Thanksgiving Proclamations

In their respective Thanksgiving Day proclamations, both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln cited Heavenly intercession in American wars as major reasons for establishing and reestablishing a national day of thanks.

Washington gave thanks in 1789 for "the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war," referring to the Revolutionary War. Actually, since an "s" in those days was sometimes written as an "f", the above words were written as "interpofitions," "courfe" and "conclufion."

Nearly a century later, Thanksgiving had not survived as a national event.

Lincoln called on the American people in 1863 to "fervently implore the imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union." That was in the midst of America’s Civil War.

Washington's proclamation was printed in the Massachusetts Centinel October 14, 1789. That was 168 years after the Pilgrims observed their thanks gathering.

Lincoln's proclamation is also available online. According to that same website, Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation was probably written by Secretary of State William Seward.

Both proclamations were intended to unify the many state and local thanksgiving observances being conducted around the nation.

Both Presidents Acknowledged Presence of God

Despite any controversy over the separation of church and state that might have been stirring at those times, neither Washington nor Lincoln minced any words in giving thanks for Heavenly intervention.

Washington said it was "the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour."

Referring to America's numerous blessings, Lincoln said "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. "

They Called For Public Thanksgiving, Praise and Prayer

In his proclamation, Washington called for "a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Lincoln called for Americans "to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."

Washington called for God’s help "to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by consantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed."

In the original text using "f" instead of "s", wise was written as "wife."

Lincoln Cited Peace, Law and Harmony

Lincoln said despite the ongoing Civil War in the United 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 theater of military conflict."

Even the military theater, he added, "has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union."

Neither President mentioned turkey, cranberry, corn or turducken in his proclamation.

Thanksgiving Day Planning

George Washington

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