Page:George Washington's October 3, 1789, Thanksgiving Day Proclamation. - NARA - 299956.jpg

 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 Houes of Congres have by their joint committee requeted me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be offered by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, epecially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to etablih a form of government for their afety and happines."

Now therefore I do recommend and asign Thursday the 26$th$ day of November next to be devoted by the People of thee States to the ervice of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will bethat we may then all unite in rendering unto him our incere and humble thanksfor his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nationfor the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpoitions of his providence, which we experienced in the coure and concluion of the late warfor the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have ince enjoyedfor the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to etablish contitutions of government for our afety and happines, and particularly the national One now lately intitutedfor the civil and religious liberty with which we are bleed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing ueful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleaed to confer upon us.

and alo that we may then unite in mot humbly offering our prayers and upplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beeech him to pardon our national and other Trangresionsto enable us all, whether in in public or private tations, to perform our everal and relative duties properly and punctuallyto render our national government a blesing to all the People, by contantly being a government of wie, jut, and contitutional laws, dicreetly and faithfully executed and obeyedto protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (epecially uch as have hown kindnes unto us) and to bles them with good government, peace, and concordto promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encreae of cience among them and usand generally to grant unto all mankind uch a degree of temporal properity 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.