The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-12-01
LINCOLN REVIVAL
PURITAN CUSTOM
Thanksgiving Nationally
Proclaimed In 1864
FIRST IN MINNESOTA
Governor Alexander Ramsey
Designated December 26,
1850, AS Day of Thanks
Associated Press Dispatch. ]

lA5SOElAlsQ FEGSS DlSHdlCHsl
ST. Paul, November 30.-Contrary
to general opinion, Thanksgiving
Day, as a national institution, has
not followed down the years since
American independence.
Washington, during his first ad-
ministrauon, by proclamation, nam
ed a day when the people of the
new born states were urged TO gain
er together and offer thanks for all
the good things bestowed upon them
during that year, but from that time
until near the close of the civil war,
the custom was left to the indiv1du-
al desires of the various states.
To Lincoln, therefore, who in 1854
proclaimed the last Thursday OF No
vember as day fitting to give
thanks for the victories of the Union
army, belongs credit for revtving
the Puritan custom and establish
ing 1t as a national institution.
Governor Ramsey's Proclamation
In Minnesota, Thanksgiving was
not celebrated until in the second
year of the territory, when at the
urgent request of four territorial
cjergymen, Governor Alex Ramsey,
proclaimed December 26, 1850, as
day of Thanksgiving.
ut is meet that a people should
acknowledge the protecting arm OF
the Almighty Power that sways the
Inverse" Governor Ramsey declar-
ed in his first Thanksgiving Day
proclamation. 1T is proper that ma
tons should return thanks tor bles-
sings vouchsafed to them from sea
SON to season, and from year TO
year, by Him who hath appointed
seed time and harvest, who. from
the clouds waters the earth and with
it's teeming fruits feeds his crea-
ures. IL is wise for community TO
thus bend in praise and Thanksgiv-
ing<to heaven for innImerable and
precious gifts, in order that the lib
eral hand NAV still be outstretched:
the hand of Power continue to pre-
serve and defend us. II is noble to
be grateful toward men-it Is a
higher nobility to not omit gratitude
deep, unutterable gratitude, toward
the Creator of man and matter,
his hand without whose permission.
we are told, not even sparrow
ffsfaisss To- he grouExt met . bldde Of
grass grows in the held
ESPECIALLY grateful. humbIy yet
joyously thankful should the people
OF this territory be for the prosper
fly we have enjoyed, the abundant
crops; freedom from the ravages of
the blast, drought and epidemic dis
eases; and the friendly relations
with the Indians. Let us in the
public temple of religion, by the
Preside and family alter, 4 on the
prairie and in the forest, join in the
expression of our gratitude, Of our
devotion to the God who brought
our fathers safely through the perils
Of an early revolution and who con
tinues His favors to the remotest
colonies of His sons.
with these views, therefore. I
have deemed 1t advisable to recon-
mend, in this manner that Thurs
day the 26th day of December, in
slant, be observed throughout the
territory of Minnesota as a day Of
Pubic Thanksgiving and Praise, in
such manner and with such observ-
ances as shall be deemed by the
people most suitable to express their
feelings on the occasion"
Some Early History
AS to how this first THANKSGIVING
throughout the territory was obserI
ed there are few records In ST.
Paul there were special church SER
vices in the morning, according 10
the Minnesota Pioneer of January b,
1851. Bells were rung at sunrise and
at sunset in honor of the day the
newspaper recounts and in the eve
ming a magnificent BALI was held
at Mazourka hall, which "a short
time before had been equipped with
"transparancies, paintings, pictures,
and chandeliers in a style Of superb
elegance"
Thanksgiving continued as an an
nual event from that date on but
until 1858 was held in December
anywhere from the 10th to the 23rd
of the month, but always, for no ap-
parent reason on Thursday.
In 1858, Acting Governor Henry
H. Sibley. advanced the date and
proclaimed Thanksgiving Day on
Thursday, November 25. Succeeding
governors followed the precedent
established by Sibley by fixing
Thanksgiving day as the last Thurs
day of November. = g..