The mountain Democrat., 1863-07-04
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Declaration of Ind

When, in the course Of human events,
it 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 natures God entite
them, decent respect to the opinions Of
mankind requires that they should declare
the causes which lmpcl them to the sep.
aration.
We hold these truths to be se'fevidcnt,
that all men are created equal that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights that among these are
life. liberty and the pursuit Of happiness
That, to secure these rights. governments
are instituted among men, deriving their
Just powers from the consent of the gov
erned, and that, whenever any form of
government becomes destructive Of these
ends, it is the right Of the people to alter
or abolish it, and to institute new govern
ment, laying its foundations on such prin
ciples, and organizing its powers in such
form, as to them shall seem most likely to
effect their safety and happiness. Pru-
dence, indeed, will dictate that govern
ments, long established, should not be
changed for light and transient causes :;
and, accordingly, all experience hath
shown that mankind are disposed to
suffer, while evils are Sufferabe, than to
right themselves by aboliShng the forms
to which they are accustomed. But,
when a long train of abuses and usurpa.
tons, pursuing invariably the same object,
cvincrs a design to reduce them under
absolute despotiSm, it is their right, it is
their dutT, to throw off such government.
and to provide new guards for their future
security. Such has been the patient suf-
ferance of the colonies, and such is now
the necessity which con>trainS them to
alter their former systems Of government.
The history of the present King of Great
Britain is Il history of repeated injuries
and uSurpations, all having, in direct ob
jcct. the establishment Of an absolute tv.
ranny over these states. To prove this,
let facts be submitted to candid world :
lie has refused his assent to laws the
most wholesome and necessary for the
public good.
lie has forbidden his governors to pass
laws Of immediate and pressing impor
tance, unless suspended in their opera
tions till his assent should be obtained {;
and, when so suspended, 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 relin-
quiSh the right Of representation in the
Legislature; a right ineStimable to them,
and formidable to tyrants only.
. He has called together legislative bod
les at places unusual, uncomfortable, and
distant from the repository of their public
records, for the sole purpose Of atiguing
, them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved representative houses
repeatedly, for opposing, with manly firm
ness, his invasion on the rights of the
people.
lie has refused, for long time after
such dissolutions, to cause others TO be
elected whereby the legislative powers,
incapable of annihilation. have returned
to the people at large for their exercise
the state remaining, in the mean time,
exposed to all the dangers of invasion
IRON without, and convulsionS within.
/ He has endcavored to prevent the pop
ulation of these states; for that purpose
obstructing the laws of naturalization of
foreigners, refusing to pass others to en-