East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-10-14
President Lincoln's Proclamation.
By the President Of the United States Of

~ W FfeStdeht ~ me CRte1 STATES o.
Americd,
A PROCLAMATION.
The year that is drawing toward its
close has been filled with the blessings
of fruitful fields and healthful skies
/ 10 those bounties which are so con-
stantly 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 can not fail TO penetrate and
soften even the heart which is habit
ually insensible to the ever watchful
Providence Of Almighty God. In the
midst of civil war ofunequaled mag
nitude and severity, which has some
times seemed TO invite and provoke
the aggression of foreign States, 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 con-
hict. While that theater has been
greatly contracted by the advancing
armies and navies of the Union, the
needful diversions of wealth and
strength from the fields Of peaceful in
dustry to the National defense, have
not arrested the plow, the shuttle or
the ship. The AK has enlarged the
borders of our settlements, and the
mines, as well of iron and coal as the
precious metals, have yielded more
abundantly than heretofore. Popula-
ton has steadily increased, notwith-
standing 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 a
continuance of years, with a large in
crease of freedom. No human coun-
sci 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 never
theless remembered mercy. 1t has
seemed to me fit and proper that they
should be solemnly, devoutly and
gratefully acknowledged, as with one
heart and voice, by the whole Ameri-
can people. / 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 OBJ
serve the last Thursday of November
next as day of Thanksgiving and
prayer to our beniiicent Father who
dwelleth in the heavens; and | recon-
mend to them that offering up the as
criptions Justly due to Him for such
singular deliverances and blessings,
they do also, with humble peni-
tencc for our national perverseness
and disobedience, commend to his
tender care all those who have become
widows, orphans or sufferers in the
lamentable civil strife in which we
are unavoidably engaged, and fervent-
ly implore the interposition of the AL
mighty hand toheal the wounds of the
nation and to restore it, as soon as
may be consistent with the divine pur-
poses, to the full enjoyment of peace,
harmony, tranquility and union.
In testimony whereof, / have here
unto set my hand and caused the seal
of the United States to be Affixed
Done at the City of Washington, this,
the third day Of October, in the year
of our Lord 1868, and of the indepen-
dence of the United States the eighty
eighth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
BY the President:
WM. Ii. SEWARD. Sec'y of State.