The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-06-29
or establishing judiciary powers.

He has erected a multitude of new Of
fees, and sent hither swarms of officers,
TO harass our people, and eat out their
substance.
he has kept among us, in times of
peace, standing armies, without the con-
sent of cur legislatures.
He has affected to render the military
independent of, and superior to, the civil
power.
He has combined with others to sub
ject TO a jurisdiction foreign to our con-
stitution, and unacknowledged by our
laws giving his assent to their acts Of
pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed
troops among US:
For protecting them, by mock trial,
from punishment for any murders which
they should commit on the inhabitants of
these states
For cutting off our trade with all parts
of the world:
For imposing taxes on US without our
consent
For depriving 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 Eng
lish laws in neighbouring 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 absolute
rule into these colonies:
For taking away our charters, abolish
ing our most valuable laws, and altering,
fundamentally, the forms of our govern
ments:
For suspending our own legislatures,
and declaring themselves invested with
power to 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 DESTROYED
the lives Of our people.
He is at this time transporting large
armies of foreign mercinaries TO complete
the works Of death, desolalion and tyran-
nv, already begun with circumstances OF
cruelty and per6dy, scarcely parallelled
in the most barbarous ages, and totally
unworthy The head of civilized nation.
He has constrained our iellow-citizens,
taken captive on the high seas, to bear
arms against their country, 10 become the
executioners of their friends and brethren,
or to fall themselves by their hands.
He has excited domestic Instructions
amongst us, and has endeavored to bring
ON the Inhabitants of our frontiers the mercl-
less Indian savages, whose known rule of
warfare is an undistingulshed destruction
Of all ages, sexes, and conditions.
In every stage Of these expressions we
have petitioned for redress in the most
humble terms our repeated petitions
have been answered only by repeated In
jury. 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 attentions
to our British brethren. We have warned
them, from time to time, of attempts by
their legislature 10 extend an unwarrant-
able jurisdiction over us. We have re-
minded them of the circumstances OF our
emigration and settlement here. We have
appealed to their native justice and mag
nanimity, and we have conjured them by
the ties of our common kindred to dIsa-
vow these usurpations, which would IN
evitably interrupt our connexions and cor
respondence. They too have been deaf
to the voice OF justice and consequently.
We must, therefore, acqulesce In the ne
cessity which denounces 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 Su-
preme Judge Of the world, for the rectl-
tuJe 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 arc
and of right ought to be, free and lnde-
penden' states that they are absolyed
from all allegiance to the British crown,
and that all political conncxion between
them and the state of Great 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 alliances, establish COM
inercc, and to do all other acts and things
which independent states may OF right DO.
Aud for the support Of this declaration,
with firm reliance on the protection OF
Divine Providence, we mutually pledge
to each other our lives, our fortunes, and
cur sacred honour.
JOHN HANCOCK, President.
an illustration by toay Of Definition.