By the
President of the United States
of America, a
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
shown 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 3d
day of October, A.D. 1789.
(signed George Washington)
Read more about Thanksgiving in
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