SOURCE: https://www.congress.gov/congressional-globe/page-headings/37th-congress/n-a/39571
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After the resolution text from which the proposed legislation is patterned after.
TRANSCRIBED FROM OFFICIAL RECORD
Seats in the hall had been prepared for a large number of invited guests.
The galleries, with the exception of that reserved for the families of senators and members, had been densely crowded from an early hour in the morning.
The members of the house, by request of the speaker occupied the rear seats in the hall on the left of the speakers chair. The doors of the main entrance to the hall we're now thrown open, and the members of the House, rising, received the invited guests of the occasion in the following order:
The Vice President of the United States and the Secretary of the Senate, preceded by the Sergeant-at-Arms and Chaplain.
The Senate of the United States and its other officers and official reporters.
The heads of the several departments.
The judges of the Supreme Court of the United states.
Officers of the Army and Navy of the United states.
Distinguished citizens and other invited guests.
The entrance into the Hall of the Army and the Navy officers, in full uniform, headed by General McClellan, was greeted with general manifestations of applause by the galleries.
The President of the United States, in consequence of the recent death of his son, was not present.
The Senators were assigned to seats on the left of the speaker, in front of the members of the house. On the right of the seats nearest the main aisle or occupied in the following order, commencing at the area fronting the clerk's desk:
1. The heads of the department's, of whom all were present.
2. The judges of The Supreme court, all being present except the chief justice.
3. the officers of the Army and Navy, of whom about 50 were present, consisting of major generals and brigadier generals of the Army and officers of assimilated rank in the Navy.
A large number of representatives of foreign governments were present as spectators, and occupied seats on the right of the officers of the Army and Navy not participating, however in the proceedings, as the guests of the two Houses.
The other invited guests, to the number of about 100, including the heads of bureaus and many distinguished citizens, occupied seats on the extreme right.
The members of the House now resumed their seats, and the speaker called the assembly to order. The chaplain of the House, Reverend Thomas H. Stockton, offered the following prayer:
Oh Lord our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth, who has set thy Glory above the heavens. In Thy presence how little is our greatness! The official representatives of republics, kingdoms, and empires, magistrates, legislators, judges, and ambassadors, officers of The Army and Navy, and persons of all ranks and classes in society, still remembering our fallen and low estate, we hasten to take shelter in the shadow of Thy Son, beseeching Thee to look upon the face of Thine anointed, and, for His sake, to forgive our iniquities, transgressions, and sins. So renewed comma inspired comma and sanctified comma May we make an acceptable offering unto thee through the Holy Spirit.
Blessed Be Thy Name forever in the beneficence of thy Providence and the redeeming progress of thy Grace in behalf of all nations! Blessed be Thy name for this goodly land, for the brotherhood of the peoples possessing it, and the liberty, equality, and strength of the Government which controls it. Blessed be Thy name for the piety and charity, the unity and bravery, the enterprise, industry, and prosperity of our fathers. Blessed be Thy name for every pure and wise and useful citizen whose history adorns our annals. Blessed be Thy name, especially that the same supreme foresight which gave Moses to Israel gave Washington to America. Blessed be Thy name for the birth and life, the character and accomplishments, the labors, achievements, and influence of the model man --- a patriot, a soldier, a statesman, a magistrate, whom we thus this day remember, not only as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen," but also as first in the admiration and veneration of mankind. Blessed be Thy name that Washington was a man of prayer, that he called upon Thee, not only in private, but in public also; that he trusted in Christ, and drew near to the mercy-seat; that in accepting office and fulfilling office and resigning office, he called upon Thee, commending himself to thy favor and his country to thy blessing. Blessed be Thy name for his Farewell Address the sentiments it contains and his own recommendation that we frequently review it.
And remembering that Thou art the God, not of the dead, but of the living for all live unto thee - and that Washington is now as consciously and visibly present with the as we ourselves are, though the time of supplication has been closed to him, still we, in his spirit, in his name, would turn on this occasion his earthly vows into supplication at Thy throne, that the choices tokens of the beneficence may still be continued unto us; that the free Constitution transmitted unto us maybe sacredly maintained; that it's administration in every department may be stamped with wisdom and virtue, and that the happiness of the people, under the auspices of liberty, may be made complete by so careful and observance of it that every nation which is yet a stranger to it may be induced to give it applause, and regard it with affectionate devotion.
And now, O Lord Our God, in whose heaven there is no sin, no disease, no violence, no death, and therefore no sorrow, we cannot close our prayer without a thought of our beloved president and his weeping household, and without a thought of the pale beauty that reposes among them, to bloom on Earth and no more forever. Ah, Lord God, from eternity to eternity Thou art the Living One, but we are beings of a breath and creatures of a moment. Our cherished sister, the widowed Queen of England, silently mourns in her island home, and, our national mansion is a darkened and still, and all over our country and all over the world, smitten hearts, smitten almost unto breaking, wait in faith and patience and hope before Thee. God be merciful to us miserable Sinners; Pardon and sanctify and save us all.
And now once more, behold, O Lord, our southern brethren. Disappoint, defeat, and utterly overthrow the plans, the atrocious and reasonable plans of their leaders; and may the people themselves, who have been so grossly deceived, to lay down the arms which they ought never to have taken up, and return to the common love which waits to embrace them. And O Thou, Most High, let not them vindictive purposes of Thy providence, or the progress of social Redemption be stayed for a moment.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; that kingdom come; Thy will be done on Earth as it done in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but Deliver Us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and Glory forever. Amen.
The Secretary of the Senate, John W. Fortney, Esquire read Washington Farewell Address as follows...












