The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-09-22
CENTENNIAL DECLARA-
TlON OF INDEPENDENCE.
AbsOIving From ALLEGIANCE to
King alcohol.
BY G. W. Hoss, LII D.

When, in the course of human
events, it becomes necessary for
a people to dissolve the bands of
their allegiance to a sovereign, and
to assume the rights to which ma
ture and natures God entitle them,
a decent regard for the opinions
of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which
inn pei them to such a separation.
We rest our action on the fol-
lowing truths, which we hold
self-eVident: That all men are en-
dowed by their Creator with GER
tain inalienable rights; that
among these are life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness; that to
secure these, men must be free
free to use their reason, to preserve
their honor, to assert their man
hood. To this end, they must alb
solve themselves from the domin-
ion of tyrant, who chains intel
lect and conscience through appe-
tite, and who seeks not the happi-
ness of his subjects, but their
misery and ruin.
The history of this tyrant has
been one of wrong, of blood, and
abuse. To prove this let facts be
submitted to a candid world:
He has quartered his minions
in all parts of our country oman
ufacturers and Dealers:
He has corrupted the civil ser
vice whisky frauds):
He has perverted Legislation
whisky rings):
He has furnished the nations
honor, through intoxicated off,
Gals Senators, governors, legisla-
tors):
He has weakened our indus
try, turning men out of places OF
profit and trust, and convertins
them into idlers, Yagabonds, and
thieves:
He has degraded our morals, in.
creasing profanity, vulgarity, and
indecency-sneering at religion
and haunting virtue:
He has corrupted the ballot, the
palladium of our liberties:
He has given and taken brides
He has increased our taxes
without our consent, and without
corresponding increase of protec-
ton:
He has eaten out our substance
consuming 100000 bushels Of
grain annually:
He has reduced our population
sending 10000 annually to untime.
ly graves:
He has reduced our wealth in
many ways, employing hundreds OF
thousands of men in his service,
and millions of capital, destroy.
ing property through his madden.
ed or imbecile agents, burning
houses, wrecking trains, blowing
up steamboats,, and exploding
mines.
He has filed our prisons:
He has multiplied our aims
houses:
He has crowded to oyerfowing
our insane asylums, and houses Of
correction:
He has increased the police
force of every city, and the con.
stabulary on every State:
He enters the most sacred pre-
cincts, the preachers study, the
editors sanctum, the judges bench
worse, if there be anything
worse-the sanctlty of home, sew
ering the ties Of affection, sprink.
ling the marriage altar with blood
In word, he is a tyrant without
pity, and destroying without re.
morse. His breath is poison, his
touch is death.
We, therefore, under the inner
ing law of revolution, and the
higher law of self-preservation
hold it both Alright and duty tc
absolve ourselves from allegiance
to this tyrant.
Therefore, we, the people of the
United States, exercising the right
full power of freedom, and appeal.
ing to the Supreme Judge of tn,
world for the rectitude of our inten
tons, do, in the name and in be
half of virtue, peace, and honor
solemnly publish and declare tina
this people are, and of right ough
to be, free from the dominion o