The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-06-30

For cutting off our trade with ali parts
of the world:
For imposing taxes on us without our
consent:
For depriving US, in many cases, oil
the benefits of trial by jury:
For Transporting US beyond seas to be
tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free system OF En-
glish laws in a neighboring province,
establishing therein an arbitrary govern
ment, and enlarging its boundaries, so as
TO render it at once an example and fit IN
strument for introducing the same abso'
lutte rule into these colonies:
For taking away our charters, abolish
ing our most valuable laws, and altering,
fundamentally, the forms of our govern
ment.
For suspending our own legislatures,
and declaring themselves invested with
power 10 legislate for us in all cases what
soever.
He has addicted government here, by
declaring us out of his protection, and
waging war against US.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged
our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroy
ed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large
armies of foreign mercenaries to complete
the works of death, desolation, and
tyranny, already begun with circumstan-
ces of cruelty and perfdy, scarcely par
alIeled in the most barbarous ages, and
totally unworthy the head of civilized
nation.
He has constrained our fellow-citi-
zens, taken captive on the high seas. to
bear arms against their country, to be-
come the executioners Of their friends and
brethren, or to fall themselves by their
hands.
He has excited domestic instructions
among us, and h as endeavored to bring
on the inhabitants of our frontiers the
merciless Indian savages, whose known
rule of warfare is an undistinguished
destruction Of all ages, sexes, and con-
ditions.
In every stage Of these expressions
we have petitioned for redress in the
most humble terms: our repeated pet-
tions have been answered only by repeat
ed injury. A prince, whose character is
thus marked by every act which may
define tyrant, is unfit to be the rnler Of
a free people.
Nor have we been wanting in atten-
tions to our British brethren. We have
warned them, from time to time, Of at
tempts by their legislature to extend an
jurisdiction over US. We
have reminded them Of the circumstances
of our emigration and settlement here.
We have appealed to their native justice
and magnanimity, and we have coujured |
them by the ties of our common kindred |
to disayow these usurpations, which |
would inevitably interrupt our connex-
ions and correspondence. They too
have been deaf to the voice of Justice and !
of consanguinity. We must, therefore
acqulesce in the necessity which denoun-
ces our separation, and hold them, as we
hold the rest of mankind-enemies in
war, in peace friends
We, therefore, the representatives of
the United States of America, in general /
Congress assembled, appealing to the
Supreme Judge Of the world, for the rec
titude 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 inde-
pendent states; that they are absolved
rom all allegiance to the British crown,
and that all political connexion between
hem and the state of Great Britain is,
md ought to be, totally dissolved; and
hat, as free and independent states, they
lave full power to levy war, conclude
oeace, contract alliances, establish COM
ncrce, and to do all other acts and things
which independent states may Of right
10. And for the support of this declara-
ion, with firm reliance on the protection
If Divine Providence, we mutually
pledge TO each other our lives, our for
unes, and our sacred honor.
JOHN HANCOCK.