Show tagI f I t r r r 7 S j IQ w wj j I i.- i. s r I l A t h 1 t Jt li u eau c Mc 4 I LI 11 fi 1 I J Y Y y F Isa f i irk rk d s 4 a 42 6 dl I 1 t By ELMO SCOTT WATSON L RESIDENT HO HOOVER VER has bas issued the j J annual proclamation calling upon all aU Americans Americans to set aside aside Thursday Thursday Thurs Theirs day November 27 as Thanksgiving 1 day to be observed In a n spirit o of gratitude for the blessings which have ha been bestowed upon them during during durIng dur dur- ing the past year In n doing this h he followed a pr precedent established 07 67 years ears ago which has been observed by every President resident since that time Although the annual designation by Presidential proclamation of the last Thursday Thursday Thurs Thurs- day In November ember as Thanksgiving da day was L i started by Abraham Lincoln In 1863 there were two other Presidents who had a a prominent partin part In Jn establishing this custom One n of them was George Washington Washingto and the oth other r was James Madison For it was George Washington our first PresIdent President dent who Issued the first Presidential Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanks Thanks- giving pr proclamation which proclamation which Incidentally was as the first proclamation of any sort from the hands bands of t tan an American thief Chief hief Executive e years ag ago Ther The r r I proclamation was Issued on October 3 1789 1759 In Ini F i New York city which was then the Capital of the new nation and aud It t set aside Thursday November November Novem Novem- ber 2 20 26 of that year ear as a day to be devoted by bythe h f the people of ot this state to the service of that great and glorious Being who Is the beneficent J Author Anthor of all the good that was that Is or that will be This first proclamation was issued fh ill response to a joint resolution of ot the first congress and oddly enough It was opposed in the house of rep representatives es and precipitated a lively ely debate In that chamber On Friday September 25 1759 ElIas Ellas Boudinot of I New ew Jersey who had hud been prominent In the Continental congress took the floor of the house and said that he could not t think of ot letting the session go by without offering an opportunity to all aU the citizens of the United II h States to Join with one voice In returning to r Almighty God their sincere thanks for the many bless blessings he be had poured down upon them Mr Boudinot thereupon presented the following joint join resolution Resolved That a n Joint committee of both Houses be directed to wait upon the President of ot the the- United States to request that he would recommend to the people of the United States aday aday a n day I of ot public thanksgiving and prayer er to be he observed observed ob ob- ob served ser by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of ot Almighty God especially especially espe espe- by affording them an opportunity peaceably peaceably peace pence ably to establish a Constitution of government for their safety and h happiness It was passed was received recel by the senate September 20 26 the next day and disposed l of ot as follows Resolved d that the Senate do do doco co concur cur In tn the above recited resolution and that William Wil WH liam llam S. S Johnson of ot Connecticut and Ralph Izard of t South Carolina be the committee on the part of the Senate Those appointed from the house were Boudinot Boudinot Boudi Boudi- not Sherman and Peter Sylvester of New York They notified P President Washington and his proclamation was vas Issued In New York October 3 Soon after the proclamation was Issued It disappeared ills dis appeared and for more than years Its whereabouts whereabouts where where- were unknown In 1021 1921 It was advertised for sale with numerous other historic manuscripts by a a. a New York city art gallery and It wits was purchased pur pew chased for the sum sura of ot a small price for such an Important document by J. J C. C Fitzpatrick assistant chief of the division of manuscripts of the Library of ot Congress Mr Fitzpatrick found that it had hall every indication inch indi cation of ot being beyond a doubt douht the original first Th Thanksgiving proclamation It was guaranteed to be so The paper had been In a frame but bit not covered with glass and exposure had given It a n grimy upp appearance Generally It was well Preserved preserved preserved pre pre- served plainly legible If it little worn The handwriting handwriting hand hand- writing of the document Itself is that of ot Wil liam Jackson according to Mr Fitzpatrick Jackson was V Washington's tons ton's secretary and had been secretary to the Constitutional convention In 1787 During his second administration Washington again Issued a u Thanksgiving pro proclamation On January 1 1 1755 1793 In Philadelphia which was then the National l Capital he called upon his his' fellow k to set apart and observe Thursday c. c r e n- n j f r J f lri iGra f j 4 k 1 I Y j J 1 s s win 7 F y f r 4 F 1 k 1 S' S II I 5 I 4 de 1 j Gr r J I the day of February next neat as a day of ot public thanksgiving Ing and prayer er and on that day to meet together and arid render their sincere and hearty thanks to the Great Ruler Huler of Nations for a long list of blessings which the country was then en The example set by Washington was followed by his successor John Adams who proclaimed two Thanksgiving days s 's during his administration one one on Wednesday May I 9 U. 1708 1798 and the other otheron on Thursday April 2 25 This custom however how trove ever was allowed to lapse lupse during the two terms of ot Thomas Jefferson hut but It was revived by b lames James Madison who issued four such sudi proclamations durIng during dur clur ing his administration The first three thre were more for a day of public and norl prayer because because be cause of the nations nation's tribulations in the form of the second war with England hut but the fourth was wasa a day of real thanksgiving that pence peace had come at last All of the these e were Issued In response to a n Joint re resolution from the senate and house of representatives t The first set aside the third Thursday In August of 1812 the second named th tit the second Thursday In September 1813 as the day the third designated 11 Thursday Janu ary 12 1814 and tin the fourth 18 Issued soon after the thc treaty of peace with England InI was proclaimed called upon the Amerl American nn people leople to fo set aside the second Thursday in to April l 1815 as a n day for praising the Great l Disposer of Events and of the Destiny of Nations for their many ninny obligations and more especially for the blessing of the restoration res restoration gf pf pence peace Thus It will he be seen that although Thanksgiving ln days by Presidential residential proclamation In the main picked upon Thursday Thursday- as liS the day of the week weel for such an so observance anc tile the month varied greatly and there was vas no connection between these Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanks giving days hl find and the annual observance established by th the Pilgrims Pj No I other ther Presidents after Madison Madison Madi Malli son hn have e had occasion for proclaiming n a a T day dav and it tt t remained for Abraham 1 to resume resume the custom and to link Unk up the i J j t A i. i U M.-U n. n proclaimed Thanksgiving day with the Pilgrim by establishing the last Thursday In November November November No No- vember as a national day for giving thanks The first Lincoln proclamation appointing a day for tor divine supplication was dat dated d Au August 12 1801 1861 It d designated th the last Thursday In September astin as asa asa a tin day of humiliation prayer Ha er and anel fasting Things s did lid not Dot look especially bright for the Northern arms arms just then The memory of Bull hull Run was still fresh Perhaps to this fact may amy be ascribed the pathetic wording of the document Whereas when our nur own beloved country once by the the blessing of God Cod u united ell prosperous and happy Is now afflicted with friction faction and civil cl war evar It is peculiarly tit fit it for us ns to recognize the hand of God In this terrible visitation and ond In sorrowful l remembrance of our own faults and crimes as a nation and as individuals to humble ourselves before film nim and to tn pray for His mercy Thousands of In Individuals l throughout the land refrained from food foo a and pra prayed cil for the me nations nation's salvation Th The regular Th Thanksgiving In November o 1801 1861 was rather n a subdued occasion There Thele had hull been no Presidential proclamation In there was no proclamations proclamation either The momentous year ear of 1803 1563 brought ht however three proclamations The first fIlst was hated dated March 3 and designated April 30 n as n day of fasting n and hied Jd prayer cr July 1 15 i another was Issued setting August Au Au- gust u t 0 6 as a n day liny to give e thanks at the prospect ct of ot peace pence On October 3 came the first of Lincoln's regular Thanksgiving clay day proclamations The outlook for the Union was bright And so the last lust Thursday In November Is hereby set apart as asa a n day of thanksgiving and ald praise July 7 7 t. bv hy direction of congress President Lincoln designated the first Thursday of Augustas Augustas August as a ua day of national humiliation am an and prayer October 20 of the thc same year saw the issuance Issuance of Lincoln's second and last regular Thanksgiving day proclamation Before Thanksgiving ing day arrived arrived ar ar- ar- ar rived rl It was Iq known own that Lincoln by an overwhelming overwhelming over o whelming majority had been heen chosen to succeed himself The war was wearing to a close a and and the occasion wa was auspicious Q by Western Newspaper Union Z i l r. r 1 |