Year: 1879

This favored peOple blessed so bounteOusly
during all the years that have passed since
Christian civilization found lOdgment on
American shores. never had greater cause for
thankfulness than il E0s this day. Not even
during the war, when every victory seemed
special mercy from the God of Battles not
even at the close of the war, when reverend
men paused in their shouts of jog to offer on
bended knees their fervent prayers, had this
Nation greater reason for a thankful recogni-
ton of Infinite goodness. Peace hath its bat
ties and its victories even more than war the
wounds which France received i'll war have
long been healed, but Germany still seeks in
vain a balsam for the wounds received in the
industrial and financial strife of peace. More
than ten years ago the grass grew green
over the graves of those who had fallen
on Southern bsttlefe!ds, but not until
this year has the Nation seen sure omens
of triumph i'll the political and financial strug-
giles which grew out of the rebellion. or
prosperity the county has enjoyed much that
was real and much more that was false, but
never before this year has it seen such bounti-
full crops. with such eager demand from ab: oad
such swift revival of industry, such vast cx-
pansion Of trade upon so solid a foundation
of public faith, as may well be remembered in
our thanksgivings to-day.


1t is a blessing that the rare succession of
splendid crops has not been broken. Tbs
year, particularly, bountiful harvests were
needed to lift the Nation over the bar of
Resumption. One widereachng storm III July
1879 might have left its mark upon the his
tory of the country for half n century. The
storms were sent to Europe the clear sky
and glorious harvest to this land. 1t was as
if Infinite retribution had compelled England
and France to pay back to us all that their
encouragement of a shareholders rebellion
added to the cost of the war, and TO pay
il this very year when it was most needed to
help us in maintaining the public faith. The
seventy millions in specie which Europe has
sent to this harbor this year has more than
once saved us from great industrial and
financial disaster, and no finite being can
tell what political disaster might have fol-
lowed had the full current of prosperity been
arrested tins Fall. If to-day we bend the
knee III thankfulness for that and which has
helped this Nation to be true to itself and
true To its pledges, let not forget that We
can hope for "A blessing only so long as we
strive to deserve it.


Ii is a blessing that the party of Humanity
aud Justice, of Public Faith and Loyalty. has
prevailed again. Among those who voted
against 1t. urged by the spirit of Dartisanship.
there are many thousands who will send up
from their hearts this day thanksgivings for
its triumph. For in their eonscIences intelli-
gent men know that the welfare and the
honor of the country we're in danger when it
seemed probable that the worst faction of the
Democratic party would prevail. The cause
of genuine reform In government was threat
ened 10y greedy spoilsmen. The cause of pub
lie honor was threatened 10y dishonest repudi-
ators. The cause of equal rights and equal
Justice was menaced by bloody deeds which no
decent citizen defends. The very existence of
free institutions was menaced by an assault
upon laws for the prevention OF fraud In