The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-04-09

MALAArAON.
A PROCLAMATION By rnE PRESIDENT OF ruE
UNITED STATES or AMERICA
Whs-eas, TheSenatc Of the United States,
devoutly recognizing the Supreme Asihori
~ and just government Of Ahaighty God
in all the affairs of men and Of nations, has,
by resolution, scqAes,ed the President to
designate and set apart q day for National
prayer and humiliation; and.
WAerens, II is the duty Of nations,as well
as Of men, to own their dependence upon
the overriding power Of God. to confess
their sins and transgressions. in humble
SORROW, yet with assured hope that genuine
repentance will lead to mercy and pardon,
and to recognize the sublime truths an
nounced in the Holy.Scripturcs and proven
by all history, THAT those nations only
are blessed whose God is the Lord
And inasmuch as we know that, by His
divine law, nations like individuals, are
subjected to punishments and chastisements
in this world, may We not Justly 'ear that
the awful calamity of civil war, which now
desohtes the and, may be but punish
mcnt inffctef upon ~ far oas. pzcSunptu.
Gus sins. to the needful end of our national
reformation as whole People We have
been the recipients Of the choicest bounties
Of Heaven. We have been preserved, these
many years, in peace and prosperity. We
have grown in numbers, wealth and power
as no other nation has ever grown. But
we have forgotten God.-We have f,rgotten
The geaci'us Hand which preserves W. m
peace, and multiplied and enriched and
strengthened US; and we have vainly imag.
ined. in the dcceitfnlness Of our hearts, that
all these blessings were produced by some
superior wisdom and virtues Of our own.
intoxicated with unbrokcn success, VIC have
become too self sufficient to feel the necessi.
ty Of redccming AMI preserving z, ace, too
proud to pray to the God that made
US,
II behoves vs., then. to humble ourselves
before the offended Power, to confess our
national sins, and to pray for clencncy and
forgiveness.
Now, therefore, in compliance with the
request, and full concurriny in the views
of the Senate, do by this, my proclama-
ton, designate and set apart Thurs lay, the
30th day Of April, 1868, as a day Of humil-
iation, fasting and prayer. And do here
BY request all the people to abstain on thai
day from their ordinary secular pursuits
and to unite, at their several places Of pub
lie worship and their respective homes. in
keeping the day holy to the Lord and devo-
ted to the humble discharge Of the re-
ligous duties proper to thar solemn &C.
casion.
All this being, done. In sincerity and truth
let US then rest hu,nbly in the hope, au thor
ised by the Divine teachings, that the Uni
ted cry OF the Nation will be heard on high
and answered with blessings, no less than
the pardon of our national sins, and restor-
alton of our now devided and suffering
country to its former happycondition Of uni
ty and peace.
! In witness whereof, have hereunto SCI
my hand, anu caused the seal Of the United
States to be affixed.
Done at the City Of Washington this Thrift
eth day of March, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hu ,dred and sixty
three. and of the Independence of tn,
United States the eighty.seventh.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
By the President
WILLIAM Il. SEWARD, Secretary Of State