The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-07-09
The Declaration Of Independence.
IN CONGRESS-, JULY 4th, I776.
Declaration by the Representatives Of the United
States, in Congress Assembled.


Them with another and to assume among the powers of the
earth the separate and equal station to which
aud OF natures God ene them decent respect for the opinions
man kind requires that they should declare the which
pei the to the separation.
We hold those truths be self evident that created
equal that they endowed by their with certain
enabe rights that among these life liberty aud the pursuit
OF happiness That to secure these rights are ns
tuted among men, deriving their Just powers from the of
the governed that whenever form Of government becomes
destructive of these ends the right Of the people to alter
abolish it, aud to institute government laying its foundations
such principles and organizing its powers in such FORM
them shall most likely TO affect their safety and happiness
Prudence indeed will dictate that governments long established
should be changed for light and transient and accord
ngy all experience hath shown mankind disposed
to suffer while evils suerSb than right themselves by sbo
shng the forms which they But when long
usurpaons pursuing invariably the OBJ
eCt evncsa design reduce them under absolute dePosm it
is their right their duty throw off such and to
provide new guards for their future security Such the
patient uAuee Of these colonies; such the necessity
which them alter their sStems Of government
The history of the present king Great Britain history OF
establishment of absolute tyranny these states To prove
this let facts be submitted to candid world:
He has refused his to laws the most wholesome and nee
essary for the public good.
He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and
pressing importance unless suspended in their operation till his
should be obtained and when suspended he has utterly
neglected to attend to them.
He refused pass other laws for the accommodation of large
districts of people unless those people would uuh the rgh
representation in the egsaturea right nosmabe to them and
formidable to tyrGns only
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual UNI
comoab e and distant from the de Poso OF their public records
for the sole purpose of aguug them into compliance with his
He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly for opposing
with manly frmness his invasion the rights of the people
He has refused for long after such dssoutons
others to be elected whereby the Legislative powers incapable
annhaton have returned to the people at large for their
the state remaining the meantime exposed to al the dan
gers of nvasOns from without and commissions within.
nj
for that purpose obsrucug the laws for the naturalization Of
foreigners refusing to pass others TO their migration
hther and raising the conditions of appropriations ofands
lie has INSTRUCTED the administration Justice by refusing his
as sent to laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He hos made Judges dependent his will for the
Of their Offices and the amount and payment Of their salaries
He has erected multitude of new Offices and sent hhcr swars
Of officers TO harass people and eat out their substance
He has kept among times peace standing armies with
out the consent of our Legislature
He has affected render the military independent Of and
perior to- the civil power.
He has combined with others to subject US to jurisdiction for
his assent to their acts of pretended legislation
For quartcring large bodies of armed troops among for
protecting them by mock ra from punishment for any murders
which they should commit on the inhabitants OF these states
For cutting off trade with all parts the world for sing
taxes without consent;
For depvng u.s. many cases the benefits of trial by jury
for transporting beyond be tried for pretended offences
For aboishng the free system of English laws in
neghborng PROVINCE establishing therein arbitrary gov
ernment and enargng its boundaries to render it at
example aud fit instrument for introducing the Abs
Lutte rule into these colonies;
For taking away our charters abohng our most valuable
laws and altering fundamentally the powers Of our government
suspendiug our legislatures declaring themselves in
vested with to egisGtc for US in all whatsoever
He has abdicaed government here by declaring of his
protection and waging war against US.
lie has pundercd seas ravaged coasts burnt towns
and destroyed the lives of our people.
lie is this transporting large armies Of foreign
ceuaries to complete the work Of death desoaon and tyranny
already begun with circumstances of cruelty and cidy scarcely
paaeed ia the most barbarOus and totally unworthy the
the head OF civilized nation.
lie has constrained feowcitzens taken captive the
high bear against their country become the
cuone of their friends and BRETHREN to fall themselves by
their hands
has excited domestic instructions amongst u.s. and has
deayored to bring the inhabitants of frontiers the mees
Indian avages whose known rule Of warfare unsngushed
destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions
In every Of these expressions have Petoned for
dress the most humble terms repeated petitions have
been answered only by repeated injury prince whose charsc
thus marked by act which may define yrant unfit
to be the ruler of Il free people.
Nor have been wanting aenti British brethren
We have warned them from time time, of attempts made by
their legislature extend unwarrantabe jurisdiction
We have reminded them Of the circumstances Of emigration
and settlement here We have appealed to their native justice and
magnsumiy and we have conud them by the ties OF our com
mon kindred disavow these surpaons which would inevitably
interrupt connections and correspondence They have
deaf the voice Of justice and consanEuniy We must
therefore, acquesc the necessity which denounces separa
ration and hold hem hold the rest OF MANKIND enemies
war, in peace friends.
We therefore, representatives Of the United States OF Amer
ica general congress assembled appealing to the Supreme
Judge Of the world for the rectude of intentions do in the
name by the authority of the good people these colonies
sOemny publish and declare That these United Colonies are
they are absoyed from all allegiance the British and
that all political connection between them and the state Of Great
and Independent States they have full power levy conclude
peace alliances establish commerce. and do oil other
acts things which Independent States may right do And
for the support defamation with firm reliance the pro
lection Of Divine Providence mutually pledge to each other
our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor
The foregoing declaration order of congress- engoSsed
and signed by the following members w - ,.
JOHN HANCOCK. |
Ne1o Hpnpshire, Massachu8etts Buy, Rhode Band |
Josiah Bartlett, Samuel Adams, stephen Hopkins
VIM. Whippe, John Adams VIM EIery.
Matthew Thornton. Robert r. Paine COnnectcW