The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-07-03
OF INDEPENDENCE.
DECLARATION BY THE REPRESENTA-
TIvEs OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA. IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED

AMERICA, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED.
| When, in the course of human events,
it becomes necessary tor one people to
dissolve the political bands which have
connected them with another, and to as
sumo, among the powers ofthe earth, the
separate and equal station to which the
laws of nature and OF natures God enti-
ties them, decent respect to the opinion
of mankind requires that they should de-
clare the causes which impel them the
| separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal; that they
are epdowned by their Creator with GER
tain unalienable rights; that among these,
are life, liberty, and the pursuit Of happi.
ness. That, to secure these rights, gov
ernments are instituted among men, de-.
rlving their just powers from the consent
of the governed; that, whenever any form
of government becomes destructive o.
these ends, it is the right. of the people 10
alter or to abolish il, and to institute y
new government, laying its foundation on
such principles, and organizing its pow
| ers in such form, as to them shall seem
most likely to effect their safety and hap
piness. 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 dis
posed to suffer, while evils are sufferable,
than to right themselves by abolishing
the forms to which they are accustomed.
But, when long train Of abuses and
usurpations, pursuing invariably the
same object, evinces design to reduce
them under absolute despotism, tbs their
duty, to throw off such governments, and
to provide Eew guards for their future
security. Such has been the patient sut-
fersnce ofthese colonies, and such is now
the necessity which constrains them to
alter their torme- systems of government.
The history of the present king Of Great
Britain is history OF repeated injuries
and usurpstions, all having, in direct OBJ.
ject, the establishment OF an absolute
tyranny oyer these States. TO prove
this, let facts be submitted 10 candid
warld
lie has refused his assent to laws the
&c., Il Wholesome and necessary for the
p,.hlic good.
lie mas forbidden his Governors to pass
laws of immediate and pressing import
ance, unless suspended in their operation
till his assent should be obtained; and,
when so susI ended, he has utterly neg
lected to attend to them
He has refused to pass other laws for
the accommodation of large districts Of
people, unless those people would relin-
qush the right OF representation in the
legislature; right inestimable to then:,
and formidable to tyrants only.
He called together legislative bodies ~
places unusual, uncomfortable, and dis.
tanf from the depository of their public
records, for the sole purpose OF fatiguing
them into compliance with his measures.
His has dissolved representative houses
repeatedly, for opposing, with manly
firmness, his invasions on the rights OF
the people.
He mas refused, for long time after
such dissolutions, to cause others to be
elected; whereby the legislative powers,
incapable of snnihilation, have. returned
to the people at large for their exercis";
the State remaining, in the mean TIM,
exposed to all the danger OF invasion
from without, and convusions within.
He has eRdeavored to prevent the pop
ulation of these States; for that purpose,
obstructlng the laws for naturalization of
foreigners; refusing to pass others as TO
encourage their migration hither, and
raising the conditions of new appropria-
tions of lands.
He has obstructed the administration
of 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 offices,
and the amount and payment of their sal
aries.
He has erected a multitude of new Off
ces, and sent hlther swarms OF officers to
harass our people, and eat out their sub
stance.
He has kept amo.g US, in times OF
peace, standing armies, without the con-
sent of our legislature.
He has affected 10 render the military
independent of, and superior to, the civil
power.
He has combined, with others, TO sub.
ject Us to jurisdiction foreign to our
constitution, AMI unscknowledged by our
Laws; giving his assent to tnelr acts OF
pretended legislation;
For quarter,ng large bodies of armed
troops among US:
For protecting them, by q mock trial,
from punishment for any murders which
they should commit 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 depriving US. in many cases, of the
benefits Of trial by jury:
For transporting Us beyond seas TO be
tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free system OF Eng
lish laws in reighboring province es.
,Sblishing therein An arbitrary govern
ment and enlarging its boundaries, so
as to render it At once an example and ft
instrument for introducing the same ab-
solute rule into these colonies:
For taking away our charters, abolish
ing our most valuable laws, and altering,
fundamentally, the powers Of our gov
ernments: fEaEa-FsE.
For suspending our o~a legislatures,
and declaring themselves invested with
power TO legislsse for u y all cases what
soeyer.
he has abdicated gov--nmer, b"re, by
declaring Us ont Of bis protsc."r, AID
waging var against Us
He has plundered our sea-. ravaged
our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroy
ed the lives Of our people
He s, at this time transporting large
armies Of foreign mercenaries 70 complete
the works of death, dssolation, and tyran.
ny, already begun, with Circumstances OF