THE

NATIONAL THANKSGIVING DAY.

A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to invite and provoke the aggressions of foreign States, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theatre of military conflict, while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

The needful diversions of wealth and strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship. The axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal, as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege aud the battle-field, and the country rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigour is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people; I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea, and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer to our beneficient Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers, in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixtythree, and of the independence of the United States the eightyeighth.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

By the President, WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State.

In accordance with the above Proclamation, the loyal Americans in London and their guests attended a THANKSGIVING DINNER, at St. James's Hall, Regent Street, at three o'clock, p.m., on Thursday the 26th of November, 1863, given under the direction of the following:

Committee.

HON. R. J. WALKER, Wash-
ington, D.C.

CHARLES L. WILSON, ESQ.,
Illionis.

P. Mc. D. COLLINS, ESQ., Ca-.
lifornia.

DR. W. R. BALLARD, New
York.

CAPTAIN E. G. TINKER, Conn.
HON. F. H. MORSE, Maine.
B. MORAN, ESQ. Pennsylvania.

SEWALL WARNER, ESQ. Mass.
R. HUNTING, Esq. New York.
HENRY STARR, Esq., Mass.
GERARD RALSTON, ESQ., Penn-
sylvania.

G. W. BELDING, ESQ., New
York.

A. J. VALENTINE, Esq. Maine.
B. F. BROWN, Esq., Mass.
W.E BRODERICK, ESQ., Mary-
land.

The following were the order of Exercises:-1st. Reading of the President's Proclamation for Thanksgiving, by Richard Hunting, Esq. 2nd. Prayer by Rev. Sella Martin. 3rd. Hymn written for the occasion-TUNE, Auld Lang Syne.

We meet, the Sons of Freedom's Sires
Unchanged, where'er we roam,
While gather round their household fires
The happy bands of home;

And while across the far blue wave

Their prayers go up to God,

We pledge the faith our fathers gave,-
The land by Freemen trod!

The heroes of our Native Land
Their sacred trust still hold,
The freedom from a mighty band
Wrenched by the men of old.
That lesson to the broad earth given
We pledge beyond the sea,-
The land from dark oppression riven,
A blessing on the free!

Petites Bouchées garni de Coq de Bruyère.
Fricassée de Poulet à la Washington.
Côtelettes de Lièvre aux Truffes.
Ris de Veau piqué à l'Oseille.
Pâté chaud de Poulardes aux Champignons.
Quenelles de Gibier à la Lincoln.

The HON. ROBT. J. WALKER, President, assisted by the Hon. Freeman H. Morse, the United States' Consul at London, and Gerard Ralston, Esq., of Pennsylvania, the Consul General of Liberia at London.

On the right of the Chair were seated the Hon. Charles Francis Adams, the United States' Minister, and Charles L. Wilson, Esq., and Benj. Moran, Esq., Secretaries of Legation; and on the left, Geo. Thompson, Esq., J. Snow, Esq., Editor of the "Observer;" P. M'D. Collins, Esq., Consul of the United States at Amour River, &c. &c.

Amongst those present were Hon. Charles Francis Adams, United States' Minister; Charles L. Wilson and Benj. Moran, Secretaries of Legation; Hon. Freeman H. Morse, U. S. Consul; Miss Morse, Hon. Robert J. Walker and Mrs. Walker, Miss Walker, Robert J. Walker, Jun., Captain Mayne Reed and Mrs. Reed, Miss Weir, Mr. and the two Misses Rose, Richard Hunting and Mrs. Hunting, New York; Dr. W. R. Ballard and Mrs. Ballard, ditto; Geo. W. Belding and Mrs. Belding, ditto; E. C. Hall and Lady, ditto; Wellington Lee, ditto; C. S. Porter and Mrs. Porter; Mr. Taylor and Mrs. Taylor; P. M'D. Collins, California; Sewell Warner and Mrs. Warner, Miss M. Warner, Mass.; B. F. Brown and Mrs. Brown, ditto; Mr. Henry B. Adams; B. F. Fuller, ditto; J. G. Avery, ditto; E. W. Fox and Mrs. Fox; Z. K. Pangborn, ditto; F. C. Cross, ditto; Capt. J. C. Hoadley, ditto; Henry Starr and Mrs. Starr, Pa.; Gerard Ralston, ditto; A. L. Holley, Conn.; N. A. Lyman, ditto; Charles Cheney and Mrs. Cheney; A. G. Shaver, ditto; W. J. Valentine, Maine; J. Emmons and lady, ditto; G. W. Belding and Mrs. Belding, Vermont; E. H. Hopkins, ditto; Charles P. Button, ditto.; Charles Churchill and lady, New Jersey; C. H. McCormick, Chicago; James T. Griffin, ditto; W. E. Broderick and Mrs. Broderick, Maryland; Alonzo Kimball, New Hampshire; Geo.. R. Cathcart, South Carolina; Albert Steers, Wisconsin.; Washington Wilkes and lady; Joshua Nunn and Mrs. Nunn; Peter Sinclair; Edward McDermott and Mrs. McDermott;