The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-07-04
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Thursday, July 4, 1776.

ARreeably 10 the order oi the day the
Congress resolved itself into committee
Of the whole. to take into their farther
consideration the Declaration; and after
some time the President resumed the
Chair, and Mr.. Harrison reported that
The committee had agreed TO decla.
ration, which they desired him to report.
The Declaration being read, was agreed
to as follows:
A Declaration of the Representatives Of the
United States of Amsrica. in Congress
assembled. ..t '.'...,
When, in the course OF human events,
IL 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 station TO which the
laws of nature and Of natures God eutltle
them. q decent respect to the opinions OF
mankind requires that they should de-
clare the causes which impel them to sep
aration.
We hold these truths to be self,evident,
that all men are created eq1al; that they.
are endowed by their Creator with Ger.
tain inalienable rights that among these,
are life. liberty, and the pursuit Of haPpi-
ness. That, to secure these rights, gov
err ments are Instituted among men, deri-
wing their Just powers from the consent Of
tho governed, that whenever any form of
government becomes destructive Of these
ends, il IS the right Of the people to alter
or to abolish i,,and 10 institute new gov.
ernment. laying its foundation on such
principles, and organizing its p'wers in
such form, rs to them shall seem most
likely to effect their safety and happiness.
PrudsIce, indeed. will dictate that gov.
ernmenis long established. should not be
changed for light and transient causes
and, accordingly. all experience hath
shown, that mankind arc more disposed
to suffer, while evils arc suffsrable. than
to right themselves BY abolishing The forms
to which they are accustomed. But,
when long train Of abuses and usurpa-
tions, pursuing invariably the same OBJ
Iject. evinces a design to reduce them un.
der absolute despotism. it is their right,
it is their duty, to throw OF such govern.
meut, aud to provide new guards Tor their
future security. Such has been the pa
tienl sufferauce of these colonies, and
such ia now the necessity which const-ains
them to alter their former systems of
government. The history Of the present
king Of grea. Britain is a history Of re-.
psaled injuries and usurpalionS, all hav.
ing, in direct object, the establishment OF
an absolute tyranny over these States.
To prove this. let facts be submitted to a
candid world
He hiss refused his assent TO laws the
most wholesome aud necessary for The
public good. .- ..r'
He has forbidden his Governors 10 pass
laws Of immediate and pressing impor.
tauce, unless suspended in their operation
ill his assent should be obtained; and,
when so suspended. he has utterly neg.
lected 10 attend to them.
: He has refused TO pass other laws for
the accommodation Of large districts Of peo'
, pie. unless those people would rein'
quish the right Of representation in the
legislature, a right inestimGble 10 them
and formidable to tyrants only.
0 He has called together legislative bod
A ies at places unusual, uncomfortable. ant
distant from the depository Of their pub
lic records. for the sole purpose Of fatg
q uing them into compliance with his meas
l. ures. ..
e lie has dissolved representative house
repeatedly. for opposing, with mani
6rmness. his inYasons on the rights c
: people. .
lie has refused. for long time aGte
;. such disso.utions. TO cause others to b
= elected: whereby the Legislative powers
n incapable of annihilation, have returne
: to the people at large for their exercise
the State remaining, in the mean tint
! exposed to all the danger of invasio
Q from without, and convulsions within.
It He has endeavoled TO prevent the pol
4 ulalion Of Il ose States; for that purpcJ
obstrucling the laws for naturalization {
foreigners; refusing to pass others TO er
70 courage their migration hither, and raj
;. ing the conditions Of new appropriation
~ Of lands.
:. He has obstrucled the admlnistratic
' Of JUS lice, BY refusing his asseu, TO Law
6 for establishing judiciary powers.
. He has made judges dependent on h
= will alono. for tho tenure Of their oftiCo
;. aud the amount and ayment Of their ga
i. aries.
- He has erected multitude Of new o
70 ices, and sent hilher swarms Of Office
y TO harsss our people, and eat ou: the
0. substance. =
1. He has kept among US, in times
peacc. standing armies. without the 90
sent of our legislature.
10 He has effected to render the milital
D, independent Of, aud superior to, the oi
% i power.
n He has combined, with others, to gu
: jsct US 10 jurisdiction foreign 10 o.
Z constitution. aud unacknowledged I
= our laws, giving his ascent TO their acts
n prete ended legislation.
Il For quarteriug large bodies Of arm'
A. troops among us.
For protecting them, by nook tIid
u from punishment. for any murders whiC
: they should commit op the inhabitants
/. these Slater,