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with what heartfelt gratitude do we turn to the peaceful and happy condition of our country. Here peace, plenty, and with few exceptions, health, reign throughout our borders the smiles of heaven have caused the earth to teem with a vegetation which has abundantly rewarded the labours [labors] of the husbandman moral and intellectual improvements are every where, sheding [shedding] their benign influences around us like the dews of heaven the means of education are every where enjoyed the numerous Schools spread over our country, with here and there a higher Seminary, to render the light more brilliant, resemble a moral galaxy. From the shores of the Atlantic to the western wilderness, the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ is every where bursting forth, and spreading the cheering hopes of immortality and salvations. These, with many other causes for gratitude, combine to dilate our affections, and cause them to burst forth into songs of Praise and Thanksgiving; and enables us to say with the Psalmist, “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord; Praise ye the Lord!”

Influenced by such sentiments, and in commemoration of the custom of our pious ancestors, I do, with the advice and consent of the Council, appoint Thursday the second day of December next, to be observed as a day of Public Thanksgiving and Prayer; requesting the good people of this state to observe the same, by assembling at their usual places of public worship on that day, to render thanks to the great Giver of all gifts, for his manifold mercies to us as a State to implore his Continuance of the blessings of civil and religious liberty the union of the States and the many spiritual and temporal blessings we now enjoy.

And the people of this State are requested to abstain from all unnecessary labour [labor] and recreation on that day.

Given at the Council chamber, in Portland, this twenty sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty, and in the fifty fifth year of the Independence of the United States.

Jonathan G. Hunton.

By the Governor:

Edward Russell, secretary of State.