Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly 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 cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, 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 conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding 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 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.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I 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 observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward,
Secretary of State
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感恩節宣言
正進入尾聲的今年，我們享有果實累累的土地與祈求中的好天氣。對這些我們時常享受的慷慨贈予，我們很容易忘記他們來自何處，這是全能上帝的保佑，上帝的巨大力量，即使是無動於衷的心都會被穿透軟化。
在史無前例的嚴重與艱苦的內戰中，有時甚至似乎會挑起列強的侵略時，和平卻保持住了，秩序也維持了，法律被重視並遵守，除了軍事衝突的戰區之外，其他地方還能平靜無事。聯邦前進的軍隊與海軍也使戰區大大地縮小。財富與力量必須從和平的企業轉移到國防，但這並沒有抑制農業，陸運或海運，鐵和煤礦與貴重金屬的礦物產出比以往更多。儘管在營地，圍城與戰場有損傷，人口穩定增加，而且國家為實力與活力的提高而欣喜，未來自由將持續大幅增加。人類的忠告或凡人之手無法做出這些偉大的成就。它們是最高造物主慈悲的禮物，主為我們的犯罪而發怒時仍然慈悲。
對我而言，這些應該被全體美國人民一心一意、莊嚴地、恭敬地、感激地道謝。我因此邀請我全美各地、海上以及居留外國的同胞們，騰出時間將下個月11月最後一個星期四作為感恩的一天，並且向我們在天上的天父祈禱和感恩。我也建議美國人，當對上帝這樣非凡奇特的賜福而對天父獻祭時，也謙卑的為我們國家的墮落與違抗懺悔，讚許他溫柔的看護，對那些在這場無法避免的悲慘內戰中所有成為寡婦、孤兒、送葬者或受難者，並且強烈地懇求全能的神伸手治療國家的傷並且修補它，儘快與神聖的目的一致，享有完全的和平、融洽、寧靜與團結。
總統亞伯拉翰．林肯
