John Langdon - Thanksgiving Proclamation - 1785

President (Governor) John Langdon issued an official Proclamation for a General Thanksgiving on October 21, 1785, to the State of New Hampshire.

A Proclamation For A General Thanksgiving


THE munificent Father of Mercies, and Sovereign Disposer of Events, having been graciously pleased to relieve the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA from the Calamities of a long and dangerous war through the whole course of which, he continued to smile on the Labours of our Husbandmen, thereby preventing Famine (the almost inseparable Companion of War) from entering our Borders,-eventually restored to us the blessings of Peace, on Terms advantageous and honourable: 

And since the happy Period, when he silenced the Noise of contending Armies, has graciously smiled on the Labours of our Hands, caused the Earth to bring forth her increase in plentiful Harvests, and crowned the present Year with new and additional Marks of his unlimited Goodness: 

It therefore becomes our indispensable Duty, not only to acknowledge, in general with the rest of Mankind, our dependence on the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, but as a People peculiarly favored, to testify our Gratitude to the Author of all our Mercies, in the most solemn and public manner. 

I DO therefore, agreeably to a Vote of the General Court, appointing Thursday the 24^th Day of November next, to be observed and kept as a Day of GENERAL THANKSGIVING throughout this State, by and with the Advice of Council, issue this Proclamation, recommending to the religious Societies of ever Denomination, to assemble on that Day, to celebrate the Praises of our divine Benefactor, 

to acknowledge our own Unworthiness, confess our manifold Transgressions, implore his Forgiveness, and intreat the continuous of those Favours which he had been graciously pleased to bestow on us; 

that he would inspire our Rulers with Wisdom, prosper our Trade and Commerce, smile upon our Husbandry, bless our Seminaries of Learning, and spread the Gospel of his Grace over all the Earth. 

And all servile Labour is forbidden on said Day. 

GIVEN at the Council-Chamber in Concord, this Twenty-first Day of October, in the Year of our LORD, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-five, and in the Tenth Year of the Independence of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA