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First Thanksgiving Proclamation (1676)
Continental Congress Thanksgiving Proclamation
(1782)
George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation (1789)
Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation
(1863)
UseekUfind For Teachers
On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown,
Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the
good fortune that had seen their community securely established. By unamimous
vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of
thanksgiving. That proclamation is reproduced here in the same language and
spelling as the original.
While the proclamation quoted on this page is the oldest extant thanksgiving
proclamation, the thanksgiving being announced was by no means the first
thanksgiving. The Plymouth Thanksgiving traditionally regarded as the first
thanksgiving took place in 1621, the fall after the Mayflower pilgrims
arrived. (Thanks to Jennie Stearns for this additional information)
"The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his
Afflictive dispensations in and by the present Warr with the Heathen Natives of
this land, written and brought to pass bitter things against his own Covenant
people in this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in the midst of
his judgments he hath remembered mercy, having remembered his Footstool in the
day of his sore displeasure against us for our sins, with many singular
Intimations of his Fatherly Compassion, and regard; reserving many of our Towns
from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us especially
of late with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against them,
without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been sensible of, if
it be the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, It certainly bespeaks our
positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in any measure disappointed or
destroyed; and fearing the Lord should take notice under so many Intimations of
his returning mercy, we should be found an Insensible people, as not standing
before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as lading him with our Complaints in the
time of pressing Afflictions:
The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the 29th day of
this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God for such
his Goodness and Favor, many Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced, but
we doubt not those who are sensible of God's Afflictions, have been as diligent
to espy him returning to us; and that the Lord may behold us as a People
offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the Council doth commend it to the
Respective Ministers, Elders and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and
seriously to keep the same Beseeching that being persuaded by the mercies of God
we may all, even this whole people offer up our bodies and souls as a living and
acceptable Service unto God by Jesus
Christ."
The text of this proclamation (not the introduction) prepared by
Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300). Distributed by the Cybercasting
Services Division of the National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN).
Permission is hereby granted to download, reprint, and/or otherwise redistribute
the text of the proclamation (not the introduction), provided appropriate point
of origin credit is given to Gerald Murphy and the National Public Telecomputing
Network.
STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
IN COMMITTEE of SAFETY,
EXETER, November 1, 1782.
ORDERED,
THAT the following Proclamation for a general THANKSGIVING on the
twenty-eighth day of November instant, received from the honorable Continental
Congress, be forthwith printed, and sent to the several worshipping Assemblies
in this State, to whom it is recommended religiously to observe said day, and to
abstain from all servile labor thereon.
M. WEARE, President.
By the United States in Congress assembled.
PROCLAMATION.
IT being the indispensable duty of all Nations, not only to offer up
their supplications to ALMIGHTY GOD, the giver of all good, for his
gracious assistance in a time of distress, but also in a solemn and public
manner to give him praise for his goodness in general, and especially for
great and signal interpositions of his providence in their behalf: Therefore
the United States in Congress assembled, taking into their consideration the
many instances of divine goodness to these States, in the course of the
important conflict in which they have been so long engaged; the present happy
and promising state of public affairs; and the events of the war, in the
course of the year now drawing to a close; particularly the harmony of the
public Councils, which is so necessary to the success of the public cause; the
perfect union and good understanding which has hitherto subsisted between them
and their Allies, notwithstanding the artful and unwearied attempts of the
common enemy to divide them; the success of the arms of the United States, and
those of their Allies, and the acknowledgment of their independence by another
European power, whose friendship and commerce must be of great and lasting
advantage to these States:----- Do hereby recommend to the inhabitants of
these States in general, to observe, and request the several States to
interpose their authority in appointing and commanding the observation of THURSDAY
the twenty-eight day of NOVEMBER next, as a day of solemn THANKSGIVING
to GOD for all his mercies: and they do further recommend to all ranks,
to testify to their gratitude to GOD for his goodness, by a cheerful
obedience of his laws, and by promoting, each in his station, and by his
influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great
foundation of public prosperity and national happiness.
Done in Congress, at Philadelphia, the eleventh day of October, in the
year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two, and of our
Sovereignty and Independence, the seventh.
JOHN HANSON, President.
Charles Thomson, Secretary.
PRINTED AT EXETER.
For more documents from American history visit
American
Memories.
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 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
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 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 show 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 3d dy of October, A.D. 1789.
(signed) G. Washington
From Spark's Washington, Vol. XII, p. 119
The following background information was submitted by Wayne Winters of
Pocatello, Idaho.
Shortly after the Thanksgiving Proclamation was written it was lost for over a
hundred years. It was apparently misplaced or attached to some private papers in
the process of moving official records from one city to another when the capital
was changed. However, it happened the original manuscript was not in the
official archives until 1921 when Dr. J. C. Fitzpatrick, then assistant chief of
the manuscripts division of the Library of Congress "found" the
proclamation. It was at an auction sale being held at an art gallery in New
York. It was written in long hand by Wm. Jackson, secretary to President
Washington and was signed by George Washington. Dr Fitzpatrick purchased the
document for $300.00 for the Library of Congress, where it now resides.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the
blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are
so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they
come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they
cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually
insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a
civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to
foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been
preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been
respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre
of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the
advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of
strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not
arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders
of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious
metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has
steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp,
the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness
of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years
with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any
mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the
Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath
nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they
should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and
voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in
every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are
sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of
November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who
dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the
ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they
do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience,
commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners
or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged,
and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds
of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine
purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
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