National Republican., 1874-07-04

pOllLlCdl DHuGs WHICH nave COAuCoSS- S+4~1- "4S-4
another, and to assume, among the powers OF the
earth the separate and equal station TO which the
laws Of nature and Of natures God entitle them,
q decent respect to the opinions Of mankind re-
ouires that they should declare the causes which
impeI them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be selEevident 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 gov
ernmsnts are instituted among men, deriving
their Just powers from the consent Of the gov
erned; that whenever any form of government
becomes destructive to these ends 1t is the right
of the people to alter abolish it, and TO institute
new government, laying its foundation on such
principles, and organizing its powers in such form
as to them shall seem most likely to effect their
safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will
dictate that governments 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 sutfsrable. than to right themselves by abol-
ishing the forms TO which they are accustomed.
But, when & long train OF abuses and Usurpations,
pursuing invariably the same object, evlnces q
design TO reduce them under absolute desPotism,
it is their right it is their duty to throw on such
governments, and bn provide new guards for their
future security Such has been the patient suf-
ferance Of these colonies and such is now the ne
cessity which eonstralns them to alter their for
Iner systems Of government. The history OF the
present King OF Great Britain is history Of re-
pested injuries and usurpations oil having, in
direct object, the establishment o! an sbsolute
tyranny over these States. To prove this, let
facts be submitted to q candid world:
He has refused his assent TO laws the most
wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass laws Of
immediate and pressing importance, unless sus-
pended In their operation 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 accom-
mediation Of large districts Of people, unless those
people would reliuquish the right Of represents
tiOa in the Legislature; Q right inestimAbIe To
them and formidable to tyrsnts only.
He has called together Legislative bodies at
places unusual. uncomfortable and distant from
the depository of their public records for the sole
purpose Of fatiguiRg them into compliance with
his measures.
He has dissolved representative houses repeat
edIy for opposing, with manly frmness, his invs-
sion on the rights of the people.
He has refused, for long time after such dis
solutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby
the legislative powers incapable Of snnihiIstion,
have returned to the people at large, for their
exercise, the State remaining, in the meantime,
exposed to all the dangers Of invasion from with
out and cCnvulsions within.
He has endeayorcd TO prevent the population Of
these States, for that purpose Obstructing the
laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to
pass others to encourage their migration hither,
aud raising the conditions Of new appropriations
OF lands.
He has obstructea the sdminIstratRcn or justice,
BY refusing his assent to laws for establishing
judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his will alone
for the tenure Of their ofices and the amount and
payment Of their salaries.
He has created multitude of new ofices, and
sent hither sWarms Of officers to harsss our
people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times ofpeace, stand
ing armies, without the consent Of our Legisla-
lures.
He has affected to render the military Indepen-
dent Of and superior to the civil power.
He has combined with others to subject Us to q
Jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution and IN
acknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to
their acts Of pretended legislation.
For quartering large bodies Of armed troops
EmOngus.
For protecting them By . mock trial from pun
ishment for any murders which they should CON-
nit on the inhabitants OF these States
For cutting OF our trade with all parts Of the
world.
For imposing taxes on US without our consent.
For deprivinE Us, in many cases. Of the benefits
Of trial by jury.
For transporting US beyond seas to be tried for
pretended offences.
For abOlshing the free system Of English laws
n a neighboring province, establishing therein
sn arbitrary government and enlargIng its boun-
carries 80 as TO render 1t at once an example and
It instrument for Introducing the same absolute
rIle into these colonies.
For taking away our charters, aoOlshing our
most valuable laws, and altering, fundamentally,
tls forms Of our governments.
For suspendlng our own Legisla. ures and de-
chring themselves invested with power to legis
Iste for US in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here, by decIar-
Ing US out Of his protection ard wagIng war
against US.
dc has pIundered our seas, ravaged our coasts
burnt our towns and destroyed the lives of cur
POplc.
He is at this time, transporting large armies OF
FOleign mercenRTes to complete the works Of
death, desOIatiOn and tyranny, already begun,
with circumstanccs Of cruelty and perhdy scarcely
paralleled the most 5aTOarous ages, and totally
unworthy the head Of civilized nation.
He has c0nstrainsd our fellow-oitizens taken
captive on the high seas 70 boar arms against
their country. to become the eXecutioners Of
thelr friends and brethren, or to talI them
scl-es by their hands. He has excited do
meHic insurrectiOn among Us, and has en-
deavOred to bring on the Inhabitants Of our from
J:eB the merciess Indian savages, whose known
ruls Of warfare is an undistinguished destruction
oIalI ages, sexes and conditions. In every stage
of these expressions we have petitioned for re-
dress in the most humble terms. Our repeated
petitions have been answered only by repeated
injury. a prince whose character is thus marked
byevery act which may define tyrant, is UNIT
to bethe ruler of free people.
Nor have We been wanting In our attention TO
our British brethren. We have warned them,
from time 20 time, Of attempts by their legis-
lature to extend an Unwarrantabl6 jurisdic-
ton over US. We have reminded them Of the cir
cumstances Of our emigration and settlement
here. We have appealed 70 their native justice
and magnanlmity, and we have cOnjured them
by the ties OF cur common kindred TO disaYOw
these usurpatiOns, which would inevitably inter
rupt our connections and correspondence. They,
zoo, have been deaftO the voice Ofjustice and con-
Eanguinity. We must, therefore, acquesce in
the necessity which denounces cur separation,
and hold them, as We hold the rest Of mankind,
enemies in war, in peace friends.
We, therefore, the representatives OF the United
States Of America, in general Congress assem-
bled, appealing to the Supreme Judge Of the
world for the Tectitude Of our intentions do, in
the name and by the authority OF the good people
Of these colonies, solemEly publish and declare
that these United Colonies are, and Of right
ought to be, free and Independent States; that
they are absoVed from all allegiance TO the
British Crown, and that all pGlitical connection
between them and the State Of Great Britain is,
and ought to be, totally disASlved; and thIt as
free and independent States they have full power
to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances,
establish commerce, and to do all other acts and
things which independentStItss may Of right do;
and for the support Of this declaration, with iTm
reliance on the FsOtecton Of divine Providence,
we mutually pledge TO each other our lives, our
lOrtanes and our sacred honor.
THE St. Louis GEo5s thinks the third
tenn question is ''an utterly superhuous
one" and then proceeds to write a column
about it. OuE St. Louis cotemporary is
remarkable for eccentricities of this kind.
THEChicago Tribune, from its home in
the setting sun, bids defiance to the tyrant
and despot, Carpenter, and declares that
gag law" or no gag law" it will continue
to lie as vigorously as ever aboutpublic men