| Thanksgiving
Day 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 and 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 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
enable 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 has 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 show kindness to us), and to bless them
with good governments, 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
3rd day of October, A.D. 1789.”
(signed) G. Washington |
