Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-26
THE FIRST THANKSGIVING.


Kennebeck, Maine, and under the
shadow of high cross their chap
lain. one Rev. Seymour, led them in
"pyvipge God thanks for our happy
metinge and safe aryvell in the coun-
try
In 1921, in the autumn after the ar
rival of the Pilgrims, notable
Thanksgiving was held. Chronicler
Winslow says that the harvest being
gathered. the governor ''sent four
men on fowling, so that we might,
after a special manner, rejoice togeth-
er." In that connection we learn for
the first time of the wild turkey.
discovery worthy our lasting thanks
to those four doughty fowlers, but
day of sorrow for the beautiful bird
ever since.
The people and the Indians within
their gates gave themselves up to
three days of feasting. knowing what
we do of the feelings fo the Pilgrims
toward the Indians, we may be GER
tain that they We're present, not be-
cause of any great love the Pilgrims
bore them, but thus. if it were posi-
BILE, to buy them off from dreaded in
cursions and massacre.
Our forefathers made as brave
showing as they could TO their red
guests of their arms and their ability
to handle them to the undoing of
whomsoever stood in their way. That
was the first New England Thanks.
giving. and there is not the slightest
hint anywhere in the record of it that
there was any religious significance
about il.
1922 was skipped. but a day was OBJ
served in 1923 because of the arrival
of some provisions from England.
Nothing more is heard of Thanksgiving
at Plymouth for nearly so years. Then
follow Thanksgiving for what TO
them were laudible reasons, 1.-The
safe arrival of Mrs. Winthrop and
children victory over the Pequods,
for the arrival of ships, and for
bountiful harvests. The Thanksgiv-
ing of 1861 was for stopping the
bottles of heaven and restraining the
excessive rajgns."
Some of these days were appointed
by the royal governors, others were
ordained by the king or queen, or by
the home board of trade. Fancy, if
you can, the board of trade of Chica-
go appointing a Thanksgiving day for
the state of Illinois.
The people were ordered to give
thanks when an heir to the throne
was expected, and when the royal
baby arrived the commonwealth of
Massachusetts tried very hard to be
thankful. As in New England, so in
New Amsterdam, the celebration of
such a festival was sporadic. Only
ten or twelve times is any mention
made of the day.
In 1914 the New Workers marched
TO Greenwich, Conn, shot and burned
alive some five or six hundred Indians,
including women and children, and
then marched back to New York and
sat down to u Thanksgiving dinner,
though there were those found who
had much doubt then, and after
wards seriously inquired whether
burning their enemies alive could be
consistent with humanity and the be-
nevolent principles of the gospel"
In 1860 the New Haven authorities
could not pick upon day, though
they wrangled long and violently with
each other, and God got no thanks
that year from them.
In 1854 the New Workers. made mer-
ry because of peace arranged be-
tween England and Holland. and the
next year they thought a fitting rea-
son for giving thanks was the fact
that they had gained victory over
some Swedes in New Jersey.
When New Amsterdam changed
rulers, and the flag of England flew
over the island, the English had a
grand Thanksgiving about the matter,
but the Dutchmen didn't feel so jolly.
The date of the day was subject who'll
ly to the caprices of the governors.
Something's it was in November, some
times in December.
The people on Long Island wanted
it to be on the first Thursday after
the cattle had been driven home from
the free pastures. but at a town meet
ing which was to decide the matter.
they had a most grievous quarrel
over the date, and the quarrel was the
beginning of movement which led
to the first presidential proclamation
Matchmaking Thanksgiving day. 1t
was issued by President George Wash
ington. In it he named Thursday,
Nov. &c, 1889, the first national
Thanksgiving day. 1t is date well
worth remembering.
The day has been more universally
kept than Christmas Indeed it is
the great family festival of the year,