The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-04

He has conbfAed with Others b subject m 70 4
.ur'sucuoa fefeisn to our constitutions and un-
their acts Of pretended legislation:
For quaftsring large bodies Of armed troops among
us;
For protecting them, By mock trial, from pun
nit on the Inhabitants Of these States:
For cutting Oh eur trade With all parts Of the
world;
For imposing taxes rs without our consent;
OF trial By jury;
For transporting N beyond seas to be tried for
pretended offences;
For abolishng the tree system Of English law.
arbitrary government and enlarging it, boundaries
20 ~ to render II At once an example and ct in.
strument for introducing the same absolute rule
into these colonies:
For taking away our chartera aboshinv onr
most valuable lawn, and altering the
forms OF our governments:
For suspending eur own legislatures, and deciar-
Ing themselves invested with power lesislate for
rs In all cases Whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here BY declaring M
ont Of his protection. apd wasing war against us
Hs has plundersd our seas, ravaged our coasts,
burned our towns. and destroyed the lives Of our
people
He 10 at this time transporting larre armies OF
foreign mercenaries to complete the works Of DEATH
desolation, and tyranny. already begun with cir.
cumstances OF cruelty and perdy scarcely paralleed
In u0 mO0t D0TDar0U8 ages, ana totally unworthy
the head Of civilized nation
He has constrained our fellow citizens, taken cap
tive on the high seas to bear arms against their
country. to become the executioners Of their friends
and brethren, or to fall themselves BY their hands
He has excited domestic Instruction among Us.
and has endeavored to bring on the Inhabitants Of
our frontiers the merciless Indian savages, whose
known rule OF warfare Is an nguished destruc
ton OF all ages, sexes, and conditions
In every stage Of these expressions We have peti.
TONED Tor redress In the humble our
repeated petitions have been answered only by re-
psated injury. prince whose character IL thus
marked By every act which may denne tyrant. Ia
undt to b the ruler Of q FREE people
Nor have We besn wanting In our attentions to
our British brethren We have warned them, from
time to time. Of attempts BY their Legislature
tend IN unwarrantabls Jurisdiction over N We
have reminded then Of the circumstances Of our
emigration and settlement here. We have appealed
to their native justice and magnannity; and
have eonjursd them BY the ties Of our common kim
dred, to dsavow these usurrations, which would in.
evitaby interrupt our connections and correspond
enea They. too, have been deaf to the voice Of
justice and consangulnity. We must therefore,
quescs in the necessity which denounees separa-
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
rectitude Of our intentions, do. In the name and BY
the authority Of the good people Of these colonies
solemnly publish and declare, That these united
Colonies are. and, OF right fought 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 ID, and ought to be. totally dissolved and
that As free and Independent states. they have full
power to levy war. conclude peace, contract al
liances, establish commerce and do all other acts
and things which independent states may OF right
do. And, for the support Of this declaration with
Arm reliance the protection Of Divine Prov
dence, We mutually pledge to each other our lives
our fortunes and sacred honor