Welcome to The Alligator Blog for Wednesday, November 22, 2023. This is your host, Curt Ghormley, and I’m delighted to have you along today. In this episode, I thought it appropriate to read the Proclamation by President George Washington initiating a national Thanksgiving holiday in 1789.
As a special bonus, at the end I will offer a link to “The True Story of Thanksgiving,” recorded by Rush Limbaugh in his last Thanksgiving episode before his death. Love Limbaugh or hate him, his rendition of the Thanksgiving story accurately describes how the Pilgrims in the 1620s became a powerhouse of production and commerce. The help of local Indians was indispensable to their survival. More on that below.
Here’s George Washington.
By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious 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 rendering unto him 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 interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
George Washington
Thanks for joining us today. The link to Rush’s “The True Story of Thanksgiving” is coming up.
Here is some of what Rush said:
“So what did Bradford’s community try next?… Every family was assigned its own plot of land to work and permitted to market its own crops and products. And what was the result? ‘This had very good success,’ wrote Bradford, ‘for it made all hands industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been.’ …
There was no wiping out of the indigenous people, and eventually — in William Bradford’s own journal — unleashing the industriousness of all hands ended up producing more than they could ever need themselves.
Listen to the entire 24-minute segment. If you are listening to this as an audio, go back to the email you received and find the link at the bottom of the post. We are also at alligatorpublishing.substack.com.
Before you go, visit www.alligatorpublishing.com to see the books and the coffee mugs in the store for Christmas gifts. Both books are also available in audio version at www.audible.com and at other audio outlets.
And that is what the Alligator has considered on Wednesday, November 22, 2023. From our family to yours, we wish you all the best on Thanksgiving this year.
Listen to Rush by clicking the link below! Have a good holiday!
Curt
The True Story of Thanksgiving, taken from www.rushlimbaugh.com, 11/24/2020.
An Alligator Thanksgiving 2023 Part II