Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-07-04

laws OF immediate and pressing Importance,
unless suspended in their operation till ms
assent should De obtained; ard when so sas-
Ipended, he has utterly neglected to attend TO
them.
He has refused to pass other laws for tho
accommodation of large districts of people
unless those people would rel;nquish The
right of representation in the legislature, a
right inestimable to them, and formidable to
4 tyrants only.
He'has called together Legislative bodies
| at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant
| from the depository of their public records,
for the sole purpose Of fatigiing them into
compliance with his measures.
He y as dissolved Representative Houses
repeatedly, for opposing with manly firm
ness his mvasions on the rights OF the peo-
pie.
He has refused for long time. after such
dissoluticns, to cause others 60 be elected !;
whereby the legislative powers, incapable
of annihilation, have rctarFet 70 iii. people
at rrstsior tteir' cNefcis- the STATE remain
ing IN the mean time exposed 10 all the dan
ger OF invasion from without, and commissions
within
He has endeavored to prevent the popu-
lation of these States; for that purpose OBJ
structing the laws for naturatzation of for
e'gners; refusing to pass others to encourage
I'their migrations hither, and raising the con-
Editions OF new appropriations of lands.
| He has obstructed the administration of
justice, by refusing his assent to laws for es-
tabishing judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his
viii alone, for the tenure Of their Offices,
and the amount * payment of their salaries.
He has erected multitude On new Offices,
and sent hither swarms of officers to harrass
our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace,
standing armies, without the consent of our
legislatures.
He has affected to render the military in
dependent Of and superior 70 the civil pow
or.
He has combined with others to subject
us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitute
on, and unacknowedged By our laws; giving
his assent to their acts of pretended legisla-
tion;
Forquartering large bodies Charmed troops
among US;
For protecting them, by mock trial from
punishment for any murders which they
should commit on the Inhabitants of these
States;
For cutting OF our trade with all parts of
the worlds
For imposing taxes on us without cur con
sent;
. For depriving US in many cases, Of the be-
nefits Of trial by jury;
For Transporting us beyoud seas to be tri-
ed for pretended Offences;
For aboishjng the free system of English
laws in a neghboring Province, establishing
therein am arbitrary government, ana enlarg-
ing.ISs ocGndar.es, sls IL ;scsslsr It at once
an example and lit instrument for introduce
ing the same absolute rule into these Colo
MES;
For taking away our charters, abolishing
our most valuable laws, and altering funda-
mentally the forms of our governments;
For suspending our own Legislatures
and declaring themselves invested with pow
err to legislate for us in all cases wliatsoe-
yer.
He has abdicated government here, by de
claring us out of his protection, and waging
war against us
He has plundered our seas, ravagcd oui
coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the
lives of our people.
He is at this time, Transporting large ar
mics OF foreign mercenaries to complete tht
works of death, desolation and tyranny, al.
8 ready begun with circumstances of cruelty
and perfdy, scarcely paralleled in the mos
barbarous ages and totally unworthy ths
), head of civilized nation.
: He has constrained our fellow-citizens, Ia
: ken captive on the high seas, to bear arms
8 against their country, to become the execu
: toners Of their friends and brethren, or t.
q fall themselves by their hands.
: He has excited domestic instructions a.
t mongst us, and has endeavored to bring OF
q the inhabitants Of our frontiers, the mercies
Indian savages, whose known rule of warfar,
t, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages
y sexes and Conditions.
n In every stare Of these or1nreeeions ",
c have petitioned for redress, in the most hum
bic terms Our repeated petitions have beer
IS answered only by repeated injury a prince
st whose character is thus marked by every &C
which may define tyrant, is unfit to be tn
: ruler Of a free people.
IT Nor have We been wanting in attention L
10 our British brethren. We have warned then
A. from time to time, Of attempts by their legis
IS latuTc to extend an understandable jurisdicti
m on over us. We nave reminded them .
j. the circumstances Of our emigration and set
at tlement here. we have appealed to thei
&c native justice and magnanimity, and we haw
id conjured them by enc ties Of our curnmo
at Kindred, TO disavow ipese usIrpations whicI
lie would inevitably interrupt our connection
es and rcspondenCe.--They, too, have bee
re deaf TO the voice OF justice and of consangui
u nifty. We must, therefore, acquiesce in tn
nc necessity which denomces our separation, an
m holC them, as we hold the rest of mankind
It enemies in war; in peace, friends.
lt, We, therefore, the Representative Of IA
re UNITED SI,d1,ES OR.lGIERJCl, u
r. GENERAL CoNGREss assembled, appeal
nc iag TO the Supreme Judge Of the world fc
'ir the rectitude OF cur intentions, 10, in Oh
ny name, and By dc authority Of tho good PEI
~ pie of these Colonies, solcmnly publish an
" declare, That these Dntfed Coio,,ies are. an