Thanksgiving Proclamation
Issued by President George
Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789
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 favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and
conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, 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 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 trangressions; 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 third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Go. Washington
