Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1919-11-20

vi WAS a patriotic and philan-
B thropic widow who gave us our
national Thanksgiving day and
Philadelphia, Libertys old cradle,
was naturally the home of the enter
prise. This heroine, who in the Hall
of Fame deserves a place amongst the
cOuntry's mothers, was Sarah Josepha
Hale, an editor whose Ladies' Maya
zine and Godey's Lady's Book gave
unto our grandmammas the latest
styles in hoops and pantalettes.
When Mrs. Hale got down to work
on the THANKSGIVING problem that item
on Uncle Sans calendar was badly
muddled, but finally, with the aid of
President Lincoln, she brought order
out of chaos. Let us first see how the
complications came about:
Hot, Turkeyless Thanksgiving.
Turkeyless and hot was our first ma
tional Thanksgiving day. appointed by
congress, although held in midsummer
July 20, 1775-it set the Thursday
precedent, religiOusly followed during
the past two generations, although not
Ond national Thanksgiving day oc-
Cured Friday, May II, 1776. Two
years later Wednesday was the day.
but after Washington took control of
affairs Thursday was preferred.
The nations first official thanks pro-
mOters were committees, usually of /
three, appointed by the continental
oporacc In tho dovc hafOra ,-a had N
proclamation recommending to the
governors of the states that a. desg-
mated date be observed as a day of
national thanksgiving and prayer.
These committees appear to have been
members of congress, except in 1778
when the two chaplains of congress
were directed to prepare the draft.
Washington helped to promote the
thanks on two notable occa-
sions before he became president-the
first being during his desolate winter
at Valley Forge, when he directed that
his army on December 1S, 1777, the
date appointed by congress. remain
N its present quarters and that the
,haplains perform divine service with ]
Picturesque Maytme Feast {
A more festive program was ar q
anged by the general the following t
pring, when he ordered his troops to J s
bserve May 7, 1873. as a day of t
for the aid given by 2
rance to the patriotic cause. Hap v
lily, his orderly book" outlining in a
reat detail the ceremony to be OBJ
nrved has been preserved. d
Upon a signal given the whole army Is
i'll huzza Long live the king Of c,
he directs. This huzza was w
len to be followed by the booming of fl
InnOn, general discharge of mus
etry. another huzza, Long live the fl
uropean powers !" then more cannon. nj
ore musketry fire and a final huzza, -
1.-The American States ~ III
Two years of our history saw two
days each. and both were
lrtime years. In 1776 MAY II and
acember II were both designated.
lille in 1868 Lincoln designated
August 6, as a special
day in advance of the
'vember. The summer holiday was
special thanksgiving for victory. as
d been. in fact, the only national
day in 1862
From MadisOn's time to Lincolns !
ere were no national thanksgivings
oclaimed by presidents although the I
'tival was observed annually in New
gland and in New York, as also in
scattered Episcopal congregations,
lose Book of Common Prayer since
81 has designated the first Thursday
each November for giving thanks
the churches unless civil authority
ould designate another date for this
rpose.
Greatest OF Festivals. -
In New England. where it had been CIR
institution since 1921, Thanksgiv- me
DAY continued all the while 10 ont