The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-06-30
DEGLA R RATION
INDEPENDENCE.
In CONGRESS, JULY 4, ITO.
The Unanimous Declaration Of the Thirteen tth+
States Of America.

10,
becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
the political bands which have connected
them with another, and to assume, among
the powers Of the earth, the separate ant
equal station to which the laws Of nature
and Of natures God entitle them, decent
respect to the opinions of mankind Sequires
that they should declare the causes which
imPel them to the separation.
WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE sELt-Evr.
DENT:-that all men are created equal; thai
they are endowed by their Creator with Ger,
tain unalienable rights; that among these
are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
That to secure these rights, governments
are instituted among then, DERIVING THEIR
JUST POWERS FROM THE CONSENT OF THE
GOVERNED that whenever any form of gov.
ernment becomes destructive of these ends
1t is the right of the people to alter or to
abolish it, and to institute new government
laying its foundation on such principles, and
organizing its powers in such form as to
them shall seem most likely to effect their
safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed
will dictate, that governments long establish
ed should not be changed for light and tran
scient causes; and accordingly all expert
ence hath shown, that mankind are more
disposed to suffer while evils are sutferable,
than to right themsel' by abolishing the
forms to which they are accustomed But
when long train of abuses and usurpations.
pursuing invariably the same object, evinces
design to reduce them under absolute des-
potism, it is their right, it is their duty, to
throw off such government, and to provide
new guards for their future security. Such
has been the patient suferance of these COL
onies; and such is now the necessity which
constrains them to alter their former systems
of government. The history of the present
king Of Great Britain is history of repeat
ed injuries and usurpations, all having in d.
rect object the establishment of an absolute
tyranny over these states. To prove this,
let facts be submitted to candid world.
He has refused his assent to laws the
most wholesome and necessary for the pub
lie good.
He has forbidden his governors to pass
laws of immediate and pressing Importance,
unless suspended in their operation, till his
assent should be obtained; and when so sus.
pended, he has utterly neglected to attend
to them. He has refused to pass other laws
for the accommodation of large districts of
people, unless those people would relinquish
the right OF representation in tue legislature
"a right inestimable to them, and formida-
BILE to tyrants only
He has called together legislative bodies
at places UNUSUAL, uncomfortable, and dis.
tant from the repository of their public rec
ords, for the sole purpose of fatguing them
into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved representative houses
repeatedly, for opposing, with manly firm
ness, his invasohs on the rights of the peo-
pie.
He has refused, for long time after such
disso1Htions, to cause others to be elected;
Whereby the legislative powers, incapable of
humiliation, have returned to the people at
large for their exercise, the state remain ing,
in the mean time, exposed to all the dangers
of invasion from without and commissions
within.
He has endeavored to prevent the popula-
ton of these states; FOR THAT PURPOSE OBJ
STRUGGLING THE LAWS OF NATURALIZATION
OF FOREIGNERS; REFUSING TO PASS OTHERS
TO ENCOURAGE THEIR EMIGRATION HITLER,
and raising the conditions of new appropria-
tions of lands.
He has obstructed the administration of
justice, by refusing his assent to laws for
establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made judges dependent oh his will
alone, for the tenure Of their Offices, and the
amount and payment OF their salaries.
He has erected multitude of new offices,
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 consent Of our
legislatures.
He has affected to render the military in
dependent of and superior to, the civil
power.
He has combined with others to subject
us to jurisdiction foreign to our constltu-
ton, and unacknowledged by our laws; Civ
Ing his assent to their acts of pretended leg
islation:
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
statesl
For cutting off our trade with ali parts Of
the world:
For imposing taxes on us without our con.
sent:
For depriving ts, in fiany 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 English
laws in neighboring province, establishing
therein an arbitrary government, and en-
larging its boundaries, SO as to render it at
Gnce an example and tit instrument for in