Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-21

from the Hamilton letters, and the fact
will certainly surprise the historians, that
Jefferson and Hamilton Immediately dr.
fered as to the desirability OF the holiday.
Jefferson, as appears from his letters, was
opposed to the idea. because it seemed
undemocratic. He was then, OF course,
fresh from his long residence in free thinK-
ing France, and at the very elimination
of his skeptical progression. Anything that
savored of prayer and church observance
in the government was opposed to his ex-
treme views in the matter of separation OF
church and state. He expressed these
views OF his with moderation and good
sense in a concise letter, for he had as vet
hardly assumed the reins of office. Un-
fortunately, the letter which Washington
is said to have addressed to Alexander
Hamilton on the subject appears to be lost.
1t is not among the newly discovered
papers of the Hamilton family and will in
all probability never be discovered.
However, the resolution went through
congress and Washington duly appointed
the last Thursday of November, 1852. rs
the first of one long line of national
Thanksgiving. immediately another acri-
monious contest was begun. How was the
day TO be observed? 1t was proposed 10
have a monster procession OF dignitaries,
headed by Washington himself, on horse
back. Jefferson's opposition to anything
Of the kind, as his letters show, effectively
prevented such spectacular DECENTRALIZATION.
II was finally determined that the day was
a domestic holiday and should be observed
IN the privacy of the home after the good
old New England manner. This much we
know from John Adams, the vice president.
who came from Massachusetts, the mother
Of Thanksgiving.
Mrs Washington Plans.
The settlement Of the controversy was
most gratifying TO Mrs. Washington. who
al once made arrangements to hold a levee
In true colonial fashion in the presidential
mansion Everyone OF prominence in the
new government was asked, from Chief
Justice JohnlJay down. And they all came,
too, for George Washington was a gentle
man, and TO be asked to MIS- house was a
social distinction, apart from the fact that
he was president OF the United States.
. NOW II seems that Alexander Hamilton.
eager to do anything calculated to put
Thomas Jefferson to confusion. had been
organizing all manner OF festivities and
o~oservances likely to make OF Thanksgiv-
ing a noisy holiday. Jefferson, on the con-
90 HoNu SoAle"ndt alOOL from the
whole thing for he took great pride in his
superiority to all affairs OF a reIlgious ma
ture, and he looked upon Thanksgiving as
a religious c~ontrivance entirely. The doc
umentary evidence on this side OF the case
IL unhappily meager, and we know only
that by the time the day arrived there had
been engendered much unpleasant feeling
between the cabinet factions, and this un-
pleasant feeling was communicated 70 the
respective partisans OF the two cabinet
leaders. The friends OF Jesrerson aid what
they decently could to ignore Thanksgiving
altogether, as John Adams letters show
very emphatically. Hamilton's partisaus,
on the contrary, did all In their power to
make the day a success. and when the
state OF affairs was made known In Bos-