Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-07-04
DECLARATION
~ AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE


Io n,han onJ n assume, among the powers Of
,hs s,r,h The separate and equal station 10 which
,hs laws of Nature and of Natures God enne
,hem decen, respect for the opinions OF man.
Lind reouires lha, they should declare The causes
which inpel them 10 the separation.
We hold these truths 10 be seli-evldehl 'hd'
all men are created equal; that they are en-
Iowed BY their Creator with certain uhdneiia,
bile rights: that among these are lie, liberty anu
the pursuit of happiness. That, 10 secure lnese
rioh,s Governments are Instituted among men,
de wing their Just powers from the consent OF Tue
governed: and that, whenever any FORM oi w
yernmenl becomes destructive oil these enuS, :
the right of The people 10 alter or aDosn y, aI''
10 institute new Government, laying us iouh-
da,ions on such principles and organizing us
powers in such form, as TO theih sndIi SEEM
mos, likely 10 effect their safety and happiness.
Prudence. indeed, will dictate, that Governments
lnno established should not be changed 1or
lioht and transient causes; and, accordingly, all
exocrence hath shown that mankind are more
disposed TO suffer, while evils are suferaoie, IMAM
10 right themselves by aboli>hnS inc lortns 10
which they are accustomed. But when long
train Of abuses and usurpalions, pursuing inva.
rably the same object, evnces design 10 reouce
them under absolute despo,isln, II IS lheir iiSn'
il is their duty 10 throw OF such government anu
10 provide new guards for their future secuIity'
-
MES: and such is now the necessity winch con-
strains them TO alter their former system OF 20.
yernmen,. The history OF The present Ming u
Great Britain is history OF repeated injuries anu
usurpalions all having, in The direct oo]ecl, 'ne
establishment Of an absolute tyranny over theSe
States. To prove this, let facts be subnilled 10 d
candid world
He has refused his assent TO laws The most
wholesome and necessary Tor The puplic Soou !.
4, Gov
immediate and pressing importance, unless Sns,
pended 10 their operations Till his assen, shonic
be obtained; and, when 50 suspended, he mas VI
ieIly neglected 10 attend 10 them:
He has refused 10 pass other laws Tor he &C
commodaton OF large districts OF people, unless
,h.se people would relinauish their right OF re-
presentation in the Lesislaure-a right inestima'
Die 10 them, and formidable 10 lyrans only;
He has called together Legislative bodies al
places unusual, uncomfortable anddislant RON 'ie
repository Of their public records, for the sole pni-
nose Of fariguins them into compliance with his
measures
He has dissolved representative houses repeat
edly for Opposing with manly frmness his lnva-
sions on The rights OF the people;
He has refused for long Time after such DIS
solutions, 10 cause others 10 be elected; whereby
line Legislative powers, incapable OF annihatoh,
have returned 10 the people al large, Tor heir e2
ercise; the State remaining, in the meantime, ex-
posed TO all the dangers OF INVASION from wuhou',
and commissions from within:
He has endeavored 10 prevent the population
Of these States for that purpose obstTuctlng the
laws of naturalization OF foreigners, refusing TO
pass others 10 encourage their migration thither,
and raising the conditions OF new appropriations
of lands
tie has Distracted the administration OF justice,
by refusing his assent 10 laws for establishing u
dietary powers: :,
He has made Judges dependent on his will
alone for the tenure OF their ofceS, ana tie amount
and payment of their salaries:
He has erected a multitude OF new offices, and
sent hiiher swarms of officers TO harrass our PEG
pie and eat out their substance:
He has kept among Us in .ime oil peace stand
ing armies without the consent our LeSisia-
lures:
He has affected 10 render The military indepen-
den! OF, and superior to, the civil power:
He has combined with others TO subject US TO
a jurisdiction foreign 10 our Constitution, and
unlcknowledgel hy cur laws; giving ms assem-
10 heir acts OF pretended Legislation
For quanering large bodies Of armed troops
among US:
For protecting them, by mock trial. from pun
ishment Tor any murders which they should COM
init on The inhabitants ii these States
For cutting of our trade with all parts oil the
world
For imposing taxes on Us, wi,hou, our consent:
For drpriving us i'll MANI cases, vi The peneh'
OF trial by jury:
For transporting US beyond seas, 10 be i;ed Tor
pretended offences:
For aboishing the free syslem o. English laws
in a neishborins province; establishing therein
an arbitrary government, and enarSinS lis ooun-
diaries, so as 10 render il al once an example ana
fit instrument for Introducing the same absolute
ruin into these Colonies:
For taking away our charters aholishng our
most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally
the forms of our Governments:
For suspendng our own Legislatures, and de-
clarins themselves invested with power 10 legiS-
lale tor us in all cases whatsoever. lie has alb
dica,ed government here, By declaring us out Of
his protection and waging war against us
IL has plundeTcd oar seas ravaged ON coasts,
burnt our lowus, and destroyed the lives OF our
people:
He is al this lime transporting large armies OF
foreign mcrcenarcs, 10 complete Inc WORKS OF
death, deSulation, and tyranny, already begun
with circumstances OF cruelty and perhdy scarce
|, paralleed in The most balbarous ages and
to,',il. unworthy the head OF 4 civilized nation
He mas constrained our ieow-citizsns taken
captive on the high seas, 10 bear arms against
their country, 10 become the execufioncrs OF their
friends and brethren 10 fall themselves ny theiI
hands.
He has excited domestic instructions against
Us and has endcavoretl 10 bring on the lnhaoi-
tan,s Of our frontiers The merci'ess Indian sa-
wages. whose known rule OF warfare is an I'M
distinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and
conditions:
In every stage oflhcse expressions, we have
petioned for redress in the most humble terms
our repeated petitions have been answered only
BY repeated injury.
A prince whose character is thus marked by
every act which may define tyrant, IS unit 10
be The rnlcr 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 10
extend in uawarraniable jurisdiction over u.s.
We have reminded them OF The circums;an-
:es Of our emigration and setlemcn, hee
We have appealed 10 their native justice ana mag
nanimity: and VIC have con)nred them hv The i'cS
of our common kindred, 10 diSavow these ns1r-
pa,ions which would inevitably interrupt our
connexion an! correspondence. They, too, have
been dearlo the voice Of justice and OF consan-
eninity. We must, therefore, acquiescc IN The
necessity which denounces our separation, and
hold them as We hold the rest OF mankind-enc-
mics in war; in peace friends.
We therefore, the Representatives oil Inc Uni
ted States OF America, in General Congress as
se;nbled appealing 10 The Supreme Judge OF the
world Tor the rectituie OF our attentions, DO, III
tn name and b. the authority of the good peo-
PIE Of these Colonies, so,emnly pub! sh and de-
clare, shat these Colonies are, and OF right ought
10 BE-, Free and Ipiep.ndeat Siaies; that they are
absolved from all allegiance 10, the British Crown
and that all political connection between them
and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to
be, totally dissolved; and that, free and indie
pendent States, they have full power tolevy war;
conclude peace con,rac, alliances, establish
commerce, and 10 do all other acts and things
which rsH WITH rn
reliance on the protection Of Divine Providence,
we mutually pledge TO each other our lives, our
fortunes, and our sacred honor.
JOHN HANCOCK, President.
CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.