The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-07-04


the benefits Of trial by jury:
For Transporting us beyond seas 10 DO
tried for pretended offences.
For abOlishiug the free system OF En-
glish laws in ueighboring province, es'
tablishing therein an arbitrary govern,
ment, and enlarging its boundaries. so as
to render it at once an example and ut
INSTRUMENT fot introducing the same alb.
solute rule into these colonies.
For taking away our charters. abolish'
ing our most valuable laws, and altering
fundamentally. the powers Of our govern
ments.
For suspending our own legislatures.
and declaring themselves invested with
power to legiSlate for US 10 all cases what
soever.
He has abdicated government here. by
declaring us out Of his protection, and
waging war against US.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged
our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroy
ed the lives Of our people.
He is, at this time, transporting large
armies Of foreign mercensries to complete
the works ofdeath, desolotion and tyranny
alieady begun, with circumstances Of
cruelty and per6dy scarcely paralelsd in
the most barbsrous ages, and totally un E
worthy the head ofa civilized hatiou.
He has constrained our fellow citizens.
taken captive on the high seas, 10 bear
arms against their country, TO become tho
e1ecutioners Of their friends and brethren
or to fall themselves by their hands.
He has excited domestic Instructions
amongst us. and has endeavored to bring
on the inhabitants Of our frontiers, the
merciIcss Indian savag4s, whose known
rule Of warfare is an undistinguishcd de-
struction. of all ages, sexes, and condi'
tions.
In every stage Of these expressions,
We have pctitioned for redreaa, in the
most humble terms: our repeated petitions
have besn answered only by repeated
injury. A prince. whose character is
thus marked by every act which may de-
, fine tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler OF
free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attention
to our British brethren. We have warn
ell them, from time to time, Of attempts
} made by the ir legislature TO extend an un
T. warrantable jurisdiction over us. W.
have reminded them of the circumstances
) Of our emigration and settlement here
We have appealed 10 their native justice
and mAgnaimiIy, and we have conjuret
: them, by the ties Of our common kindred
= to dsavow these usurpations, which woulC
inevitably iaieEsupt our connections anC
: correspondence. They, to-, have beef
deaf to the voice Of justice and consan
guinity. We must, therefore, acquicsc
In the necessity. which denounces ou
separation. and hold them as we hold tn
' rest OF mankind, enemies in war, in peac
= friends.
We, therefore, the representatives O
: the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
) iu GENERAL CONGRESS assembled
/, , appealing to the Supreme Judge Of th
: wv orid tor tho rec,itsdo. of our intentions
do, in the name. and by the authority {
. the good people Of these colonies. 80
y EMMY publish and declare, That thes
: United Colonies are. and OF right ougl
y to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; til;
! they are absolvcd from all allegiance
p the British crown, and tha, all politics
=. connexioa between them and the state {
Grea, Britain, is and ought TO be. toiall
;, dissolvcd and that. s FREE AN.
u INDEPENDENT STATES. they hav
3 full power to levy war, conclude peac'
:. contract allanoes, establish commerc
~ and to do all other acts and things wlic
: INDEPE ENDENT STATES may Of rigl
= do, And. for the support of this decls
y alton, with firm reliance on the protet
'' ton Of DIVINE PROVIDENCE, we mutual
" pledge to each other. our lives, our 70
tunes, and sscrOd honor. "
The foregoing declaration was, by o
y der Of Congress, engrossed. and signt
y, by tho following members,
% JOHN HANCOCK.