[at-l] OT - George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

[Kurt Cedergren]

General Thanksgiving 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 favour; 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 PUBLICK THANSGIVING 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 TWENTY-SIXTH 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
favours 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
publick 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 shewn
kindness unto 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 third day of October, in
the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington
------------------------------

Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789

A copy of the *original Centinel
printing*<http://www.leaderu.com/humanities/washington-thanksgiving-original.html>is
also available.

Happy Thanksgiving

Onestep