The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-03

jurisdiction, foreign to our constitution, ana uhaI-
knowledged by our laws; giving his assent 70 "'ii
acts Of pretended legislation;
For quartering large bodies Of armed troops among
US: ,
For protecting them, by mock rai, rom pun
isbment for any murders which they should commit
on the inhabitants of these States;
For cutting off our trade win all parts oil the
world:
For imposing taxes on US without our consent:
For deprivng us, in many cases, of the benefits Of
trial by jury;
For transporting us beyond seas, to be tried for
pretended offences
For abolishing the free system of English laws in
a neghboring province, establishing therein an ar
bitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries SO
as to render 1t at once an example and fit instrument
for introducing the same absolute rule into these
colonies;
For taking away our charters, abolishing our
most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the
forms of our governments:
For suspending our own legislatures, and declar-
ing themselves invested with power to legslate for
US in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicaed government here, by declaring
US out of his protection, and waging war against
US.
He has plundered our seas ravaged our coasts,
burnt towns, and destroyed the lives of our peo-
pie.
He is at this time transporting large armies Of
foreign mercenaries to complete the works of DEATH
desoation, and tyranny, already begun, with cir
cumsances of cruelty and per6dy scarcely paraeled
in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy
the head of civilized nation
He has constrained our fellow-citzens, taken cap
tive on the high seas, to bear arms against their
country become the executioners of their friends
and brethren, to fall themselves by their hands.
He has excited domestic Instructions among US,
and has endeavored to bring on the Inhabitants OF
our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose
known rule of warfare is an undistinguished de-
struction of all ages, sexes, and conditions.
In every stage of these expressions, we have pc
titioned for redress in the most humble TERMS our
repeated petitions have been answered only by re-
peated injury. A prince whose character is thus
marked by every act which may define tyrant, is
unfit to be the ruler of free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attention to our
British brethren. We have warned them, from time
to time, of attempts by their legislature to extend
an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have
reminded them of the circumstances of emigra-
ton and settlement here. We have appealed to
their native justice and magnanimity, and we have
conjured them, by the ties of common kindred,
to disavow these usurpatons, which would inev-
itably interrupt connexions and correspondence.
They, too, have been deaf to the voice of justice
and consequently. We must, therefore, acquiesce
| in the necessity which denounces our separation,
and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind
enemies in warm peace, friends.
| We, therefore, the representatives of the United
States of America, in General Congress assembled,
appealing the SUPREME JuDeE of the world for the
rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by
the authority of the good people of these colonies
solemnly publish and declare, that these United
Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and in
dependent States;--that they are absolved from all
allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political
connection between them and the state of Grea
Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and
that as free and independent States, they have full
power to levy war, conclude peace, contract ALI
ances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts
and things which independent States may of righ
do And for the support of this declaration, with
a firm reliance on the protection Of DIVINE PRov
IDENcE, mutually pledge to each other our lives
Il ondo, hat,nr