Delaware patriot & American watchman., 1828-07-01

He has erected multitude 0f new oNCes -"
cent hiher swarms Of officers, to harrass ou' Peo.
ple and eat out their substance.
lie has kept among US, IN times o. peae,' '.a :'a
ding armies, without the consent VI ou' g.
lures. -. .i
He has effected to render the military lndepen
dent Of, and superior to, the civil power.
lie has combined with others, to SUBJECT US 70
Jurisdiction. foreign to our Constitution, anu uh-
acknowledged by our laws; giving ms asseh. ~
their acts Of pretended Legislation;
For quartering large bodies OF armed troops
among US:
For protecting them, by mock trial, from pun
ishment. for any murder. which they shoulu CUM
init on the inhabitants OF these states
For cutting of our trade with all parts OF the
world:
For imposing taxes on us without our consent
For deprivlng us, in many cases, OF the oeheAts
Of trial by jurys Nh, j.
For transporting us beyond seas, TO be tfied lof
pretended offences
For ahnlishnr the free system Of English law in
peiphborine province, establishing therein an at
| ibitrary government, and enlargns its boundaries.
so as TO render it at once an example and III instfu
nent, for introducing the same absolute rule INTO
! these coionles
For taking away our charters, abo.isans our
most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally.
the forms Of our government:
For suspending our own legislatures, and declar
| ing themselves invested with power TO leSstate
| for Us in all cases whatsoever
| He has abdicated government here by declaring
us out Of his protection, and waelna wa, against
us.
| He has pundered our seas, ravased our coasts,
burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives OF our
people.
He is, at this time, transporting large armies OF
| foreign mercenaiies to complete the works o:
death. tesoaton and tyranny, already begun,
with circumstances Of cruelty and perhdy scarce
| " paralie,led in the most barbarons ages, and
totally unworthy the head OF civilized ma
ton.
/ He has constrained our fellow citizens, taken
captiyes on the ligh seas, to bear arms against
their country to become the eXccutoners oil their
friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their
| hands.
! He has excited domestic lnsurrections amongst
us, and has endeavore,l to bring on the inhabi-
ants of our frontiers, the merclless Indian sava
res, whose known rule Of warfare Is an undistin-
gushed destruction of all ages, sexes and condl-
tons
In every stage Of these expressions, we have pc
titioncd tor redress In the most humble terms
our repeated petitions have been answered only
by repeated in]ury.--A prince whose character
1 Is mus markeu ny every act WHICH may utuHc
a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler Of free peo-
| pie.
Non have WE been wanting in attention to our
! British brethren. We have warned them, from
time to time, of attempts made by their legislature
! to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction US
Wchave reminded them of the circumstances of our
emigration and settlement he.e We have appeal.
ed to their native justice and magnanimity, and
we have conjured them by the ties Of common
/ kindred, to disayow these usurpatnns, which
would inevitably interrupt our connections and
correspondence. They too, have been deaf to the
voice ct Justice and consanguinity. We must
therefore, acquesce in the necessity, which de
nounces our separation, and hold them as we hold
the rest Of mankind-ENEMIEs IN WAR: IN rEAcE
| FRIENDS.
We therefore, the representatives Of the United
States Of America, in general congress assembled
appealing to the SUPREME JUDGE Of the world, fn
the rectltude Of our intentions, DO, in the name
and by the authority Of the good people Of these
colonies soemnly publish and declare, tha
these United Colonies are, and of right ongh
to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES. tina
they are absolved from all allegiance TO tile Brit
ish crown, and that all political connection be
tween them and the state Of Great Britain, is
and ought be, totally dissolved; and that as fire
and independent states they have full power t
levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, es
tablish commerce, and to do all other things whic
independent states may Of right do. And for tn
support Of this declaration, WITH FIRM RELi
ANcE ON THE PROJECTIONS OF DIVINE PRoyI
DENcE, we mutually pledge to each other, Oh
lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
Signed by order, and in behalf of the Congress.
JOHN HANCOCK, President,
Attested--
: CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.
|