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No. 22 OF VOL. IV.
BALTIMORE, SATURDAY, July 31, 1813.
WHOLE NO.100
Hec olim meminisse juvabit. – VIRGIL.
Printed and published by H. Niles, South-st. next door to the
Merchants' Coffee House, at $ 5 per annum.
BY AUTHORITY.
It being a duty peculiarly incumbent in a time
of public calamity and war, humbly and devoutly to acknowledge
lour dependence upon Almighty God, and to implore his aid and
protection: therefore, Resolved by the Serrate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That a joint committee of both Houses wait on the President of
the United States, and request that he recommend a day of Public
Humiliation and Prayer, to be observed by the people of the United
States with religious solemnity, and the offering of fervent supplications
to Almighty God for the safety and welfare of these States, his
blessing on their arms, and the speedy restoration of peace.
H. CLAY,
Speaker of the House of Representatives
E. GERRY,
Vice-President of the U. S. and president of the Senate
Washington, July 16, 1813.
A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS the Congress of the United States, by
a joint resolution of the two Houses, have signified a request
that a day may be recommended, to be observed by the people of
the United States with religious solemnity, as a day of Public
Humiliation and Prayer and whereas in times of public calamity,
such as that of the war, brought on the U. States by the injustice
of a foreign government, it is especially becoming, that the hearts
of all should be; touched with the same, and the eyes of all be
turned to that Almighty Power, in whose hand are the welfare and
the destiny of nations: I do, therefore, issue this my Proclamation,
recommending to all who shall be piously disposed to unite their
teams and voices in addressing, at one and the same time their
vows and adorations to the great Parent and Sovereign of the Universe,
that they assemble on the second Thursday of September next, in
their respective religious congregations, to render him thanks
for the many blessings he has bestowed on the people of the United
States; that he has blessed them with a land capable of yielding
all the necessaries and requisites of human life, with ample means
for convenient exchanges with foreign countries; that he has blessed
the labors employed in its cultivation and improvement; that he
is now blessing the exertions to extend and establish the arts
and manufactures; which will secure within ourselves supplies
too important to remain dependent on the precarious policy, or
the peaceable dispositions of other nations, and particularly
that he has blessed tire United States with a political constitution
founded on the will and authority of the whole people, and guaranteeing
to each individual security, not only of his person and his property,
but of those sacred rights of conscience, so essential to his
present happiness, and so dear to his future hopes: - that with
those expressions of devout thankfulness be joined supplications
to the same Almighty Power, that he would look down with compassion
on our infirmities, that he would pardon our manifold transgressions,
and awaken and strengthen in all the wholesome purposes of repentance
and amendment; that in this season of trial and calamity, he would
preside, in a particular manner over our public councils, and
inspire all citizens with a love of their country, and with those
fraternal affections and that mutual confidence, which have so
happy a tendency to make us safe at home and respected abroad
; and that, as he was graciously pleased, heretofore, to smile
on our struggles against the attempts of the government of the
empire of which these states then made a part, to wrest from them
the rights and privileges to which they were entitled in common
with every other part, and to raise them to the station of an
independent and sovereign people; so he would now be pleased,
in like manner, to bestow his blessing on our arms in resisting
the hostile and persevering efforts of the same power to degrade
us on the ocean, the common inheritance of all, from rights and
immunities, belonging and essential to the American people, as
a co-equal member of the great community of independent nations;
and that, inspiring our enemies with moderation, with justice
and with that spirit of reasonable accommodation, which our country
has continued to manifest, we may be enabled to beat our swords
into plough-shares, and to enjoy in peace, every man; the fruits
of his honest industry, and the rewards of his lawful enterprize.
If the public homage of a people can ever be
worthy the favorable regard of the Holy and Omniscient Being to
whom it is addressed, it must be that, in which those who join
in it are guided only by their free choice, by the impulse of
their hearts and the dictates of their consciences; and such a
spectacle must be interesting to all Christian nations; as proving
that religion, that gift of Heaven for the good of man, freed
from all coercive edicts, from that unhallowed connexion with
the powers of this world, which corrupts religion into an instrument
or an usurper policy of the state, and making no appeal but to
reason, to the heart and to the conscience, can spread its benign
influence every where, and can attract to the Divine Altar those
free will offerings of humble supplication, thanksgiving and praise,
which alone can be acceptable to Him whom no hypocrisy can deceive,
and no forced sacrifices propitiate.
Upon these principles, and with these views,
the people of the United States are invited, in conformity with
the resolution aforesaid, to dedicate the day above named to the
religious solemnities therein recommended.
Given at Washington, this twenty-third day of
July in the year or our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirteen.
JAMES MADISON.
