The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1860-12-22
PROPOSED DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE FOR SOUTH
Il CAROLYN "A. .5 u IS AZ

Al CITIZEN or South Carolina has sent
US the following as one OF the proposed
forms Of declaration Of independence 10
be submitted TO the Convention which il
to meet on the 18th pr0ximo:
When, In the course Of human events.
III becomes necessary for one people to
dissolve the political bands which have
connected them with another, and to as
sumo among the powers Of the earth the
separate and equal STATEN to which the
Jaws Of nature and Of natures God emit.
tie them n decent respect TO the opinions
Of mankind requires that they should de.
clare the causes which impel them TO the
separation q. . = ! :.. =. ; s
We hold these truths to be selfevidcnt;
that although all men are created wholly
unequal, mentally, morally, and physically,
yet they are all equally entitled, under
every civilized government, TO the full
protection Of their lives, persons, and pro.
perty, for which protection sg0sernmenfs
are solely instituted among men, deriving
their Just powers solely from the consent
Of the governed; that whenever any form
OF government becomes destructive Of
these ends. it is the right Of the people 10
alter, or TO aholishit, aud to institute a
new government, laying its foundation oh
such principles, and organizing its powers
in such form as 10 them shall seem most
likely to effect their safety and happiness.
Prudence, indeed, NiHodictate that govern.
ments long established should not be
changed for light and transient causes;
and accordingly, all experience hath
shown that mankind are more disposed to
suffer; while ills are snfferable, than TO
right themselves by aholishing the forms
to which they are accustomed But when
. long train Of abuses and usurpations,
pursuing invariably the same object,
eyinces a design to reduce them nnder
absolute despotism, 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 snf.
ferance Of the Southern States of this
Union, and such is now the necessity
which coustrains them to alter their pre-
sent system Of Federal G overnment, The
history Of the present Northern States is
a history Of repeated injuries, insults, and
usurpations, all having a direct object in
the establishment of an absolute tyranny
over the Southern States. To prove this,
let facts be submitted to candid world:
First: The Northern States Of this
Union have for many long years warred
against our peculiar institution Of Slavery,
iBstigated by the dictates OF relentless
fansticism, which declares that institution
to be moral sin, while We hold it to be q
Divine institution; established by GOD
himself In the following decree enunciated
to Moses on Mount Sinai. ''Both thy
bondmen and bondmaids which thou shalt
have shall be Of the heather that are
around about you; Of them shall &c buy
bondmen and bondmaids; moreover, Of
the children Of the strangers that sojourH
among you, Of them shall ye buy, and
they shall be your possession; ye shall
take them rs an inheritance for your
children after you, to inherit them for o
possession; they shall be your bohdmeE
| forever" And we further hold that this
Diyinely established institution was always
sanctioned by our Savior and bis Apos
ties. s.5 .-..s. s-s-:- ..>,.,.-.a..,
Second: A large number Of the North
erl States have nullifed the Constitution
Of the present Union by passing laws e
prevent the fulfillment Of that COnstitu
| ton, which declares that fugitive slave:
shall DO delivered up to their owners; The
principle Of which fugitive slave law hal
The express and sacred sanction Of st
Paul the Apostle, 49, ..s.,. -.
= rhHd The Northern States Of thil
unlSG aase declared that the people o
the Southern States shall not emigrat'
with. their property into the Territories
| which rightiully belong to them equally
i with the North; and that tho people 0
4 tho South shall not have their prOpert.
protected by the Federal Government
when such protection is Gas above declaE
ed) the sole end aud objet Of all govern
4 meats. ------. 4 E..
! Fourth; Those NortAern States have
by a relentless and lnscraPulOus majority