November 8, 2007

The Season of Celebration

By Stan Dyer

I awoke today to an unstable economy, war abroad, and rising fuel prices with the knowledge that the coldest months of the year were just around the corner. I wondered if there was any good news at all. After all, it is the holiday season and there must be something to celebrate. It occurred to me that many Americans must have been thinking similar thoughts back in 1863; the year Abraham Lincoln established by proclamation a national day of Thanksgiving.

I found an issue of Harper's Weekly from October 17, 1863. Page 658 contained President Lincoln's public proclamation that established the Thanksgiving holiday. It also contained some familiar complaints of partisan politics, foreign alliance, and isolationism. After all, the country was having some trouble of its own then too. This was the Civil War in America, just ten months after the Emancipation Proclamation became effective, and just a few weeks before Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address. People had a lot on their minds. War and the effects of war were in the news. Does that Sound familiar? Much of it had the ring of familiarity.

The Harper's editors offered this opinion of the Emancipation Proclamation: "We support also every necessary measure of war. We are, indeed, most sincerely rejoiced that the war waged upon the government to secure the supremacy of slavery offers the opportunity for settling the eternal vexation of our history and the constant menace of our peace and permanence by overthrowing slavery itself". When they speak of "the constant menace of our peace and permanence", it sounds more as if they are talking about Al-Qaeda than Jefferson Davis. Americans have always argued the value of any existing war and the "fit and necessary war measures" taken to secure peace and permanence against varying foes, but they have never argued against a true, lasting peace.

As for partisan politics, it was interesting to find a letter to the editor from an obviously copperhead influence. Copperheads were Northerners suspected of subversive activity on behalf of the Confederacy, (There were terrorist cells even back then?), and this is what they had to say about Abraham Lincoln, one of the most beloved presidents of all time: "We have not failed in our duty. We have warned again and again warned the American people in the most solemn manner that they were in mortal peril from this man whom our warm-blooded Southern brothers have often picturesquely described as a drunken ape." It sounds not unlike media attacks on President Bush, whom some think is just as picturesque (Or, maybe something from Hugo Chavez or Al-Jazeera?) . Lincoln drew criticism for the "Confiscation Act", "The Emancipation Proclamation" and the suspension of Habeas Corpus. That is not too different from the criticism Bush receives for "The Patriot Act", Spying on the American people, and the Continuation of an Unwanted War, (Does anyone ever really want war?). I certainly do not want to suggest that Bush is in the same league as Lincoln, but it is curious how they both shared similar criticism. Now, if only Bush can come up with something as timeless as the Gettysburg Address, the world might witness the most unusual parallel of all time! Reading on, I discovered some more interesting links to the present.

There was a discussion of a booklet called " The French Pamphlet", which described why France and England chose not to involve themselves in the American Civil War. There was specific mention of France's entanglement in Mexico and one particular battle at the city of Pueblathe year before. Mexicans do not remember the day well, (except those who live in modern day Puebla), but many Hispanic Americans do. That is the battle remembered every fifth of May as " Cinco de Mayo". Had not those peasants armed with simple farm tools defeated the proud French army of Napoleon, the French would have been in perfect position to come north and aid the Confederate cause. Viva Mexico! That defeat indirectly helped with the Union victory at Antietam in August of 1862 and gave Abraham Lincoln the opportunity to present his Emancipation Proclamation in September, offering both the opportunity for freedom for slaves in many southern states, and, at the same time, ensuring that neither England nor France would enter the war. Lincoln called the Proclamation a "fit and necessary war measure", but it was, in reality, a cunning and strategic chess move by a great player.

By November of the same year, Harper's reports talks underway to secure equal pay for all soldiers, regardless of race, the need for 300,000 new recruits and the possibility of a draft without the provision of the $300 clause, which allowed draftees to buy their way out of service by hiring someone else to go in their place for no more than $300. I do not think Haliburton was around back then, but those issues are similar to appropriations Congress debates even today. Of course, the $300 clause is long gone, but, back then, it was important. It was like a "salary cap". With the cap removed, the price could climb above $300 and, in a bidding war not unlike free agency in modern professional sports, draftees might find themselves unable to afford that good, utility infielder to catch bullets in their stead. Winter weather also set in and talk was that both sides would go to winter quarters at least until after Christmas. That was one nice thing about 19 th century warfare; they stopped for bad weather. Now, they stop for nothing. Governor Horatio Seymour of New York, in accordance with Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation a month earlier, proclaimed Thanksgiving Day in New York to be Thursday, the 26 th that year. On November 19, Lincoln went to the Gettysburg Battlefield to deliver his now famous address and dedicate the new national monument.

In the December 26, 1863 issue, Harper's printed Lincoln's thoughts on Reconstruction and Amnesty. Even though the end of the war was over a year away, it showed that the Union was confident the war would soon end in its favor, and that they had at least considered an "exit strategy". It also showed that then, just as now, no matter how hopeless things may seem, we should always plan for the future with hope. A good exit strategy is a good start. In the face of continued war, the editors remarked, "Ought it not to be a merry Christmas? Even with all the sorrow that hangs and will forever hang, over so many households; even while the war still rages; even while there are serious questions yet to be settled- ought it not to be, and is it not a merry Christmas?" Today's editors might make the same note. Every Christmas ought to be a Merry Christmas.

Now, I'm not saying that the situation today is anywhere near as dire or serious as the situation was 144 years ago in 1863, but it is interesting to note the similarities, the attitudes taken toward given circumstances, and how 144 years do not seem that far removed from the present. Similar situations have developed many times before in history and are sure to develop many more times in the future. Even with an unstable economy, war abroad, and rising fuel prices with winter just around the corner, it is all a part of the continuation of life, no matter how unfortunate. Thanksgiving during this "Season of Celebration" that closes out the year reminds us all of the perseverance of humankind and to be thankful for another year of life rather than to dwell on the things we have no power to change. We are all on this big boat together, and, since we cannot get off at the next port, let's celebrate the season and the opportunity to row the boat together. Yes, Virginia, there is good news. We have a boat. Let's celebrate.

(Author's Note: Just for fun, I noticed that classified ads in Harper's had "perfect fit" shirts @ $24 a dozen, a microscope for .30 in coin, engraved, gold-plated watches for $7.00 and a 14kt. gold Pen in a solid silver case for $1.50. And you thought inflation was bad today!)