as a day of humiliation and mourning; and I earnestly recommend all
the people to assemble on that day in their respective places of
divine worship, there to render alike their tribute of sorrowful
submission to the will of Almighty God and of reverence and love
for the memory and character of our late Chief Magistrate.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal
of the United States to be affixed.

[Sidenote: [SEAL.]]

Done at the city of Washington, the twenty-second day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1881, and of the independence of the United
States the one hundred and sixth.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

By the President:

JAMES G. BLAINE. Secretary of State.

President Arthur soon showed his appreciation of the responsibilities of
his new office. Knowing principles rather than persons, he subordinated
individual preferences and prejudices to a well-defined public policy.
While he was, as he always had been, a Republican, he had no sympathy
for blind devotion to party; he had "no friends to reward, no enemies to
punish;"--and he has been governed by those principles of liberty and
equality which he inherited. His messages to Congress have been
universally commended, and even unfriendly critics have pronounced them
careful and well-matured documents. Their tone is more frank and direct