Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-07-04
nECLARATlO N
. n,ericam independence.
CONGRESS. JULY 4rH, l776.

80. in the course OF human events, II ue.
NA. ss,essary Tor one People 10 Dissolve me
-, Sspds which have connected them WIN
Ca an, 10 assume, among The powers Of the
ae ~ sepafale and equal station 10 which The
S.,nre aud Natures God enIitle them,
" ", ,e,oect for the opinions OF mankind re-
ssI ma, iney should declare The causes WHICH
!; hem 10 the separation. .,,,.,
8. hold these truths 10 be seit-eV'oen.ii mai
H.o are created equal; that they are enuo IN.
~ Creator with certain Inaienaue s,sr;,
saoue these are life, liberty ana ,ne pu'sSs n
.,,niness; that. 10 secure 'hese as,;v;ns
..os are instituted among lIeI ,he Govern. |
y. whenever any form Of Government
80, .s,,nc,iye of these ends, II Is Inc liSn'
S:' !. - sl,er or abolish il. and TO institute
81 @F.N.,men LAYING lis foundations on sucn
q gov md oreanizing its powers IN sucn
:a's, hem shall seem most likely 10 enecl
III Z, as ,,,v and happiness. Prudence, indeed,
sas thai governments long established
rl',a o, h. changed Tor light and transient
la u IVA accordingly, all experience haln
81 ss, mankiod are more disposed TO snner,
a. .y;is are sutferable, than 10 right Them
:, ,h,lisbine the forms 10 which they are
nod Bu, when long tram OF ABUSES
ssnrna,;on.. pursuing invariably me same
srnce, design 10 reduce them unaei ae'
Scsno,ism. il is their right, ii is their au.y,
AZ off such Government, aud TO provide
"s,,,as for their future security. Such mas
n.,;snt sufferance OF the Colonies ana
!. now the necessity which constants the"
-. ,neir former system OF Government.
-. ,;sory OF the present King OF Great Brian
.ssoly Of renes.s bbJec', the establishment at
ii .:soluie tyranny over these S,a,cs. To Prove
I, II facts be submitted 10 a candid world
js has refused his assent 10 laws the most
,.ylssome and necessary for The public good:
3s has forbidden his Governors 10 pass laws
Immediate and pressing Importance, unless
,?erded in their operations ill bis assent should
go,aned, and when so suspended, ne mas Ut
b., neglected 10 attend 10 them:
4 BE has refused 10 pass other laws Tor Inc &C.
Il ,modation OF large districts OF people, unless
Use people would relinquish their right ot rep.
Fs.nla,ion in The Legisldture-a right ineslima.
10 them, and formidable to tyrants only:
4 ae has called together legislative bodies a,
res unusual, uncomfortable and distant from
:.leposi ory OF their public records, for the sole
oppose OF fatiguing them into compliance with
Is measures:
Be has dissolved representative houses repeat
E.y, 10! opposing with manly frmness his inva
asns on The rights OF the people:
/ he has refused, for a long lime after such dis.
Sulious, 10 cause others 10 be elected; whereby
n legislative powers, incapable OF annihilation,
ave returned TO the people at large, for their
iTcise; the State remaining, in the mean time,
;csed 10 all The dangers OF invasion from with.
/: and commissions from within:
He has endeavored TO prevent the population
inese States; for that purpose obsuucling the
US Of naturalization OF foreigners, refusing TO
as others 10 encourage their migration thilher,
u: raising the conditions OF new appropriations
lands:
de has obsructed the administration OF justice,
refusing his assent 10 laws Tor establishing
..ciary powers:
He has made Judges dependan, on his will
yHe for he tenure OF their Offices and The amount
i: payment Of their salaries:
he has erected a multitude OF new offices, and
si ni!her swarms OF officers, 10 harrass cur peo-
saad eat ont their substance:
/ de has kept among US in time OF peace stand.
I u armies, without the consent OF our Legisia.
/ rss
he has affected 10 render the military indie
f.n.,nl OF, and superiorlo, the civil power:
/ De has combined with Others 10 subjec, us 10
jurisdiction foreign 10 our Constitution and an.
acknowledged BY our laws; giving his assent to
aer acts OF pretended legislation:
For quarlering large bodies o! armed troops
Ian NJ Us:
70. projecting them, by mock trial, from pun.
lIen' for any murders which they should COM
= On he hablan,s OF these States:
Fat cutting of our trade with all parts of the
kor":
For imposing taxes on US, without our con.
Isnt:
For depriving US, in many cases, OF the bene.
Of trial by jury:
For Transporting US beyond seas, 10 be tried Tor
Egended offeuce.:
For abolishins he free system OF English laws
/, neishbcriag province; establishing therein
h arbitrary government, and enlarsing its boun-
|acss, SO as 10 render il al once an example and
I Instrument for introducing the same absolute
.il into these Colonies:
For taking away our charie S, abolishing our
1os valuable laws, and altering funda mentally
= forms OF our Governments:
Fu' suspending our own legislatures, aud de-.
aing themselves invested with power 10 legis-
p. i0r US in all Cases whatsoever.
ae has abiicaled government here, By decla!.
!: US ou! OF his protection, and waging war
|;,ns, US:
Il: nas plundercd our seas, ravaged our coasts,
III; our iowns, and destroyed the lives of our
|2o9s:
De IS al this time Transporting large armies OF
.tisl N .rcenaries, 10 complete the works OF
RAN, Oscillation and tyranny, already begun,
'Fa circumstances Of cruelty and perfiy scarce
pdialleled in the most baTbarous ages, and to-
.y unworthy the head OF civilized nation:
DE mas constrained our fellow CITIZENS taken
sFlve on The high seas, 10 bear arms against
a'ii country, 10 become the execu,ioners OF their
tends anu brethren, or to fall themselves by their
:ant.:
De has excited domestic instructions against
y an! has endeavored TO bring on the inhabi-
ants OF on. frontiers the meIciess Indian sava-
s's, whose known rule Of warfare is an undisin- |
pushed destruction Of all ages, sexes and condi. |
.unk.
10 every stage OF these expressions we have
sl.ioned Tor redress in the most humble terms:
u teptaet petitions have been answered only |
II repealed injury.
prince whose character is thus marked by
''s'y act which may define tyrant, is unfit TO
C ne ruler Of Tree people.
Nor have We been waning in attention 10 our |
British brethren. We have warned them, from |
line 10 lime, OF attempts by their Legislature TO
,nsoc an unwarran,aole jurisdiction over u.s.
We have reminded them Of the circumstances OF
'af emigration and settlement here. We have
APPEALED 10 their native justice and magnanimi-
p and We have coujured them, BY the lies of
n common kindred, 10 disayow these usurpa-
OBS which would inevitably interrupt our con-
.'1'On and correspondence. They, too, have
zen teai 10 The voice OF justice and Of consan-
Hnty We must, therefore, acquiesce in the
::'csssiiy which denounces our separation, aud
90 them as We hold The rest OF mankind-ene.
YES rs IN war, in peace, friends
!, Vi act .erelore, the Representatives OF the Uni.
!. States Of America, in General Congress as.
'nSled, appealing 10 the Supreme Judge OF the
''h Tor the reciitude OF our intentions, do in the
'me, and by the authority OF the good people Of
sse Colonies, solemuly publish and declare lha,
ese Colonies are, aud of RICH, ought 10 be, Free
Independent States; that they are absolved
'm all allegiance TO the British Crown, and tha,
political connection between them aud the
ate OF Great Britain, is. and oush, to be, total.
tissolved-and thar, as free and independent
a'es, they have full power TO levy war, conclude
'ace, contract alliances, establish commerce,
d TO do all other acts and things which indepen-
:n' States may Of right do. And Tor the sup.
M OF this ner1 rof;on h 6rp, Valance -