The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1919-11-21
sARA HALE tine MOTHER
or THANKSGIVING DAY

~ Nv y N"W"N NZN"N NN""N AN|NNWNN-
thropic widow VINO gave us QUE
national Thanksgiving day and Phil
adelphia, Liherty's old cfaddlc. was
naturally the home Of the enterprise.
This heorine, who IN the Hall OF
Fame deserves a place amongst the
c0untryA mothers was Sarah J..
Hale, an editor whose Ladies' Maya
xino and 0odoy'e Ludy's Hook gave
unto our grnndmamnlas the latest
styles In hoops and panlalettes.
When Mrs. Hale got down 10 work
on the thanksgiving problem that
item on Uncle sans calendar was
badly muddled, but finally, with the
laid Of President Lincoln. sue brought
order out Of chaos. Let Us first see
now The complications came about:
l~urkcylcss and hot was our first
national Thanksgiving day. appoiat-
cd by congress, although held IN
midsummerDuly 20, i170-it set the
Thursday precedent rclieiOusly fol-
lowed during the past two genera
tiOiIs. although not Immediately re-
specified. for the second national
thanksgiving day occurred Friday,
May a, i176. Two years later We'd
ncsday vast he day, hut after Wash
lnglOn took control Of affairs Thurs
day was preferred.
The nations first official thanks
promoters were committees, usually
lof three. appointed by the continent
tal congress IN the days before We
had a proclamation recommending to
The governors Of the states that a
I. NA...a..N .N IuN. H.. ..I..Aaa.I - - H..
0f national thanksgiving and prayer.
These committees appear 10 have
been members Of congress-, except IN
ii78. when the two chaplains Of con
gress were directed 10 prepare the
draft.
Washington helped 10 promote the
natiun's thanks on two notable Oo-
casiuns before he became president.
the FIRST being during his dcsolatc
winter at Valley Forge. when he di-
rectcd that his army on December
~, IN the date appointed by con-
lrress, remain In is present quarters
and that the chaptalns perform di-
vino service with their several corps
and hrigades."
A more festive program was ar
ranged by the general the following
spring, when he ordered his troops
10 observe May Z, 1873, as a day of
thanksgiving for the aid given by
France 10 the patriotic cause. Hap
PLY, his orderly book" outlining In
great detail the ceremony 10 be OBJ
served has been preserved.
Upon a signal given, the whole
army will huzxa Long live the king
% France, " he directs. This huxIa
was then 10 be followed by the boom
ing ~ cannon, a general discharge
nf musketry, another huzza, Long
Live the European powersl' then
more cannon. more muskctry fire
aud final huzIa. The American
Slatcsl'
Two years Of our history saw two
Thanksgiving days each. and both
were wartime years. In i1TG. May
~ aud December ~ were both des-
ignated, while in 1888 Lincoln des-
ignated Thursday. August q. as n
special Thanksgiving day In advance
LOT the autumnal feast Of the last
Thursday In November. The sum
mer holiday was a special thanks
Giving for victory, as had been. in
fact, the only national Thanksgiving
lay Of 1862.
From Madison's time 10 Lincoln's
hero were no national ihanksgiv-
ings proclaimed by presidents. al
ihough the festival was observed an
nually In New England and I'm New
York, as also In the scattered Epis-
"0pal congregations, whose Book Of
Common Prayer since 1889 has desig-
mated the first Thursday IN each No
vemher for giving thanks In the
rhurches unless civil authority
should designate another date for
his purpose.
In New England. where u had been
an institution since 1921. Thanks
lying day continued all the while
n outrank even Christmas as a fes-
'ival OF Joy. feasting and family re-
union.
On becoming governor Of New
York John Jay cndcavored 10 estah-
lish u In that state as an annual IN
tiiution, hut his political enemies
hranded his proclamation as an at
'empt 10 stir IN religious prejudice
u his favor and he made no further
attempts.
Governor Clinton. however. re-
moved the effort and was successful.
hut New York's THANKSGIVING did moi
coincide with New England's. which.
until Tho middle Of the last century.
occurred n week later than the Em-
hires states. Searching old news.
l9pcr files we learn how Thnnksgiv-
"a was celebrated IN these times. I
fnund the other day n statement
hat in 1864. 10000 people after cat
NC ono Thanksgiving dinner In New
YORK city. had gone 70 their early
ZONES In New England 10 enjoy an
'iher a week later.
Thanksgiving soon became an an
1ual. though local. institution in
most 0f the western states. which
hnd been settled largely by New
Workers and New EnglaGders. hut the
south was tardy In adof!ing the
idcn.
Although Governor johnson 90
Virginia designated Thanksgivinp
inv IN 1853. his successor. Governor
Wise. when requested 10 do 80. pub
licly declined on the ground that he
had no authority 10 Interfere with
he religious matters Of the people.
Meanwhile. IN Philadelphia. Mrs.
H. 49, .a..lN..- -. N...I. -. L..