Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-07-03

the United STATES Of .dnersca in Con
gress assembled, an jury, t776.
When, in the course Of human e
vents, it becomes necessary for one
people to dissolve The political band.
which have connected them with ano
! Their, and to assure among The pow.
ers Of the earth. the separate and equa
s,a'ion to which the laws of.na,urt
and of nature's God entitle them. de,
cent respect to tseopiaions of mankind
requires that they should declare the
causes which impd them to the sepa.
ration. 1851
We hold these truths TO be self-evi-
dene--that all men are created equal
that they are endowed by their Crea-
tor with certain unalienabl. rights
that among these, life, liberty, & the
pursuit of happiness. That 20 secure
these rights, governments are insitu-
ted among men, deriving their just pow
ers from the consent ofthe governed /;
that whenever anyform of government
becomes destructive of these ends, il
\ is the right of the people to alter or
abolish it, and TO institute new go
vernment. laying its foundation on such
principles, and organizing its powers
| In such form, as TO them shall seem
most likely to effect their safety and
happiness. Prudence, indeed, will
dictate, that governments long esta-
1blished should not be changed for light
land transient causes |; and accordingly
alb experience hath shewn, that man.
kind are more disposedto suffer, while
evils are suffcrable, than to right the M
selves by abolishing the forms to which
they are accustomed. But when long
train of abuses and usurpations, pursu-
ing invariably the same object. evinces
a design to reduce them under ALSO
luce .despotism, it is their right, it is
their duty, to throw off such govern
inert, and TO provide new guards for
| their future SECURITY Such ha.
been the patient sufferauce of these
! colonies; and suchSis now thc necessi-
i ty which constraihs them to alter .ihei,
former systems of government The
!, history of the present king of Great
Britain is history of repeated iniu.
ties and usnrpatians, all havingiu di.
rect object the establishment. of an alb.
solute tyranny over these states. TIC
iprove this, let facts be submitted to Z
candid world.
4 He has refused his. assent to law.
the most wholesome and necessary fol
the public good.
He has forbidden his governors tt
Ipass laws of immediate and pressing
iimportance, unless suspended in theil
Operation, till his assent should be Of.
! sained and, when SO suspended, he
has utterly neglected to attend tt
! them.
/ He has refused to pass other laws
for the accom- modation of latgs dis
sricts of people, unless thosr peoplt
would reIinquish The right of repfesen
tation in the Legislature Ia right in
Iestlmable to the &, and formidable t.
i tyrants only.
! lie has called together Legislative bo
dies. at places unusual, uncomfoi table
aud distant from the depository o
their public recor IS, for the sole pur
lPose OF fatiguing them into compIianc,
with his measures.
| He has dissolved Representative
houses repeatedly for opposing, with
lrnanly 6rmnrss, his invasions on the
fright OF he people.
/ lie has refused for long time at
ter such dissalutions, TO cause Other,
To be elected whereby the irgisla,iv,
powers, incapable of annihilation, hav,
returned 70 the people at large, IL
theIr exercise the Stale re nainlpg II
he mean time, exposed to ali the dan
ger ct INVASION from without, an,
voayulsions within.
He has endeNored to prevent tn
population of these States for tia
purpose obsructing the laws Tor natu
fal5zssion of foreigners refusing 4
PASS other, TO encourage their mig a
ton huber, and raising the condi,lo
Ut new aPpropri atious ot lands.
II has Distracted the admlnistr at
On OF justice, ny refusing his assen
20 lave, Tor establishing Judiciary pow
ers.