The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-07-04
For taking away our chartres, abol.
ishing our most valuable laws, and altering,
fundamentally, the forms of our govern

fundamentally, the forms OF our govern
ments: .i.szss
For suspending our own legislatures, and
declaring themselves invested with power
to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here, he
declaring us out of his protection, and
waging war against US. 80
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 mercenaries to complete
the work of death, desolation and tyran-
ny, already begun with circumstances of
cruelty and per6dy, scarcely parallcled in
the most barbarous ages, and totally un-
worry the head of civilized nation
He has constrained our fellow citizens,
taken captive on the high seas, to bear
arms against their country, to become the
executioners of their friends and brethren,
or to fall themselves by their hands.
He has excited domestic insureetions
amongst us, and has endeayored to. bring
on the inhabitants of our frontiers the
merciless Indian savages, whose known
rule of warfare is an undistinguished des-
truction 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 injury.
A prince, whose character is thus marked
by every act which may define tyrant, is
! unfit to be the ruler of q free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attentions
to our British brethren. We have warn
ed them, from time to time, of attempts
by their legislature to extend an unwar-
rantable jurisdiction over US. Wehave re-
minded them of the circumstances of our
emigration and settlement here. We
have appealed to their native justice and
magnanimity; and we have conjured them
by the ties of our common kindred to
disayow these usurpations, which would
inevitable interrupt our connection and
correspondence. They too have been
deaf to the vice ofjustice and of consan-
guinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce
in the necessity which denounces our
separation, and hold them, as we hold the
rest of mankind-ene in war, in peace
$ friends. @
We, therefore, the representatives ofthe
/ United States of America, in general con-
gress assembled, appealing to the Supreme
Judge of the world, for the rectitude Of
our intentions, do, in the name and by the
authority of the good people of these col
onies, solemnly publish and declare, that
these united colonies are, and of. right
ought to be, free and independent states;
that they are absolved from all allegiance
to the British crown, and that all politi-
cal connection between them and the state
of Great Britain is, and ought to be to-
tally dissolved; and that, as free and in.
dependent states, they have full power to
levy war, conclude peace, contract ALI
ances, establish commerce, and to do all
other acts and things which indepen-
dent states may of right do. Andfor the
support of this declaration, with firm
reliance on the protection of Divine Pro-
vidence, we mutually pledge to each other
OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES, AND OUR sAcREI
HONOR.
4 With and Without q Purpose.
The secret of much Of the discomfort
and want of success in life, is the lack o
4 q well-deined p,trpose.s To q man who
has no1otject for which to live and strive
T life can have but little to commend it
: To suffer ourselves to havesno aim above
5 the mere act of existence, is debasing
I mans lofty nature below the brute, to the
base level of mere things sIt;requires nc
examples drawn from the pastte illustrate
] this principle, though: the pages ofsthe
past be replete with instances of heroisn
J and dishonor-success and disgrace; each
!, condition growing to q great degree out
4 of the possession or want of frmness o.
purpose. The present to-day is filed as
well with spiritless, aimless, purposeless
drones, as with active inspirited, earnest
: souls. To the latter class, every day
hour, moment is conscious life; and eve
f Try exercised energy development and
strengthening of the power of mind OF
will The former float lazily upon the
: surface of times tide. Efortless and
aimless, they are censors Of all Gods
providences and ingrates of his mercy.
! Nor, need we visit uncivilized races, mol
quote the loathed mendicant Of Europe
or the East, to prove the existence oi
such an useless class. Our own land
abounds in SUCH They lounge in every
city and town.
/ They are among our acquaintances, oul
relatiyes-we find them in our homes
We do not believe it is natural for man
kind to be lazy,-but must admit it . bad
habit very easily formed. Indifference
to future circumstances and exigencies
i may be very comfortable condition ol
mind, though it sap the brain and heart
! of all their vital energies, An men who
have no apparent business object or aim,
are not lazy, or deserving approach. -
I, There be those in community, honest, in
dustrious, worthy men, who toll faithfully
and hard and yet accomplish but little in
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