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Thanksgiving
Proclamation
George
Washington
City of New York,
October 3, 1789
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 thanks-giving and prayer to
be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts
the many 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, which we experienced 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 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 and
in general for all the great and various favors
which he hath 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 unto us) and
to bless them with good government, 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.
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