16 My 11 2, 5,

ALBANY, Tuesday, June 4, 1867.

Almighty and all gracious Father, we bow before Thee as the God of all the Nations of the earth. Thou liftest up one and puttest down another, and all are alike under Thy control. We recognize Thy gracious providence in the ordering of our lot, ever since our existence as a Nation commenced. We thank Thee that here, while yet this was savage ground, a seed was sown which has sprung up and expanded into a mighty tree, that has sent forth its boughs to the ends of the earth, and whose leaves we believe will be for the healing of the Nations. We thank Thee, that though Thou hast in retribution for our aggravated sins, sometimes inflicted upon us grievous National calamities, yet Thou hast in Thine own best time delivered us out of them, so we are now in the full enjoyment of our liberties and our institutions. We thank Thee specially for the favor with which Thou hast regarded this State in which our lot is cast; and we thank Thee for all the means of intellectual, moral and Christian culture, which we have here enjoyed. We thank Thee for all the intelligence, order and social elevation, which here prevail. We thank Thee for the good influence this State has exerted, not merely upon the sister States of the Union, but upon other Nations of the globe. We thank Thee for the wisdom of our fathers in which originated the Constitution under which we live, and for the wisdom of their successors by which it has been, from time to time, improved; and for

the work of those who have gone before them. And now, we desire gratefully to acknowledge Thine hand in all the propitious circumstances which attend this occasion. We invoke Thy blessing upon this large deliberative assembly, who are assembled for one of the most important purposes which can occupy mortals. We ask, first of all, that Thou would impress them deeply with a sense of the importance of the object which has convened them together, and grant that they may rightly understand their duty and have grace and strength given them faithfully to discharge it; and that they may discharge their duty successfully, wilt Thou grant to them to-day a fresh baptism of the spirit of christian patriotism and good will toward each other; let them realize their responsibility, not only to those whose interests they are immediately charged with, but toward that God who has placed them in this important position. Grant, most merciful Father, that every discussion may be conducted with candor and courtesy and unity, that every measure may be adopted with wisdom, and that the result of all those deliberations may be to add to the stability of our institutions, and also to intensify our influence as a State, and to bring us into more intimate relations with the great Ruler of the world. Now grant that all the members of this Convention may be under Thy gracious care, during their residence in the midst of us, and wilt Thou watch over and preserve their families during the period of their separation from them; and when they shall have accomplished the object of their meeting, may they be returned safely to their homes, rejoicing in Thy goodness-rejoicing in the approval