The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-07-04

He has combined with others TO subject us to a
Jurisdiction foreign TO our const uuoos, and un-
acknowledged by our hws giving his ossent to
their acts Of pretended legislation:
For quurterng large bsdIes Of arlned troops among
us
For protecting them. by a mock trial. from pun.
isiment for amy murders which they should com
nit on the inhabitants OF these States;
For cutting on our trade with all parts OF tho
world;
For imposing taxes on us without our consent;
For deprving Va, In many cases, OF the benefits
Of trial by Jury;
For transporting us beyond seas, to be tried for
pretended offences:
For abolishng the free system OF English laws
In a neighborng province, establishing therein an
arbitrary government. and enlargnE Its boundaries,
80 ~ to render Il, at once an example and At In.
strumcnt for introducing the same absolute rule
into these colonies;
For tnking away our charters, abolishing our
most valuable laws and altering. fundamentally the
forms Of our governments; ..
For suspcDding our own legislatures, and dccnr.
ing themselves Invested with power to leglslate for
us In all enses wha ,soever
He has nbdcned government here by declaring us
out OF his protection, and waging war against us.
lie hns pIundered our seas, rnvngcd our coasts
burned our towns, and destroyed the lives OF our
people.
lilo Ia at this time Transporting iarRe armies OF
foreign mcrcennrIes to complete the works OF DEATH
dcsolatiop. and tyranny, already begun with cir.
cmsances OF cruelty and perndy scarcely parnllecd
In the most barbarous ages, and totny unworthy
the head Of a civilized nation.
lie has constrained our fellow citizens taken cnp-
tive on the high seas, to bear arms ngalnst their
country. to become the execu,oners OF their friends
and brethren, or to fall themselves BY their bands
He has excited domestic iDsurreclion among US
and has endeavorcd TO bring on the inhabitants OF
our frontiers the merciless Indian savagcs whose
known rule Of warfare Ia undstin guishcd destruc
ton OF all ages, sexes, and conditions
In every s,nge Of these expressions ve have peti.
toned for redress in the most humble terms; our
repeated petitions have been answered only BY rc-
peated injury. prince whose character Ii thus
mnrked by every act which may define . tyrant, is
unit to BE- the ruler Of Il FREQ people.
Nor have We been wanting In our attentions TO
our British brethren. We have warned them, from
time to time. Of attempts BY their legislature to ex.
tend m unwarrantsble Jurisdiction over uS We
have reminded them Of the circumstances OF our
emigration and settlement here We have appealed
to their native justice and magnnnimty: and we
have conjured them. By the ties OF our common kin.
dred. to disnvow these usurpatIons which would IN.
svItably interrupt connections and correspond.
ence. They. too. have been deaf 10 the voice Of
Justice and consanGuinty. We must, therefore, ac.
quesce In the necessity which denounccs scpara-
tion, and hold them, hold the rest OF mankind
enemies In war. In peace friends.
We therefore, the Representatives, OF the United
States Of America, In General Congress assembled,
appealing to the supreme Judge OF the world for the
reettuds Of our intentions, do. In the name and by
the authority Of the good people Of these colonies
solsmnly publish and declare. That these united
Colo6ies are. end Of right ought to be free and In.
dependent states; that they are absolved from all
allegiance to the British crown and that all political
connection between them and the state Of Great
Britain 10 cnd ought to ba. totally Dissolved: and
that - free and indspsndsnt states they have full
power to levy 5war conclude peace contract al
lianesa establish commerce. and do ait other acts
and things which Independent states may Of right
do And, for the support Of this declaration. with
q hrm reliance on the protection OF Dvins Provi.
dence. we mutually pledge to each other our lives,
our fortunes. and our sacred honor.