The President's Thanksgiving Proclamation
By William Howard Taft
"By the President of the United States:
"A Proclamation:
"A God-fearing nation, like ours, owes it to its inborn and sincere sense of moral duty to testify its devout gratitude to the All-Giver for the countless benefits it has enjoyed. For many years it has been customary at the close of the year for the national executive to urge upon his fellow countrymen to offer praise and thanks to God for the manifold blessings vouchsafed to them in the past and to unite in earnest suppliance for their continuance. "The year now drawing to a close has been notably favorable to our fortunate land. At peace within and without, free from the perturbations and calamities that have afflicted other peoples, rich in harvests so abundant and industries so productive that the overflow of our prosperity has advantaged the whole world, strong in the steadfast devotion of the heritage of self-government bequeathed to us by the wisdom of our fathers, and firm in the resolve to transmit that heritage unimpaired, but rather improved by good use, to our children and our children's children for all time to come, the people of this country have abounding cause for contented gratitude. "Wherefore, I, William Howard Taft, President of the United States of America, in pursuance of long established usage and in response to the wish of the American people, invite my countrymen, wheresoever they may sojourn, to join, on Thursday, the 28th day of this month of November, in appropriate ascription of praise and thanks to God for the good gifts that have been our portion and in humble prayer that His great mercies toward us may endure."