The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1864-07-06
THE SPIRIT OF OUR FATHERS.
1920!
bEflARAIION OF INDEPENDENCE.


the political bands which have connected
them with another, and to assume among
the powers of the earth, the sepeTate and
equal station 10 which the laws of nature
and of natures God entitle them, a decent
respect to the opinions of mankind requires
that they should declare the causes which
impel them t0 separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident:
that all men are created equal; thai they
are endowed hy their Creator vita certain
inalicnablo rights; that among theseare liie,
liberty, aud the pursuit Of happiness, ha'
to secure these rights, governments institu-
ted among men, deriving their just l,owers
from the consent Of the governed: and thai,
when any form of government becomes de-
s.Fuctivc of these ends. il il the right uf the
people to alter or abolish it, and to institute
new government, laying its foundation on
such principles, and organizing its power in
such form, as to them shall seem most like
ly to effect their safety and happiness
Prudence. indeed, win dictate 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
evils are sufferable, than to right themselves
by abolishing the forms to which they are
accustomed But, when train of abuses
and usurpations, pursuings invariably the
same object, eVinccs design to reduce them
under 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 suffer
ancc of the colonies, and such is now the
necessity which cOnstrains them to alter
their former system Of government. The
history Of the present King of Great Brit
ian is history Of repeated injuries and
usurpationS, all Of having. in direct the es-
enlistment of an absolute tyranny over
these States. To prove this, let facts be
submitted to a candid world:
lie has refused his assent to laws the
most wholesome and necessary for the pub
lie good.
lie has forbidden his governors to pass
laws of immediate and pressing importance.
unless suspended in their operations till his
assent should be obtained and, when so
suspended, he has utterly neglected to at
tend to them.
lie has refused to pass other laws for the
accommodation Of large districts of people,
unless those people would rclinquish the
right of representation, in the legislature-a
right inestimable to them and formidable
to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies
at places unusual uncomfortable, and dis
tant for the sole purpose Of fatlgulng them
into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved representative houses
repeatedly. for opposing with manly firm
ncss 5 his inyasions on the rights OF the poo
pie
lie has refused. for "a long time after such
disSoiutions. to cause others to be elected
whereby the legislative powers. incapable of
annh,latiOn. have returned to the people at
large for their exercise the State remain
ing i'll the meantime, exposed to all the dan
gers Of invasion from without, and convul-
sions within.
He has endCavorcd to prevent the popu-
latiOn of these States; for that purpose, OBJ
structing the laws of naturalization of for
eigncrs refusing to pass others to encour-
age their migration thither and raising the
conditions OF new appropriation of lands.
lie has 0bstfHcte| the administration Of
j''S|jco by refusing his assent 10 laws for es-
tablishing judiciary powers
lie has madcjadgeS dc9mden on hi& rW
aione for the tenure of their officers and the
lie has creatcd q muitiHIe of gclc 0ficcS
and sen, nither ,wal1ns Of officers to harass
ou people, and eat OUT their substance.
I'r has kept aaIonq MS, IN time n pencc.
SidndjnQ armies, ,cUhom tbe consent Of oar
legislatures.
lie has been cbccted to render tie piIta-
RI independent Of and superior to, the ctrI
p01rcT.
He has combined, with others, to subject
US to Il jurisdiction foreign to our conetitu-
tior. and uuacknowEedged by our laws Civ
ing his assent to their acts Of pretended leg
islati0n
Fop quartcriog large bodies Of armed
troops dmpR." u.s.
Fer protecting them. dy0 moch- trial. from
punishment far dny mnrder$ which they
MonM commit on The mhdbitaat,Qf these
States:
For cutting off our trade with all parts of
the world
For imposing taxes on us without our con
sent:
FL. dpri'i,,G u.s. IN many GASES, Of tie
bencft Of irtat dgJu3Y,
For transporting US beyond seas, to be
tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free system of English
laws in a neiehboring province, establishing
therein an arbitrary government, and enlarg-
ing its boundaries 50 as to render it at cree
an example and fit Instrument for ntroduc-
ing the same absolute rule into these colo
nleg.
For taking away on charters, abolshing
our most valuable laws, and altering, funda-
mentally, the forms Of our governments.
For stt3pending our own legislatures, and
declaring themselves invested with power to
lcgislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here, BY
declaring us out Of his protection, and Wag-
ing war against us.
He has plundcred our seas, ravaged our
coasts, burnt our towns. and destroyed the
lives of our people,
lie is, at this time, transporting large ar
mics Of foreign merccnaries to complete the
works OF death dcSolation and Tyranny, al
ready begun, with circumstances Of cruelty
and perfidy scarce " parallelcd in the most
barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the
head Of civilized nation.
He has constrained 0ur fellow citizens. ta-
ken captive on the high seats to bear arms
against their country, to become the execu-
TONERS Of their friends and hrcthcln, or to
fall themselves by their hands.
lie has melted domestic instructions
am0ungst us and has endeavored to bring
on the inhabitants Of our frontiers the mer-
ciless Indian savaees, whose known rule of
warfare is an undstinguished destruction of
all ages, sexes and condition
In every stage Of these expressions, we
have petittioned for redress in the most hum
Bile terms. Our repeated petitions have
been answered only by repeated injuries -
A prince whose character is thus marked by
every act which may define tyrant, is unfit
to be the ruler ofa free people
Nor have we been wanting in attention to
our British brethren. We have warned
them, from time of the attempt by their
legislature to extend an unwa,ranted juris-
d ction over us. We have reminded them