An International Relations Perspective on Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, one of the truly great and distinctive national holidays of our country. The only obligation of Thanksgiving is that we celebrate and give thanks for the bounty that is ours.

George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation is a regular fixture at Thanksgiving celebrations in many homes throughout the country. As noted here, it was drafted by the Senate and the House in September 1789 and proclaimed by Washington on October 3, 1789, just months after the Constitution was ratified and Washington was elected as President.

Much of the Proclamation speaks of gratitude for the establishment of the new nation and its Constitution, or as Washington put it, for “favorable interpositions of his Providence … for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted.”

But the Thanksgiving Proclamation also paid particular attention to international relations. I thought it might be interesting to emphasize those provisions of Washington’s Proclamation that specifically invoke international relations:

“WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour … NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks … for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; … And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; … to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; … and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.”

I especially like the prayer for pardon for national transgressions. To this day Americans are keenly aware of their own shortcomings and recognize that sometimes this manifests itself in corporate wrongdoing.

And then best of all, Washington calls us to collectively hope and pray for the prosperity of others. Washington’s Proclamation petitions a blessing on all nations (not just those who have shown kindness to us), fervently requesting that each nation be bestowed with good government, peace and harmony.

The full text as it originally appeared is here (a more readable version is here).

Happy Thanksgiving!!