Sept. 28, 1789, A Resolution Was Offered

in the firat U. S. congress to request the president to recommend a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by the peopte of the United States in acinowledgment ofthemanysignalfavors of AJmighty God, and especially Hisaffording them the opportunity peaceabl y to eatablish a constitution of government for their safety and happiness. This motion was actually opposed, al'.hongh it passed. Congressman Tucker wanted to wait in order to test the new constitution and flnd out whether they had anything to be thankful for. Congressman Burke declared that he didn't want any mimicking of European cuscoms, and bis speech was the first congressional twisting of the British lion's iail, since become such a favorite pastime for our statesmen. Burke, as his name seems to indícate, was a ïrue son of Ireland, and probably saw ■with prophetis visión the possibilities of the Irish vote. Tucker thought that the question of thanksgiving ought to be left to the states, his Virginia blood boiling hot for state's rights at that early day. These many cavils seem amusing to us after a century, but they were serious enough to our venerated fathers of the constitution.