By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation.

Whereasit is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of AlmightyGod, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly toimplore his protection and favor -- and whereas both Houses of Congresshave by their joint committee requested me "to recommend to the Peopleof the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to beobserved by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favorsof Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceablyto establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Nowtherefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of Novembernext to be devoted by the people of these states to the service of thatgreat and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the goodthat was, that is, or that will be

-- That we may then all unite inrendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks

-- for his kind careand protection of the people of this country previous to their becominga nation

-- for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interposition of his providence which we experienced in the course andconclusion of the late war

-- for the great degree of tranquility,union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed

-- for the peaceable andrational manner in which we have been enabled to establishconstitutions of government for our safety and happiness, andparticularly the national one now lately instituted

-- for the civiland religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we haveof acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;

and in general for all thegreat and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

Andalso that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers andsupplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him topardon our national and other transgressions

-- to enable us all,whether in public or private stations, to perform our several andrelative duties properly and punctually

-- to render our nationalgovernment a blessing to all the people, by constantly being agovernment of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly andfaithfully executed and obeyed

-- to protect and guide all sovereignsand nations (especially such as have shown kindness onto us) and tobless them with good government, peace, and concord

-- to promote theknowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease ofscience among them and us

-- and generally to grant unto all mankindsuch 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.

-- George Washington