Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-07-30
The New Declaration.
A Stirring Paraph-:sc

This effective parnphrase of the
Declaration of lndependedce is circu-
latiiig in Illinois
When in the course Ofhuman events
it becomes necessary for class of
people, suffering from long continued
systems of oppression and abuse. 10
rouse themselves from an apathetic
Indifference to their own interests,
which has become habitual; to assume
among their fellow citizens that
equal station, and demand from the
government they support those equal
rights, to which the laws of nature
and of natures God entities them Z: II
decent respect for the opinions of
mankind requires that they should
declare the causes that impcl them TO
q course SO NECESSARY to their own
protection
We hold 'hesc truths TO be so SELF
evident, Tat all men are created
equal that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain inalieuabic
rights that among these arc life, lib
crty, and the pursuit OF happiness.
That TO secure these rights Ofgovcrn-
ments are instituted among men, de-
rivIhE their just powers from the
consent of the governed: that when-
ever the powers OF Il government be-
come destructive of these, either
through the injustice or inctiicicncy
of Its laws, or through the corruption
of its administrators, it is the right
of the people to abolish such laws,
and to institute such reforms as TO
them shall seem most likely to effect
their safety and happiness. Pru-
deuce indeed will dictate that laws
long established shall not be changed
for tight and triiling causes, and ac-
co:dlngly. all experience hath shown
that mankind are more AliSposcu TO
suiler while evils are sulirrable. than
to right themselves by abolishing he
laws To which they are accustomed.
But when II long train of abuses and
usurpations, pursuing invariably the
same object, cvinccs a desire to
reduce IL people under absolute
dcspuIism OF combinations, that
under the fosteriugcare of govern
ment, and with wealth wrung
from the people, have grown to
such gigantic proportions rs to
ovurshadow all the land, aud WELD
an almost irresistible influence for
their own selfish purpose, in all its
litilS WI ~ 10 tilCll
it is their duty to throw OIL such
tyranny, and provide new guards for
their future security.
Such has been the patient suffer-
ence of the producing classes of these
States, ,and such is Row the necessity
which conincis them to declare that
they will use every means save u re-
sorl TO arms TO overflow this dcs-
pntism q! monoply, and TO reduce all
iuen claiming the protection OF a mer-
lean laws to an equality before those
laws. making the owner of Il railroad
us anenabie thereto rs the "vericst
brggar that walks the streets, the sun
and air has sole Inheritance"
The history of the present railway
monopoly is history of reapatru iu-
juries and oppression, all having III
direct object the establishment OF ali
absolute tyranny over the people of
tiicse States :inrqualeu in any mon
archy of the Old World, aud having
its only parallel in the history OF the
medieval ages, when the strong hand
was The only law, aud the highways
of commerce were taxed by the
Ecudal BarOns, who from their
stron9hoI,ls surrounded by their
arinieS of vassals, could levy such
tribute npon the traveller lis their
own wills alone should Iicia'c. 10
prove this, let facts bc submitted 10
a candid world: They have inau-
enced our executive officers, 10 refuse
their assent laws 10 the most whole
some and necessary iOr the puDiic
good, and when such laws have beeit
passed they have utterly refused TO
obey them. They have procured the
passage of other laws for their own
benefit alone, by which they have put
untold millions in their own golfers,
to the injury of the entire commerciai
and industrial interest OF the couH-
try. They have influenced legislation
to suit themselves, by bringing yenai
legislators 10 betray the true interests
of their constituents, while others
ave been kept quiet by the compli.
nent of free passes. They have re-
peatedIy prevented the reelection OF
REPRESENTATIVES for opposing with
| manly firmness their invasion of the
peoples rights. They have by false
Representation and subterfuge in
duced the people to subscribe funds
to build roads whose rates whea
| built are SO cxhorbitant, that in many
instances transportation by private
conveyance is less burdensome.
They have procured charters by
which they condemn anu appro-
priate-our. lands wi:houtSadequate
| compensation therefor, and arrogant
| iy claim that by virtue of these char