The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-11-26
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THTRSD4 Y. NOVEMBER %.
The National Thanksgiving Day.
4 Proclamation by the President of the
IniIcd SImIes Of 4 ncr On.

The year iIat i drawing toward it, close has been filed with
the blessings 81 fruitful fields and healthfuI skies. To these
boun;tes, which = Z so constantly enjoyed that We are prone tn
forget the source from which they come, others have been added
which are Of 50 extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to
penetrate AMI soften the heart which is hahrtualy insensble to
the ever-vatchfuI providence Of Almighty God.
In the midst Of a civil war Of unequal-l magnitude AMI Sc
verify, which has sonnet mes seemed to invite and provoke the
asgressiOns OF foreign States, peace has been preserved with all
nations, order has heen maintained. the laws have been respect
- and oheyel, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except
in the theater Of miEt ry conflict while that theater has been
greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navie- Of the
Union.
The needfGl diversions Of wealth and strength from the fields
% peaceful industry 10 the national defense have not arrested
the p!ow, the shuttle or the ship. The TX has enlarged the Dor
ders Of our settlements, and the mines, a. well Of iron and coal
as Of the precious metals. have yielded even more abundantly
than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwih-
standing the waste that has peen made in the camp, the siege
and the battlefield and the country rejoicing m the conscious
ness of augmented strength and yigor is permitted to expect
continuance of years with large increase Of freedom.
No human counsel 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 nevertheless remembered mercy.
Il has seemed TO me fit and proper that they should be SOL
emily, reyerently, and gratefully acknowledged IS with one
heart and voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore,
invite my hIos-ci;zens IN every part Of the United States. and
also those who are NJ sea and those who are sojourning in
foreign lands to set apart and observe the last Thursday Of No
vember mex, a. 4 Day Of Thanksgiving and Prayer to our bene-
fcent Father who dTeleth in the heavens. And 1 recommend
10 them tnat. whhe ou-rinE up the descriptions justly due 10 him
for such singular d-liyerauces and blessings, they do also, with
humble penitsnce for our national perverseness and disobedi-
ence, commend 20 His tender care all those who have become
widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers, in the lameutable civil
strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently i'm
pIJre the in;erposiion Of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds
81 the nation and To restore it, as soon as nay be consistent with
the Divine purposes, TO the full enjoyment Of peace, harmony,
tranquility, and union.
In testimony whereof / have he-euntn set my hand and
caused the seal Of the United States to be afixel.
Done AZ the City Of Washington this ;hiri day of October, in
the year Of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty
three, and Of the independence OF tile United States the eighty
eighth. ABRAHAM LIScoLS.
BY the President:
WILLIAM II. SEWARD, Secretary of state.