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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.
��also, in the chapter of " The Trident and the Net" : "Then with a numer- ous party of friends and clients Licin- ius made a strong demonstration in fa- vor of mercy. Such an array of hands turned outward and pointing to the earth met the Tribune's eye that he could not but forbear his cruel pur- pose."
If we may judge from the expres- sion of the faces throughout the as- sembly in his picture, M. Gerome in- tended to toreshadow the death of the
��retiarius. His motto therefore is cor- rect, but the conventional signal for death is misrepresented.
In conclusion, if any reader of this magazine considers that my brief in- quiry into ancient customs is " much ado about nothing," let me respectful- ly remind him that the distinction be- tween "thumbs up and thumbs down," though a matter of indifference to him, was unhappily a question of life or death to the prostrate gladiator in the Roman amphitheater.
��A THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION
��On the 1 2th day of November, 1777, it was voted by the house of repre- sentatives that the 4th day of Decem- ber then next be observed as a day of public Thanksgiving throughout this State, and that the proclamation be forthwith printed and dispersed throughout the State.
Congress, also, on the first of No- vember, 1777, issued their proclama- tion, recommending Thursday, the 1 8th of December then next, as a day for a general Thanksgiving through- out these States, and also recommend- ing that each State should adopt suit- able measures to carry the resolve of Congress into effect. Henry Laurens, President of the Continental Congress, sent a copy of this resolve to Hon. Meshech Weare. — Vide Bouton's Pro- vincial Papers, vol. 8, page 716.
It has been permitted us to copy the original proclamation adopted by both branches of our legislature of A. D. 1777, which was then distribut- ed through our state, and we com- mend the attention of its readers to the sincere, appropriate, patriotic lan- guage which pervaded that instrument, illustrating the character and spirit of that eventful period in our nation's ex- istence, exhibiting how we rose out of a most distressing state of gloom into a hopeful one of rejoicing, in conse-
��quence of the success of our arms, in the short space of three months in the summer and autumn of that year.
We have no knowledge of the author of this production ; we can only say, that it is creditable to his head as well as his heart.
In those days proclamations for Thanksgiving, as well as Fast, days were issued by authority of both branches of the legislature, both coun- cil and house of representatives. They were prepared by committees, selected from the house of representatives, reported to the house and adopt- ed by both branches, signed by the presiding officer, and then circulated among the people.
There were two Fast days appointed in 1777 — one in the spring, the other in August, a few days before the battle of Bennington. The proclamation for this Fast was prepared by three dea- cons in the house of representatives — Deacon Dakin, of Mason ; Deacon Dearborn, of North Hampstead ; Dea- con Knowles, of Rochester.
The proclamation for the Thanks- giving of 1 777 is a patriotic paper, and is a rare production, and interesting on account of the events of that year.
New Hampshire that year had great occasion to rejoice over our victories at Bennington and Saratoga. She
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