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Show Two Thanksgiving Proclamations of Revolutionary Days THE lastThanksglving proclamation proclama-tion of the revolution was reported re-ported to congress October 18, 17S3, by Duane, Samuel Huntington Hunt-ington and Holten. It was written by Mr. Duane and given to the people on the second Thursday in December. It expresses thanks for the discharge of troops in the following words: "Whereas, It has pleased the Supreme Su-preme Ruler of all human events to dispose the hearts of the late belligerent bellig-erent powers to put a period to the effusion of human blood, by proclaiming proclaim-ing a cessation of all hostilities by sea and land, and these United States are not only happily rescued from the j dangers and calamities to which they have been so long exposed, but their freedom, sovereignty and Independence Indepen-dence are ultimately acknowledged ; and, whereas, in the process of a contest con-test on which the most essential rights of human nature depended the Interposition Inter-position of divine providence in our favor hath been most abundantly and most graciously manifested, and the citizens of these United States have every reason for praise and gratitude to the God of their salvation; . . . the United States in congress assembled do recommend it to the several states to set apart the second Thursday in December next as a day of public thanksgiving." The first national Thanksgiving to be promulgated after the adoption of the Constitution of the United States was written by Washington and issued on October 3, 1789. This was a general gen-eral recommendation of thanksgiving for the. establishment of the Constitution. Constitu-tion. The whereabouts of the original of this instrument is unknown. The earliest Thanksgiving proclamation of Washington as president in the possession pos-session of the department of state is one dated January 1, 1795, and was issueu iu view ui uie suppression oi the rebellion in western Pennsylvania, which for a time threatened the safety of the union. This document was written by Alexander Alex-ander Hamilton, secretary of the treasury, treas-ury, and bears amendments by Edmund Ed-mund Randolph, secretary of state. The original copy Is yellow and the Ink Is faded, but It is yet legible. It is the engrossed copy which bears the great seal of the United States and the signatures of Washington and Randolph. Ran-dolph. The proclamation is as follows fol-lows : "When we review the calamities which afflict so many other nations, the present condition of the United States affords much of consolation and satisfaction. Our exemption hitherto from foreign war, an increasing prospect pros-pect of the continuance of that exemption, exemp-tion, the great degree of internal tranquility tran-quility we have enjoyed, the recent confirmation of that tranquility by the suppression of an insurrection which so wantonly threatened It, the happy |
