and fisheries, and
give success to the people in all their lawful industry and enterprise;
that He would smile on our colleges, academies, schools, and seminaries
of learning, and make them nurseries of sound science, morals, and
religion; that He would bless all magistrates, from the highest to the
lowest, give them the true spirit of their station, make them a terror
to evil doers and a praise to them that do well; that He would preside
over the councils of the nation at this critical period, enlighten
them to a just discernment of the public interest, and save them
from mistake, division, and discord; that He would make succeed our
preparations for defense and bless our armaments by land and by sea;
that He would put an end to the effusion of human blood and the
accumulation of human misery among the contending nations of the earth
by disposing them to justice, to equity, to benevolence, and to peace;
and that he would extend the blessings of knowledge, of true liberty,
and of pure and undefiled religion throughout the world.

And I do also recommend that with these acts of humiliation, penitence,
and prayer fervent thanksgiving to the Author of All Good be united for
the countless favors which He is still continuing to the people of the
United States, and which render their condition as a nation eminently
happy when compared with the lot of others.

Given, etc,

JOHN ADAMS.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas combinations to defeat the execution of the laws for the
valuation of lands and dwelling houses within the United States have
existed in the counties of Northampton, Montgomery, and Bucks, in the
State of Pennsylvania, and have proceeded in a manner subversive of the
just authority of the Government, by misrepresentations, to render the
laws odious, by deterring the public officers of the United States to
forbear the execution of their functions, and by openly threatening
their lives; and

Whereas the endeavors of the well-affected citizens, as well as of the
executive officers, to conciliate a compliance with those laws have
failed of success, and certain persons in the county of Northampton
aforesaid have been hardy enough to perpetrate certain acts which I am
advised amount to treason, being overt acts of levying war against the
United States, the said persons, exceeding one hundred in number and
armed and arrayed in a warlike manner, having, on the 7th