On April 29, 1865, President Johnson in his second Presidential Proclamation postpones the national day of mourning that he proclaimed in his first Proclamation:
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Whereas by my proclamation of the 25th instant Thursday, the 25th day of next month, was recommended as a day for special humiliation and prayer in consequence of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, late President of the United States; but
Whereas my attention has since been called to the fact that the day aforesaid is sacred to large numbers of Christians as one of rejoicing for the ascension of the Savior:
Now, therefore, be it known that I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do hereby suggest that the religious services recommended as aforesaid should be postponed until Thursday, the 1st day of June next.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this 29th day of April, A. D. 1865, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-ninth.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
By the President:
W. HUNTER,
Acting Secretary of State.
An interesting commentary on the importance of Ascension Thursday at that time and the sensitivity of the Federal government to it. Or, perhaps this was merely the sensitivity of Johnson. Although a Protestant, he had stood against anti-Catholicism his entire career, had his children educated in Catholic schools (one of his daughters became a Catholic), and regularly worshiped in Catholic churches. (He appreciated how rich and poor sat together in Catholic churches rather than being segregated as occurred in some Protestant churches in his time.)
