The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-07-04
For Transporting US beyond seas to be
tried for pretended offences.

For transporting Us beyond seas 10
tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free system Z
English laws in neighboring proyfhc.
establishing therein an arbitrary 90,
eminent, and enIarging its boundaries
80 a. TO render II At once an exampl
and 1T instrument for introducing III
same absolute rule into these colonies:
| For taking away our charters, abolish
ing our most valuable laws. and alter
ing, fundamentally, the forms OF ou
governments:
for suspending our own legislatures
and declaring themselves invested will
power 10 legislate for US in all case
" whatsoever.
lie has abdicafed government here
oy declaring us out OF his protection
and waging war against us.
lie has plundered our seas, ravagef
our coasts, burnt our towrs. and de
stroyed The lives Of our people.
lie Il, at this time, Transporting large
armies or foreign mercenaries 10 com,
plete the work Of death, desolation. and
tyranny, already begun, with circum.
stances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely
paralleled ia the most barbarous ages,
and totally unworthy the head af civ.
ilized nation.
lie has constrained our fellow-citi.
zens, taken captive on the high seas. 10
bear arms against their country, 10 be-
come the execuEioners Of their friends
and brethren, or TO fall themselves by
their hands.
he has excited domestic instructions
amongst us, and has endeavercd 10
bring on the inhabitants Of our frontiers.
the merciless Indian ges. whose
known rule Of warfare is an undisfin.
destruction OF all ages, sexes.
and conditions
In every stage Of these expressions.
we have petiiioned for redress. in the
most humble terms. our repeated peti-
tons have been answered only bv re-
peated injury. A prince. whose charac.
ter is thus marked by every act which
may define tyrani. is unfit 10 be the
ruler Of free people.
Nor have we been wanting in atten-
ion to our British brethren. We have
warned them, from time 10 time. Of at-
empts by their legislature 10 extend an
m warrantable Jurisdiction over Us. We
rave reminded them Of the circumstan-
'es Of our emigration and settlement
lere. We have appealed to their native
Justice and magnaniInity, and we have
'onjurcd them, by the ties of our com
non kindred, TO disavow these usurpa-
ions, which would inevitably interrupt
'ur connections and correspondence.
They, too have been deaf 10 the voice oil
Justice and consanguinity. We must.
therefore, acquicscc i'm the necessity
which denounces our separation. and
Iold them. rs we hold the rest of man
ind. enemies in war. in peace. friends.
We, therefore, the representatives oil
he United States Of America. in gener-l
! Congress assembled. appealing 10 the
supreme Judge Of the world for the
ecfiiude OF our Intentions. do. i'm the
anne. and by the authority Of the good |
eople Of these colonies. solemnly pub
sh and declare, that these United Col
mics are and OF right ought TO be. free
nd independent states; that they are
bsolvcd from all allegiance 10 the Brit
IN crown. and that all political connec-I
on between them and the state oil
ireat Britain, is. and ought to be, total
I dissolved; and that. as free and indie
endent states, they have full power TO
Wy war. conclude peace, contract aIli-
noes, establish commerce. and do all
her acts and things which independ-
~ states may Of right do. And. for The
lpport OF this declaration. with firm
'liance on the protection OF Divine
we mutually pledge 70 each
her, our lives, our fortunes, and our
cred honor.
The foregoing declaration was, by or
r Of Congress. cngrossed, and signed
! the following members. Il
JOHN HANCOCK. Il
,siah Bartlett, William Whipplc.
atthew Thornton, Richard Stockton.
,hn Hart, John Witberspoon.