Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-04-10
Eat;onal Fast Day-The Presidents Proclama-
tIon.
By the President Of The Unaed States Of inner
9cG: -
A PROCLAMATION.

A PROCLAMATION.
WuEnEAs The Senate Of the United States,
devou,ly recognizing the Supreme Authority
and Just Government of Almighty God, in all
tie affairs of mtl; AID nations, has, by resO-
luton requested the President 10 designate
aud set apart day for National prayer and
humiliation
And whereas, ii is The duty of nations, as
we'll as Of men, TO own their dependence upon
Tie overriding power Of God, to eonless their
sins and transgrpssious, III humble sorrow, yet
with as. urtd hope that genuine repentance
Will Head 10 mercy and pardon. and TO reco2
nize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy
Scriptures and proven by all history, that
those rations only arc blessed whose God is
tue Lord
And, inasmurh as we know that, by His
Divine law nations, like individuals, are sub
iecttd to runi-hmeits and chast istmenIs in
lLis world may we not justly fear that the
awful canity Of civil war, which desc
lates tile land, may be but punishment in
a cttd upon us for our prcsImptuous Sins, to
the ncudful end Of our national reformation as
whole Icuple? We have been the recipi-
ents Of Tie choicest b1uniics OF Haven
We have Lcvn preserved, tho Sc many years,
in peace and prosperity. We have grown in
hunlbcrs, wealth and power as 30 other nation
has ever grown. But we lave forgotten God.
We have fogottcn the gracious hard which
preserved us in peace, and multiplied, aud en-
riched, and Strengthened US and VIC have
vainly imagined in the deccitfulness of our
hearts, that all tltse Blessings were pIcdnced
own. Intoxicated with unGruken success, we
have become too selfsufiicient to feel the he
cessity of redecmiIrg and preserving grace,
too proud to pray 10 the God that made US
1t bcbooves US, then, to humble ourselves
before the tff; ndCd Power, To confess our na-
tional sins. and TO Fray for clcmeney axe GOr-
giveness.
Now, therefore, in compliance with there
quest, and fully concHTring m Ire views Of TIE
Senate, o. 10y this my proclamation, desig-
nate and set apart Thursday, the 30th day Of
April, 1868, MS day of national humiliation,
fasting aud prayer. And do hereby request
all the people TO abstain that Gay from
their ordinary secular pursuits, and o uGl:te, at
their several pieces Of worship and their re-
spective homes. in keeping the day holy 10 the
the religious duties proper to the solemn oc-
Gasion-.
All this being done, in sincerity and truth,
let US then rest hunibly IN the hope authori-
I'd by the Divine teachings, that tie united
cry OF the nation will be heard on high, and
answering with sblcssings, 10 less than the
pardon Of our national sins, and tie restora-
tion Of our now divided and suffering country
10 its fOlmer happy condition of unity and
peace.
In witness whereof, l have hercunto set my
hand, and caused the seal of the United States
to be affixed
Done at the City Of Washington on this
thirlieth day Of March, in the year of
cur Lord one thousand eight huudrcd aud
L. 5. sixty-thrce, and the independence 0f
the .Cni,cd States the eiehty-sevenih
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
BY the President:
W&. Ii. SEWARD, Secretary Of State.