Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-04-09
The Presidents Proclamation of
is"snf Es-i Fast, $3.50 ear
a PROCLAMATION By TIE rnEsrDrsr OF THE

PROCLAMATION By TIE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WHEREAS. The Senate of the United
States. devoutly recognizing the supreme
authority and just government of Almighty
God in. all the affairs of men end of ma
;ions. has, by resolution. requested the
President to designate and set apart q day
for National prayer and humiliation: and,
I WHEREAS. 1t is the duty of nations as
we'll as Of men. to own their dependence
upon the oyerruling power of God, to con
fs,s their sins and transgressions, in hum
bic sorrow, yet with assured hope that
genuine repentance will lead to mercy and
pardon. and to recognize the sublime
truths announced in the Holy Scriptures
and proven by all history, that those na-
tions only are blessed whose God is the
Lord; a'a t 2et
And, inasmuch. as we know that, by
His divine law. nations. like individuals,
are subjected to punishment and chastiss,
ment in this world. may we not Justly fear
that the awful calamity Of civil war, which
now desolates the land, may be but a pun
ishment inflicted upon us for our presump-
tious sins. to the needful end Of oar national
reformation as q whole People? We
have been the recipients of the choicest
'bounties Of Heaven. We have been pre-
served, 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 forgotten the gracious hand
which preserved us in peace. and multipli-
ed and enriched and strengthened us; AMI
we have vainly imagined, in tho deeeitful-
ness OF our hearts. that all these blessings
were produced by some superior wisdom
and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with
unbroken success. we have become too
self sufficient to feel the necessity of re-
deeming and preserving grace. too proud
to pray to the God that made us!
1t behooves US, then. tc humble our
selves before the offended Power, to con-
fess our national sins. and pray for Glenn
ency aud forgiveness.
Now. therefore, in compliance with the
request. and fully concurring in the views
of the Senate. do bv this my proclama-
tioa designate and set apart Thursday, the
3Oth day of April. 1868. as day Of ma
tional humiliation. fasting. and prayer
And | do hereby reques, all the people to
abstain on that day from their ordinary
secular pursn its. and to unite. at their sew
eral places of public worship and their res
peciive homes. in keeping the day holy to
the Lord. and devoted to the humble dis.
charge Of the religious duties proper to
that solemn occasion. ica
All this being done, in sincerity and
truth. let us then rest humbly in the hope
authorized by Divine teachings. that the
united cry of the nation will be heard on
high. and answered with blessings. no less
than the pardon of our national sins. and
the restoration of our now divided and suf-
fering country to its former happy condi
tion of unity and peace. te
In witness whereof. I have hereunto set
INV hand, anl esnsei the seal Of the United
States to be- esaffixesi. ~ stas u
Done in the City of Washington this
30th day of March. in the year of our Lord.
one THOUSAND eight hundred AMI sixty
three. and Of tn, Independence Of the Uni
tel States the eighty-seventh ESQ
+ r.. s. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President:
WILLIAM III. SEWARD, Sec'y Of Sta.e.