Abraham Lincoln issued Thanksgiving Proclamation after a gap of several
years in 1862. He made an appeal to people to thank God for the victory of the
United States forces in ' suppressing an internal rebellion, and at the same
time to avert from our country the dangers of foreign intervention and
invasion.' Next year, Lincoln mentioned the sacrifice of 'life, limb, health,
and liberty, incurred by brave, loyal, and patriotic citizens' for these
victories and to pray for the sorrowful and bereaved families of the victims of
this 'domestic affliction in every part of the country.' His second Thanksgiving
proclamation of 1863 was the actual continuation of previous annual Thanksgiving
Proclamations for general blessings of God throughout the year.
This Thanksgiving Proclamation is more optimistic than Lincoln's previous
proclamations that reflect the solemn mood of the nation during Civil War.
Andrew Johnson made the Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1865. He announced that the
'first Thursday of December' has been set apart as 'a day of national
thanksgiving to the Creator of the Universe'. In 1866 to 1868, last Thursday of
November was set apart 'as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God'. In
1869, Ulysses S. Grant was the President of the United States and appointed
'Thursday, the 18th day of November next, be observed as a day of thanksgiving
and of praise and of prayer to almighty God, the creator and the ruler of the
universe'. He shifted back to last Thursday of November in 1870.
In 1871, U. S. Grant declared Thanksgiving as 'an occasion for sympathy with the
sufferers, of resignation on their part to the will of the Most High, and of
rejoicing to the many who have been more favored'; in 1872 to thank the merciful
God for 'prosperity in agriculture, manufactures, and commerce' and 'His
kindness and bounty'; in 1873, he mentioned abundant harvests, over all good
health of the public, tranquility at home and peace with other nations in his
Thanksgiving Proclamation; in 1874 for 'the cultivation of kindly feelings
toward each other'; and thanked 'Almighty God for the ceaseless and
distinguished benefits bestowed upon us as a nation' in 1875. In 1876, he
mentioned that the United States of America is 'offering an asylum to the people
of every race.'
Rutherford B. Hayes was the President of the United States in 1877 and he
mentioned the 'strength and peace and greatness' of America as a nation in his
Thanksgiving Proclamation. R. B. Hayes reiterates the 'recurrence of that season
at which it is the habit of our people to make devout and public confession of
their constant dependence upon the divine favor' in 1878 and blessings of the
Almighty for 'the material prosperity enjoyed by our whole country been more
conspicuous, more manifold, or more universal' in his Thanksgiving Proclamation
in 1879. We have also brought you the latest Presidential Thanksgiving
Proclamations of the 21st century that gives a wonderful idea about the current
political scenario of America and the world.
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