The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1908-11-21
HISTORY OF
THANKSGIVING

Thursday. the 10th day oi the pres
Cnt month has been set apart by both
state and Nation rs day OF thanks
giving Tor the many blessings which
have been bestowed upon the people
oi this great country during the past
twelve months That those not iami-
liar with the origin OF Thank giving.
aud especially the school children. may
lamtlarnC themselves wit hthc sub
lcct. We publish the following history
in reference To- the subject. which We
hope will be carefully read The aut
umn "t Ihll wancd On prosperous
community Plymouth, Mass, was
both Healthy and wealthy Sickness,
though i, bad destroyed one hall the
company OF Pilgrims, had ceased. and
the crops, q, whole had been good.
the pea, alone failing MI the houses
10 the settlement had been put INTO
condition and gpud,y stock oi iurs
aud prepared Timber had been made
ready ;ur export, t. England. by the
nest ship he waters swarmcd with
li,h and sea fowl were abundant The
call 81 the Wild turkey wa, heard in
the wounds aud the pater oi the feet
ui the frciug deer W., nothing
strange
The summer Was past: the harvest
ended. The Pilgrims decided upon a
period ~ recreation The Governor
sent nur ioar hnnt,mcn, who III one
Gay secured game to last the colony a
week Hospitality was extended to
M;s,a,oi,, ui the ucighborlng settle
mcrt. Who brought ninety people with
him The guests remained thirty days
Tn company engaged III rounds Of
:mu,,mCni,. ~ which military drills
aud religion, service, formed part.
lhu, heartily and Loyalty was inau-
guralcd the great New England fcsti-
val ui thanksgiving For two cen
tur'r> II has continued ln be observed
at first mostly in the Eastern States,
but II has now become national.
Thank sgiving Day is particularly an
American custom. though there are
some writers who claim that il is not
possible t. determine the date OF the
first Observance John A. Goodwin,
in hi, historical review, The Pilgrim
Republic Is positive, however, that
the first celebration occurred in the
fall 81 iblI, tbs being followed IN
1923 by the first Thank giving procla-
nation. by the Governor OF Mas>a-
chu,ctt> In 1890 there arrived q, Ply
mouth fourteen vessels, bringing with
them $50 culoniSts. making the mum
Der nearly 200 instead oi mere 600
On July g, 1870, another Thank sgiyirg
wa, held m acknpw lcdgmcnt OF this
accession 10 the ranks OF the colonists.
The Dutch Gogcrnors oi the New Ne
thcrlandS also appointed different dates
for public thanksgiving, from time to
time, and in some historical works
there is record OF a dispute as to which
II these colonies deserve the credit
iur having inauVuratcd the day Most
a. the best founded historians, how
ever, give the credit to the New Eng
land States.
The Dutch Governors Of New Ne
thcrauds appointed occasional days Of
thanksgiving III l6I4. i6ls, 1855 and
I06i, and the English Governors fol-
lowed their example in IT'S and 700,
and the Protestant Episcopal Church
IN the United States in its prayer book
ratified in 1880, recommends for
Thank sgiving Day the first Thursday
N November. unless some other day
be- appointed by civil authorities
The struggle OF the Colonies for in.
dependence marks the beginning OF
general obScrvanccs OF days OF thanks
lilyng in this country. The Congress
oi wy, the one which prepared the
articles oi confederation for adoption
by the Colonies, adopted a resolution
setting apart the 18th day OF Dcccm
Der, VII. a. be observed as 4 day Of
solemn thanksgiving and praise
Washington. during his admnistra-
ton, issued two thanksgiving procla-
nations, one in 1880 and the other in
I7os. Just after the suppression OF the
Whisky Rebellion" which had threat.
cncd the peace OF the country, and
President Madison issued one upon
the declaration OF peace in 1915. How
ever in the early years OF the nation
the rule was for the Colonial custom to
be followed and the proclamation made