North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-07-10

ucT IL dl OuCc du CAdWple duu NJ AusITu~
men Z for introducing the same absolute
rule into these colonies: a5.. -,
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 in all cases what
soever.
He has addicted government here, by
declaring US out of his protection,a aud
waging war against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our
coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed
the lives of cur people.
He is, at this time, transporting large
armies of foreign mercenaries to complete
the works of death, desolatlon, and tyran-
ny, already begun, with circumstances of
cruelty and perfdy scarcely paralleled in
the most barbarous ages, and totally un-
worthy the head Of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow citizens.
taken captive on the high sens, to bear
arms against their country, to become the
executioners 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
merciless Indian savages, whose known
rnle of warfare is an undistinguished de-
structon, of all ages, sexes, and conditions
In every stage of these expressions, we
have petitioned for redress, IN the mos
humble terms; our repeated petitions
havetbeen answered only by seated injury.
A prince, whose character is thus marked
by every act which may define tyrant, i;
unfit to be the ruler OF free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attention
| to our British brethren. We have warned
them, from time to time, of attempts made
by their legislature to extend an unwar.
rantable jurisdiction over US. We have
reminded them of the circumstances OF
our emigration and settlement here. We
have appealed to their native justice and
magnanimity, and we have conjured them
by the ties of our common kindred, to dis
cover these usurpstion which would inter-
rupt our connections and correspondence
They, too, have bean deafto the voice o
Justice and consanguinity, We must
therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which
denounccs our separation, and hold them
as we hold the rest of mankind, enemie,
in war, in peace, friends.
We. therefore, the representatives of tht
| United States of America in General Con-
gress assembled, do in the name, and by
the authority of the good people of these
| states, reject and renounce all allegiance
and subjection to the kings of Great Brl
tain, and all others who may hereafter claim
by, through, or under them we utterly dis
solve all political competition whirh may
heretofore have subsisted between US and
the people or parliament of Great Britain
and finally we do assert and declare these
colonies to be free and independent states
and that as free and independent States
they have full power to levy war, con-
clude peace, contract alliances, establish
commerce, and to do all other acts and
things which independent states may o
right do, And for the support of this
declaration, we mutually pledge to each
| other our lives, our fortunes, and our "a
| cred honor.
The foregoing declaration was, by or
der of Congress, engrossed, and signed BY
the following members
JOHN HANCOCK.