Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-04-23
T0XoAE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

! When a government has ceased to
protect the lives, liberty and proper
~ Of the people, from whom ito le-
gitimate powers are derived, and 70.
the advancement Of whose happiness
i, was instituted. and so far from BE-
ing guarantee for the enjoyment of
those inestimable and unalienable
rights, becomes an instrument in the
hands Of evil rulers for their oppres.
!. ON: When the federal Republican
Constitution Of their country. winch
they have sworn to support, no
longer has substantial existence, &
the whole nature Of their government
has been forcibly changed, without
their consent, from a restricted fede.
rative republic, com 'osed Of sovereign
states, 10 a consolidated central mil
itary despotism, in which every in
terest is disregarded but that Of the
army and the priesthood--both the
eternal enemies Of civil liberty. the
ever ready ,ninl"ns of power. and the
usual instruments of tvran;s: When
long after the spiri, of the Constitu.
,ion has departed. moderation IS at
length SO far lost, By those in power,
that even the semb!ancc Of freedom
is removed, and the forms themselves
of the Constitution discontinued; and
SO far f.oin their petitions and renon.
s,rances being regarded. the agents
who bear ii, I'm are thrown into dun
geons, and marcenary armies sent
forth 10 force i new government up
IN them at the point Of the bayonst:
When in consequence Of such acts of
ma!feasAnce and abdication, On the
part Of the government, anarchy pre-.
rails and ciril society is diss,lrc I into
&; orig: N. ! elements: In snch crisis,
the first law Of nature, the right Of
selfpreservation-tho inherent and
inalienable right ofthe people to ap-
peal to first principles, and take their
political afEtirs into their own hands
in extreme cases-cnio;ns it az =
right towards themselves and a %.
cred obligation to their posterity, to
abolish such e .rernment and create
another, in its stead, calculated to res.
cue them from impending dangers &
to secure their welfare and happiness.
n tons. rs well rs Individuals, are
,mena5le for their acts to the public
opin on Of mankind. A statement Of
: part OF our grievances is, therefore,
submitted to an Impartial! world in
ustificaton Of the hazardous but un-
ayoilabe step now taken, of severin2
our pol teal connexion with the Mex
lean people, and assuming an inde-
pens!en, a,tlttde, among the nations
Of, the earth.
Tne Mexican government, by its
colonization laws, invited and in
iuced the anglo American population
Of Texas to colon:ze its wilderness,
under the pledged faith Of a written
constitution, that they should contin.
ue to enjoy that constitutional liberty
and republican governme mt, to which
they had been Infatuated in the land
of their birth, the United States Of
America. In this expectation they
have been cruelty disappointed, mas
much as the Mexican nation has ac-
guiesced in the late changes made in
the covernm by Gen. Antonio
Lopez Santa Anna, who, having over.
turned the constitution Of his country
now offers US the alternative either
TO abandon our homes, acquired by SO
many privations, or submit to the
most intolerab.e Of all tyranny, the
combined despotisn Of the sword &
the priesthood.
1t has sacrificed our welfare to tho
state of Coahu,la, BY which our inter-
es,s have been continually depressed
throush jealous and partial course
Of legislation. carried on at far dis
tant seat Of government. bv hostile
majority, in an unknown tongue;
anu this too, notwithstanding Wa
have pe,i,.oned in the humb!est terms
for the establishment of /: separate
state Government. and have in accor.
dance with the provisions OF the Ma
,ionai Constitution, p Presented 10 the
general congress a republican cons''-
tuition, whic.. vas withouta just cause,
coLte.np,uous!y rejected.
1t incarcera:ed IN a dungeon for z
long TINE. one nf our citizens. for no
o,..er cause but Jealous enieavos TO
or, cl.e he adoption of the consii'u-
tls n. and the establishment OF . State