The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-11-23
THE FIRST THANKSGIVING
PROCLAMATION

years; that 1t was found at an auc-
ton sale in 1921; that it was bought
by the Library of Congress for $500;
and that it now reposes in the ar
chives of that institution--one of
the most valuable documents in the
world.
On September 25,. 1889, Elias
Boudinot introduced the following
resolution in the House of Represen-
tatives
Resolved, That joint committee
of both Houses be directed to wait
upon the President of the United
States, to request that lie would re-
commend to the people of the United
States day of public Thanksgiving
and prayer to be observed by ac-
knowledging, with grateful hearts,
the many signal favors of Almighty
God, especially by affording them an
opportunity to establish a Constita-
ton of Government for their safety
and happiness.
Harmless as this resolution seems,
there were objections to it. In read
ing the Annals of Congress of that
period, we find that Representative
Aedanus Burke of South Carolina,
thought we should not mimic Europe
where they made mere mockery of
thanksgiving.
Representative Thomas Tud O
Tucker, also of South Carolina, ar
gued that it was not the business of
Congress to ask for a national day of
Thanksgiving.
"They the people) might not be
inclined to return thanks for a Con
stitution until they have experienced
that it promotes their safety and hap
piness."
These objections, however, were
overruled; the resolution was passed
and sent to the Senate for concur
renee. The Senate approved and APP
pointed its committee to wait on the
President The joint committee was
made UP of Ralph lizard of South
Carolina, and William S. Johnson of
Connecticut, from the Senate; Elias
Boudinot, CT New Jersey, Roger
L,
Sylvester of New York, from the
House
Washington complied with the re-
quest and on October 3, 1889, issued
his proclamation, calling for Ma
tional Day of Thanksgiving on
Thursday, November 26.
And then tke document dropped
out of sight. 1t apparently was mis-
placed or attached to some private
papers in the process of moving Off
cial records from one city to another
when the Capital was changed How
script was not in official archives
until 1921 when DR.. J. C. Fitzpat-
rick, then Assistant Chief of the
Manuscripts Division of the Library
of Congress, found" the proclama-
ton. 1t was at an auction sale being
held in tie American Art Galleries
of New York City. DR.. Fitzpatrick,
an expert in Westinghouse, examin-
ed the document and found it to be
authentic. 1t was written in long
hand by William Jackson, Secretary
to President Washington at the time,
and was signed in George Washing
toms bold hand. DR.. Fitzpatrick pur-
chased the document for $500 for the
Library of Congress, where it is now
kept as treasure. And no amount of
money could remove it.
The original Proclamation of
Thanksgiving, and, indeed, the first
Presidential proclamation ever issued
in the United States, reads as fol-
lows.
by the President of United States
of America.
Whereas it is TIE duty of all ma
tions to acknowledge the providence
of Almighty God, to obey his will, to
be grateful for his benefits, and hum
bly, to implore his protection and IA
vor-and Whereas both Houses of
Congress have by their joint COM
mittee requested me to recommend
to the People of the United States
cay of public Thanksgiving and pray
er, to be observed by acknowledging
with grateful hearts the many signal
favors of Almighty God, especially
by affording them an opportunity to
establish form of government for
their safety and happiness.
NOW Therefore l recommend and
assign Thursday, the 26th day of
November next, to be devoted by the
People of these States to the service
cf that great and glorius Being who
is the beneficent Author of all the
good that was, that is, or that will be
That we may then all unite in rem
dering unto Kim our sincere and
humble thanks-for his kind care
and protection of the People of this
country previous to their becoming a
Nation-for the signal and manifold
mercies and the favorable interposi-
tons of his providence, which we
experienced in the course and conclu-
sion of the late WARRIOR the great
degree of tranquility, union, and
plenty, which we have enioyed--for