Christie's Is Selling The Proclamation That Established Thanksgiving, Signed By George Washington
Posted: 11/28/2013 9:05 am EST
The original Thanksgiving proclamation, signed by George Washington himself, appeared on the bidding block at Christie's earlier this month with a high estimate of around $12 million. The historical document that launched the rise of the Butterball was first signed on October 3, 1789. From then on the final Thursday of November was to be devoted to public thanksgiving, prayer, and eating your face off.
Read an excerpt from the original document below:
Now therefore do I 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…That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--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...In 1863, Abraham Lincoln took the proclamation a step further, making Thanksgiving Day a permanent national holiday. The only other copy of Washington's signed original document is currently housed in the Library of Congress, the Associated Press reports. The other could be in your living room (depending on how many Benjamin Franklins you're willing to spend for a Washington), as it failed to sell during the November 14 sale. That's right, George Washington's original Thanksgiving proclamation is still on the market.