Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-11-26
Thanksgiving Day


origin aHd Continuity.
President Washington Instituted Thanksgiving DAY
national festival on the last Thursday in NO
vember l5 years sgo. President Lincoln gave u
continuity the same month and day, IN the crucial
year OF 1853.
between the terms OF the two great presidents tho
date set by proclamation varied greatly Even wash
ington departed from the original month and DAY
and in 1875 chose February .. President Adams IA
vorite months were April and May. Officially the
Observance lapsed in President Jeffersons term no
proolaatons having been issued but II was revived
at the request OF by President Madson VINO
first chose the third Thursday OF August ls2 as q
day for invoking divine favor the arms OF the
United States then engaged in war with Great Britain
Next year Madison changed 20 the second Thursday
OF September. No Thanksgiving day was appointed
for 1914. but the following year Madison ISSUED Two
procaations both at the Instance Of congress, one
naming January -. 1876 az day for public humlla-
ton, fasting and prayer" due to the continuation CT
the war; the second named the second Thursday IN
April 1915 as day Of Thanksgiving for the close OF
the war This was the last Thanksgiving prooarna-
ton by a president until 1852. when the civn war
brought the country to realization OF the sraVHy
OF the crisis in the life OF the nation
Credit Due Lincoln.
To Abraham Lincoln belongs the credit OF estsb-
fishing Thanksgiving day as we know II now II was
not first intentional with lincoln TO make the day
a national institution. On April TO- 1867 LINCOLN oy
proclamation, asked the people OF the north TO meet
az their customary places Of worship on the next
following Sunday TO give solemn thanks for the sue
which the union arms had recently won IN
July OF the next year ffebueHt ISPOo0Su "iS
Recommendation and appointed Thursday, August G.
as a day to be spent by the people In "thanksg1yins
praise and prayer" following recent victories OF the
union forces land and sea
This proclamation seems TO have suggested to Ian-
coin the idea OF insttutng national day OF thanks
giving TO be observed annually for In October lSsS
he issued another proclamation naming the last
Thursday in November as day OF praiSe to heaven
for blessings conferred the United States without
reference any particular success OF the military OF
naval forces OF the union.
proclamation the first to the now
familiar reference to the fact that The year row
drawing toward It's close has been filled with the
blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies, a
which appeared in but slightly modified form
many other subsequent Thanksgiving proclamatons
Originals File.
In the files of the state department may be seen
today the original manuscript from which the first
national Thanksgiving proclamation was drafted IT
issued by George Washington In October, l1Se,
six months after he took the oath OF office an frat
president of the United States, The manuscript In
the State department, however, Is not In washing
toms handwriting, and neither the numerous cor
rections in his hand. Thus Washington began the
custom. which has been or less observed since
his time. OF letting minor official, usually some
one In the Department q state, draft Thanksgiving
proclamations.
Since President Lincoln made Thanksgiving day an
annual affair the procamaons Of the presidents have
lost some OF their special significance The writing
Of them has been largely delegated to officials OF the
State department and the references to national
events and international relations have not been 80
pA~
ceptions however, in the case OF President Nc
Kiney who based his Thanksgiving proclamation OF
1875 the conclusion OF the with Spain Mr..
Mckinley wrote two OF his own Thanksgiving
prociamatons and President Roosevelt wrote almost
ell of his. On occasion President Roosevelt
preached to the people of the country. taking
as his text the parable OF the talents.
| Anonymous Authorships. o5a4 ,f
Though the president Is supposed 70 be always the
author Of the Thanksgiving procanations which APP
pear his signature. II no longer Is any secret IN
| Washington that this is more often not the case
While the State department endsavors TO keep anony
the authorship of those not written by the pres
dent himself It's endeavors have not been successful
II has been the custom for the officials In the
ecve offices at the White House to notify the State
department In October OF each year that Thanks
giving proclamation Is expected usual. A draft Is
prepared and submitted 10 the president for hts APP
| prevail and signature.
After the president has made such changes he
lit the document is returned TO the State depart
ment together with formal order to the secretary
OF directing him to affx the seal OF the United
States the original draft OF the proclamation This
and the secretary OF state adds his signature
| TO the proclamation, Ia the with all papers
| bearing the seal OF the United States.
For more than century the Thanksgiving procia-
nations were always drafted by hand. and carefully
written out by expert penran OF the State de-
partment Now. however like nearly other doc
| ument. they typewritten.