Litchfield enquirer., 1863-04-09
Nasfonal Prayer and HumiIiafion. A pKOCLAMATIoN BY THE PRESID- TNT OF THE UNITED STATES OF
 AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESiD- ENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF
 AMERICA.
 1rhereas. Tho Senate of the United States dsyuutlv recognizing the supreme authorit, and iust government of Almighty God in al the sffai,s of mea and of nations, has. by q res vlution, requested the President to designat. and set apart a day fur National prayer ant humiliation and,
 Whereas, It is the duty vf nations, as wei as of men, to own their dspsDdencs upon the overriding power of God. to confess their slils and transgrsssions, in humble sorrow, yet witl assured hope that genuine repentance will lead tV mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truths announced in the Holy Scrip tures land proven by all History, that tIiose na tiens only are blessed whose God is the Lord
 Ard, inasmueh as we know that, by His di vino law, nations. like individuals. are subject s9 to punishmeAts and chastise,nents in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity Of civil war, which now des0lates the hnS, may be but punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptous sins. to the needful end Of our national reformation as awh0ls People We have bssn the recipients of the choicest bounties Of Heaven. We have been preserved, thsss many years. in peace 'd prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as nO other nation has eyer grown. But we have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peacs, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us and we have vainly imagined in the decsittulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wis donis and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with anbr0ken success, we have become too self sui. fcisnt to ftsl the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God
 lrbelivoves us, then, to humble ourselves be. fore the offended Power, to confess our nation al sins, and to pray for clemency and forgive Less.
 NUw, tlterciors, in compliance with the re- quest, and fully concurring in the views of the SeAate. do by this my proclamation de> glate andsset apart Thursday, the 30th day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting aa,d prayer. And do hereby request all the people 10 abstain on that. day from their ordin- mary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of worship and their respective homes; in keeping tke day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the re- ligious duties proper to that solemn occasion.
 All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us tlfen rest humbly in the hope, authorized by tho Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answer cd with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and restoration of our now divided and suffering country to it's former hap " coalition of unity and peace.
 In witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. @
 Bone at tho city of Washington this thirtieth
 day of March, in the year of our Lord
 one thousand eight hundred and sixty LIS. three, and of the independence of the
 United States the eighty seventh.
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN. By the President
 WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.