Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-07-03
A OENTENNARIAN.

What curious voices come up from
the past, silent voices of one hundred
years ago, as if century dead and bur-
led had lifted it's coffin-lid and walked
forth personifed to enjoy the glimpses
of the moon." Here is an old paper of
June 23d, 1775, the Connecticut Gazette,
published in New London, volume II.
No. COG. Among many other interest
ing items, showing quite wildly the
very excited condition of the public
mind, we find and copy the following
Proclamation by Congress, with the
name of its President, John Hancock,
attached. 1t will be observed that its
date is more than one hundred years
ago, June 18th, 1775: ss se
In Congress, June -, 1775. AS the
great Governor of the world, by his
supreme and universal Providence, not
only conducts the course of nature with
unerring wisdom and rectitude, but fire.
quently influences the minds Of men to
serve the wise and gracious purposes of
his providential government; and it
being, at all times, our indispensable
duty, devoutedly to acknowledge his
experimenting Providence, especially
in times of impending danger, and pub
lie calamity, to reverence and adore his
immutable Justice, as well as to implore
his merciful interpositions for our de-
liverence.
This Congress, therefore, considering
the present critical, alarming and calam-
itous state of these Colonies, do earnest
ly recommend, that Thursday, the Twen-
tieth day of July next, be observed by
the inhabitants of all the English Col
onies on this continent. as day of pub
lie Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer,
that we may with united hearts and
voices, unfeignedly confess and deplore
our many sins, and offer up our joint
supplications to the all-wise, omnipo-
tent and merciful disposer of all events,
humbly beseeching Him, to forgive our
iniquities, to remove our present calam-
tiles, to avert those desolating judg
ments with which we are threatened,
and to bless our rightful foreign King
George III, and inspire him with wis
dom to discern and pursue the true in
terest of all his subjects, ,--thata speedy
end may be put TO the civil discord be-
tween Great Britain and the American
Colonies, without further effusion of
blood, and that the British Nation may
be influenced to regard The things that
belong to her peace, before atey are hid
from her eyes, - that these Colonies
may be ever under the care and protec-
ton of kind Providence, and be pros
pered in all their interests, that the
divine blessing may descend and rest
upon all our civil rulers, and upon the
Representatives of the people in their I
several Assemblies and Conventions, -,
that they may be directed to wise and
effectual measures for preserving the
union and securing the just rights and
privileges of the Colonies,--tha virtue
and true religion may revive and -four
ish through our land and that Amer
lea may soon behold gracious interpo-
sition of Heaven for the redress of her
many grievances, the restoration of her
invaded rights, reconciliation with the
parent state, ON terms constitutional
and honorable to both, and that her
civil and religious privileges may be
secured to the latest posterity. And it
is recommended to Christians of all De-
nominations to assemble for public wor-
ship and to abstain from servile labor
and recreations on said day.
By order of Congress,
JOHN HANCOCK, President.
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