The Washington herald., 1907-11-28


thanks for health, happiness. and pros
perity. the day having been set aside for
this purpose by the proclamation OF the
President Of the United States and Of the
governors Of the several States and Ter
rtories
II Is not purely an American institu-
tion this Thanksgiving Day. for services
ol thank offerings are as Old as the world
itself. but the United States is the only
country that observes one and the same
day for this service throughout its va
rious sections. As "a national observance
the day is only so old as the first year
OF Washington's administration. As IN
observance by Individual Americans K
dates back 20 jamestown and Plymouth
and even farther back, u the Thanks
giving that Frobishers minister. "Mdis-
ter Wolf8lIT celebrated on the coast II
Newfoundland one Monday morning in
May 1913 and 10 that held by Rev. Mr..
Seymour. Of Pophams unsuccessful col
cny in Maine, in August 1867. Far back
of these lie the Feast Of Tabernacles
and Ingdthering." Of Judea. the Greek
Feast OF Dcmeter, the Roman Cerealia.
and the annual Thanksgiving that Queen
Elizabeth ordered.
From the national capital New York
President Washington. on October 5. I7Ss.
issued a proclamation urging that Thurs
day, the 2sth day OF November next De
devoted by the people of these States 10
the service OF that great and glorious
Being who IS the benehcieut author OF all
the good that is OF that viii be- and he
called upon the people TO offer thanks
Tor the great degree OF tranquility. union
and plenty which We have enjoyed The
nation responded half-heartedly. and oc-
casiOnally after that observed the day
They were prosperous and had much ot
the arrogance that comes from suddenly
acquired independence and pleasing in
dustriaI success. There was no immedi-
ate danger sverted. there seemed 20 be
no especial occasion for thanks. and 50
Thanksgiving Day was observed regu-
larly in very few sections. Only occa-
siOnally did Presidents issue proclaml-
,ticns calling for its observance. In IS30
the State Of New York declared that A
special day Of devotion and praise should
bc set apart each year. and other gov
ernors followed her example, until the
feast became an annual event.
Even as the selection Of November as
the month is due 20 Washington. 50 the
selection Of the last Thursday in Novem-
ber as Thanksgiving Day is due 10 PreSi-
dent Lincoln. In his proclamation Of
1864 he chose that day. The next year
the hand that had Denned the words lay
cfFT fr,
cessor in Office appeared Indifferent to
a feast day Of any kind, though peace. /
dearly bought. had come. He was in
duced 10 name a day. and chose the one
Lincoln had first named. Every PreSi- /
dent since then has followed the example. |
and now 10 every citizen OF the country
the last Thursday in November is re-
garded as Il national holiday. The gov
ernOrs Of the states issue each a procla-
nation. naming the same day. courteously
waiting until the Presidential proclama- !
tion has been published. One Southern |
governor. however. provoked great mer-
riment not long ago. for in his zeal 10 !
inspire his people with the proper sense |
Of piety and reverence. he could not wait |
for the slow wheels OF Presidential pro- |
mulgations and made his own announce
ment first.
Thanksgiving Day was never the feast |
in the South that # was in the North |
Christmas being the greater festival be- /
low Mason and Dixon's Line, just as /
Thanksgiving Day was the greater one 1
on the other side The first Thanksgiving /
proclamation in the South was that issued /
by Gov Johns, Of Virginia. in 1850. II /
precipitated quite dispute among the /
citizens of the Commonwealth. Tradition /
AYERS that many refused to observe the /
day on the ground that It was a North /
ern custom. based on Puritanism. and |
that Puritanism would find no room in |
cavalier Virginia. However. two years |
later. when Gov. Wise issued a proclama- \
tion naming Thanksgiving Day as the 4
President had done. it was observed /
throughout the State The following year /
eight other Southern States observed the \
day, and row the custom is general. In |
the majority Of States throughout the
Union it is a statutory holiday.
The first Thanksgiving among Amer
ica's early settlers was that which fol-
lowed the starving time" at jamestown.
IN 1910. The winter had been one Of un-
told horrors. OF hunger and cold and
homesickneSS, and when summer had 4
finally rolled around, only sixty survived
of tie five hundred intrepid souls who
had braved the wilderness. New settlers
came 10 further tax the meager supply Of
provisions Disheartered they were sail
ing down the James River in a wild hope
or finding help. when the sails Of incom-
ing ships CLEANED white against the blue
SKY. and fleet of storm hon +cr, ,-eeeare
with Lcrd Delaware and a party OF i'm
migrants on board. came TO meet them
The newcomers brought not only pro |