a day of thanksgiving and
prayer, to be kept and observed throughout the land.

On that day let all our people suspend their ordinary work and
occupations, and in their accustomed places of worship, with prayer
and songs of praise, render thanks to God for all His mercies, for the
abundant harvests which have rewarded the toil of the husbandman during
the year that has passed, and for the rich rewards that have followed
the labors of our people in their shops and their marts of trade
and traffic. Let us give thanks for peace and for social order and
contentment within our borders, and for our advancement in all that
adds to national greatness.

And mindful of the afflictive dispensation with which a portion of our
land has been visited, let us, while we humble ourselves before the
power of God, acknowledge His mercy in setting bounds to the deadly
march of pestilence, and let our hearts be chastened by sympathy with
our fellow-countrymen who have suffered and who mourn.

And as we return thanks for all the blessings which we have received
from the hands of our Heavenly Father, let us not forget that He has
enjoined upon us charity; and on this day of thanksgiving let us
generously remember the poor and needy, so that our tribute of praise
and gratitude may be acceptable in the sight of the Lord.

Done at the city of Washington on the 1st day of November, 1888, and in
the year of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and
thirteenth.

[SEAL.]

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

GROVER CLEVELAND.

By the President:
T.F. BAYARD,
_Secretary of State_.

EXECUTIVE ORDERS.

REVISED CIVIL-SERVICE RULES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 2, 1888_.

In the exercise of power vested in him by the Constitution and of
authority given to him by the seventeen hundred and fifty-third section
of the Revised Statutes and by an act to regulate and improve the civil
service of the United States, approved January 16, 1883, the President
hereby makes and promulgates the following rules and revokes the rules
known as "Amended Civil-Service Rules" and "Special Rule No. 1,"
heretofore promulgated under the power and authority referred to herein:
_Provided_, That this revocation shall not be construed as an
exclusion from the classified civil service of any now classified
customs district or classified post-office.

GENERAL RU