American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-07-02
Declaration Of
INDEPENDENCE.
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1876.
BY the Representatives of the United States Of A.
merica, in Congress assembled,
A DECLARATION
A DECLA RATION.

necessary for one people to dissolve the political
bands which have connected them with another
and to assume, among the powers OF the earth, the
separate and equal station, 10 which the laws Of na
ture and OF natures God entlile them, decent res
pect Tor the opinions Of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them TO the
separation.
We hold these truths to be seIf-eydent that all men
are created equal; that they endowed BY their
Creator with certain unalienable rights: that a.
mong these are life, liberty and the pursuit OF hap
piness That, 10 secure these rights, governments
are instituted among men, deriving their just pow
from the consent of the governed; that whenev-
or any TORN of government becomes destructive of
these ends, it is the right Of the people alter
abolish IT. and to institute new government, laying
us 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 established should not be changed for light and
transient causes ; and accordingly all experience
hath shown, that mankind more disposed to suf
Ger, white evil, nsufe' able, than right hen-
selves by abolishing the forms to which they are
accustomed. Bat when long train Of abuses and
usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Oh ject,
eviuces design TO reduce them under absolute DIES
potism IT is their right il is their duty, to throw of
such government, aid 10 provide guards foi
their future security. Such has been the patient
necessity which conslTains them TO alier their for
iner systems of government. The history OF the
present King % Great Britain is history OF re
pealed injuries and Osurpat0ns, all having direct
ohett the establishment OF all absolute tyranny over
these states. TO prove this, let facts BE- submitted
10 a candid WORLD
He has refused his assent to laws tie most whole |
some and necessary for the public good.
He has oi hidden his governors to pass laws ofim
M i'm ir,np IL. Il
IN their operation, till his assent should be OBJ aimed Il
and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to
attend to them.
He has refused to pass other laws for the accom-.
nodstinn Of large districts Of people unless those
people would euquish the right Of representation
~ the legislature; ri ut inestimable TO them and
formidable to tyrAnts only
He has called together Legislative bodies al places
unusual, uncomiotabie and distant from be depos-
ioy Of their pubic records for the sole purpose of
fatiguing them into compliance with his measures
tie has dissolved representative houses repeated.
" tor opposing With manly frmness, his nyasions
on the lights Of The people.
lis has refused for long time after such dissolu-
tiors, to cause others TO be elected; whereby the
legislative powers, incapable of annihilaton, have
returned TO the people at large Tor their exercise the
state remaining, in the meantime, exposed to all
t1e dagger OF invasion from without and cony uision
within.
liz has en!eavored to prevent the population of
these siates tr that purpose obsructing the laws
Tor naturalization Of foreigners refusing TO pass
others to encourage their migration hlther andl
raising the conditions of new APPROPRIATIONS oil
lands.
he has ohstructed the administration OF Justice
by refusing his assent 10 the laws for establishing
Judiciary powers.
lie has made judges dependent on his will alone /
Tor the Tenure OF their Offices and the payment of
their salaries. It
Is has erected multitude Of new Offices, and
se't hlther swalms OF officers, 10 hsrass people
and eat out their substance.
He has kept among 10 time OF peace standing.
armies without the consent of our legislature.
lie has Affected 10 render the military indepen.
denl OIL and superior to, the civil power.
lie has comblaed with others to subject us 10 a
jurisdiction, Foreign to our constitution, and unac-
know'edged by our laws, giving his assent 10 their
acIs OF pretended legislation 4
For quartering large bodies Of armed troops a
among US:
For protecting them by mock trial from pu I
nIshnen for AIRY murder which they should com
mt ON The inhabitants of these states: II
For imposing taxes US without our consent: {
For depTving us, in many cases, of the benefit
Of trial by Jury:
For transporting US beyond seas, to be tried for G
pretended offences:
For aholishiny the free system OF English law
~ ne'hgboring province, establishing therein an
afourary government, and enlarging is bounda /
!'es' so as TO render 1t at once an example and 6
instrument OF introducing the same absolute rule
into their colonies:
FOR taking away charters, abolshing our
most valuable laws and altering fundamentally the
forms OF cur governments i
For suspending our legislatures, and decIar i
ing themselves invested with power to legislate for
us in all cases whatever:
He has abdicated government here bv decla,;ne,
US out of his protection, and waeine war a. a;ns,
us. 9
lie has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts
burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives nj our
people. o1'