d 



D 



FAST DAYS. 



the earth, and to invoke the continuance of His favor. 

 Knowing that none but a just and righteous cause can 

 gain the Divine favor, we would implore the Lord of 

 Hosts to guide and direct our policy in the paths of 

 right dutv, justice, and mercy, to unite our hearts 

 arid our efforts for the defence of our dearest rights ; 

 to strengthen our weakness ; crown our arms with suc- 

 ind enable us to secure a speedy, just, and hon- 

 orable peace. 



To these ends, and in conformity with the request 

 of Congress, I invite the people of the Confederate 

 States to the observance of a day of fasting and prayer, 

 br such religious services as may be suitable for the 

 occasion, and I recommend Thursday, the 13th day of 

 June next, for that purpose ; and that we may all on 

 that dav, with one accord, join in humble and reveren- 

 tial app'roach to Him in whose hands we are, invoking 

 Him to inspire us with a proper spirit and temper ot 

 heart and mind to bear our evils, to bless us with His 

 favor and protection, and to bestow His gracious bene- 

 dictions upon our Government and country. 



On the 12th of August, President Lincoln 

 issued the following proclamation, appointing 

 the last Thursday in September ensuing as a 

 day of fasting : 



A PROCLAMATION. 



Whereas, A joint Committee of both Houses of Con- 

 gress has waited on the President of the United States, 

 and requested him to " recommend a day of public 

 humiliation, prayer, and fasting, to be observed by the 

 people of the United States with religious solemnities, 

 and the offering of fervent supplications to Almighty 

 God for the safety and welfare of these States, His 

 blessings on their arms, and a speedy restoration of 

 peace ; 



And whereof, It is fit and becoming in all people, 

 at all times, to acknowledge and revere the Supreme 

 Government of God ; to bow in humble submission to 

 bis chastisements ; to confess and deplore their sins 

 tad transgressions, in the full conviction that the fear 

 of the Lord is. the beginning of wisdom, and to pray, 

 with all fervency and contrition, for the pardon of their 

 list offences, and for a blessing upon their present 

 id prospective action ; 



And wkereas, When our own beloved country, once, 

 the blessing of God, united, prosperous, and happy, 

 now afflicted with faction and civil war, it is pecu- 

 ,rlv fit for us to recognize the hand of God in this 

 rrible visitation, and in sorrowful remembrance of 

 r own faults and crimes as a nation, and as individ- 

 1s, to humble ourselves before Him, and to pray for 

 3 mercv to pray that we may be spared further 

 inishme'nt, though most justly" deserved; that our 

 ms may be blessed and made effectual for the re- 

 iUblishment of law, order, and peace, throughout 

 .je wide extent of our country ; and that the inesti- 

 mable boon of civil and religious liberty, earned under 

 His guidance and blessing by the labors and sufferings 

 f our fathers, may be restored in all its original ex- 

 dlence ; 



Therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the 

 United States, do appoint the last Thursday in Sep- 

 tember next as a day of humiliation, prayer, and fast- 

 ing for all the people of the nation. And I do earnest- 

 ly recommend to all the people, and especially to all 

 ninisters and teachers of religion, of all denomina- 

 ions, and to all heads of families, to observe and keep 

 Sat day, according to their several creeds and modes 

 ,.' worship, in all "humility, and with all religious so- 

 lemnity, to the end that the united prayer of the Na- 

 tion may ascend to the Throne of Grace, and bring 

 down plentiful blessings upon our country. 



In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, 

 and caused the seal of the United States to be 

 L. s." affixed, this 12th day of August. A. D. 1^81, and 

 of the Independence of the United States of 

 America the eighty-sixth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 



On the 31st of October President Davis 

 issued another proclamation, appointing the 



FINANCES OF THE U. S. 295 



15th of November as a fast day. The proc- 

 lamation was as follows : 



A PROCLAMATION. 



Whereas, It bath pleased Almighty God, the Sover- 

 eign Disposer of events, to protect and defend the Con- 

 federate States hitherto, in their conflict with their 

 enemies, and to be unto them a shield ; and, whereas, 

 with grateful thanks we recognize His hand and ac- 

 knowledge that not unto us, but unto Him belougeth the 

 victory ; and in humble dependence upon His Almighty 

 strength, and trusting in the justness of our cause, we 

 appeal to Him that He may set at naught the efforts 

 of our enemies, and put them to confusion and shame ; 



Now, therefore, I, Jefferson Davis, President of the 

 Confederate States, in view of the impending conflict, 

 do hereby set apart Friday, the loth day of November, 

 as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer ; and I do 

 hereby' invite the reverend clergy and the people of 

 thete "Confederate States to repair on that day to their 

 usual places of public worship, and to implore the 

 blessing of Almighty God upon our arms; that He 

 may give us victory over our enemies, preserve our 

 homes and altars from pollution, and secure to us the 

 restoration of peace and prosperity. 



Given under my hand and the seal of the Confed- 

 erate States, at Richmond, this 31st day of October, 

 in the vear of our Lord one thousand eight hundred 

 and six'ty-one. JEFFERSON DAVIS. 



FINANCES OF THE UNITED STATES. 

 The finances of the Federal Government for the 

 year 1861 underwent a very important and 

 radical change, both in respect to the policy of 

 a national debt, and in relation to the mode of 

 raising revenue. The Constitution of the Fed- 

 eral Government provides for raising revenue 

 as well by direct taxes as by indirect duties 

 upon consumable articles. It has been the 

 case, however, that the former have been un- 

 popular, while the latter have not only had the 

 merit of being easily collected, but, while they 

 have sufficed to meet all the ordinary wants of 

 the Government, and sometimes greatly to ex- 

 ceed them, as in 1836, when a surplus revenue 

 of $28,000,000 was distributed among the 

 States, they have served to give incidental pro- 

 tection to the nascent manufactures of the 

 Union. The revenue derived from the sales of 

 land was also a resource which did not bear 

 directly upon the industry of the people. In 

 times of unforeseen difficulty, like commercial 

 revulsion or war, the Government has always 

 been able to borrow sufficient to meet the exi- 

 gency, and returning prosperity has always 

 afforded the means of paying off the debt. 

 During the war of 1812 an attempt at direct 

 taxation was made without very satisfactory 

 results, and the taxes were soon repealed. The 

 aggregate resources and payments of the Fed- 

 eral Government, from its origin down to the 

 close of the fiscal year 1861, were as follows : 



Customs revenue $1,575,152.579.92 



Land 175.817,961.00 



Taxes and other receipts .... 95,305,322.56 

 Total ordinary revenue, 



March 4. 17S9. to July 1.1861, $1,846,275,863.48 



Total ordinarv expenditure, 



ilarch 4, 1789, to J uly 1,1861, 1,453,790.786.00 



Total excess revenue $392,485,077.48 



Total amount received for 



loans 17S9 to 1S61 $462,935,644.64 



Total amount paid for loans 



17S9 to 1S6L 781.886,375.00 



Excess payments for loans. . $318,950,730.36 



