day for giving thanks
was only confined to New England
until the year 1917, after which
day it was regularly appointed
by the governor of New York.
In 1855 Governor Jackson, of Vir-
ginia, recommended a day of
thanksgiving; but in 1857 Cover
nor Wise, when requested to do
so, publicly declined, on the
ground thathe was not authorized
to interfere in religious matters.
During the war between the
states in 1868 and 1864, President
Lincoln issued proclamations re-
commencing national thanksgiv-
ing. Since then a proclamation
has been issued annually by the
presidents, as well as by the gov
ernors of the various states and
the mayors of the principal cities,
and custom has fixed the time as
the last Thursday in Novem Der.
In the early days Thanksgiving
was a purely religious holiday.
Later on it became the occasion
for annual family reunions and
feasts, preceded by church ser
vices. Latterly it seems to have
been given over to the foot ball
players, just as Decoration Day
has been appropriated by the BIZ
cyclists. Whether attending a
foot ball game is calculated to
make men think soberly and
seriously of the blessings which
have crowned the year is a ques-
tion which, we are told, requires
individual answer. Advocates of
the great college game claim that
the innovation is harmless, yet
not even the most enthusiastic