He has waged cruel War against human Nature itself, violating its most sacred Rights of Life and Liberty in the Persons of a distant People who never offended him, captivating and carrying them into Slavery in another Hemisphere, or to incur miserable Death, in their Transportation thither. This piratical Warfare, the opprobrium of infidel Powers, is the Warfare of the Christian King of Great Britain. He has prostituted his Negative for Suppressing every legislative Attempt to prohibit or to restrain an execrable Commerce, determined to keep open a Markett where Men should be bought and sold. and that this assemblage of Horrors might want no Fact of distinguished Die He is now exciting those very People to rise in Arms among us, and to purchase their Liberty of which he has deprived them, by murdering the People upon whom he also obtruded them: thus paying off, former Crimes committed against the Liberties of one People, with Crimes which he urges them to commit against the Lives of another. on the high seas to bear arms against their country, & to de stroy & be destroyed by the brethren whom they love, to become the executioners of their friends & brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands: he has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating it's most sacred rights of life & liberty in the persons of a distant people, who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither. this piratical warfare, the opprobrium of infidel powers, is the warfare of the CHRISTIAN king of Great Britain determined to keep open a market where MEN should be bought & sold, and he has prostituted his negative for suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this execrable commerce determining to keep open a market where MEN should be bought and sold: and that this assemblage of horrors might want no fact of distinguished dye, he is now exciting those very people to rise in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has deprived them, by murdering the people upon whom he also obtruded them: thus paying off former crimes committed against the liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of another.] 1 In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress, in the most humble Terms; our repeated Petitions have been answered by repeated Injury. A Prince, whose Character is thus marked by every Act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the Ruler of a People who mean to be free. future ages will scarce believe, that the Hardiness of one Man, adventured, within the Short Compass of twelve years only, on so many Acts of Tyranny, without a Mask, over a People, fostered and fixed in the Principles of Liberty. Nor have we been wanting in Attentions to our British Brethren. We have warned them from Time to Time of attempts of their Legislature to extend a Jurisdiction over these our States. We have reminded them of the Circumstances of our Emigration and Settlement here, no one of which could warrant so strange a Pretension. That these were effected at the expense of our own Blood and Treasure, unassisted by the Wealth or the Strength of Great Britain; that in constituting indeed, our Several Forms of Government, in every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injuries." a prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people [who mean to be free. future ages will scarce believe that the hardiness audacity of one man adventured within the short compass of twelve years only, on so many acts of tyranny without a mask to lay build a foundation, so broad & undisguised, for tyranny over a people fostered & fixed in principles of liberty freedom.] Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. we have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legis lature to extend a an unwarrantable jurisdiction over [these our states] us. we have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration & settlement here, [no one of which could warrant so strange a pretension: that these were effected at the expence of our own blood & treasure, unassisted by the wealth or the strength of Great Britain: that in constituting indeed our several 1 Against this word Jefferson has written "Dr. Franklin.” MS. A. reads "scarcely." MS. A. reads "so undisguised." 5 This word should have been stricken out. common we had adopted one forms of government, we had adopted one common king, thereby laying a foundation for perpetual league & amity with them: but that submission to their parliament was no part of our constitution, nor ever in idea if history may be credited: and] we have appealed to their native justice & magnanimity, [as well as to] & we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations which [were likely to] would inevitably interrupt our connection & correspondence & connection. they too have been deaf to the voice of justice & of consanguinity, [& when occasions have been given them, by the regular course of their laws, of removing from their councils the disturbers of our harmony, they have by their free election re-established them in power. at this very time too they are permitting their chief magistrate to send over not only soldiers of our common blood, but Scotch & foreign mercenaries, to invade & deluge us in blood destroy us.' these facts have given the last stab to agonizing affection, and manly spirit bids us to renounce for ever these unfeeling brethren. we must endeavor to forget our former love for them, and to hold them as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends. we might have 1 1 Against these two words Jefferson has written "Dr. Franklin." out a Communication of Grandeur and of Freedom it seems is below their Dignity. Be it so, since they will have it: The Road to Happiness and to Glory is open to us too; we will climb it, apart from them, and acquiesce in the Necessity which denounces our eternal Separation. We therefore the representatives of the United States of America in General Congress assembled, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these States, reject and renounce all Allegiance and Subjection to the Kings of Great Britain, and all others, who may hereafter claim by, through, or under them; we utterly dissolve and break off, all political Connection which may have heretofore subsisted between us and the People or Parliament of Great Britain, and finally we do assert and declare these Colonies to be free and independent States, and that as free and independent States they shall hereafter have Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other 1 been a free & a great people together; but a communication of grandeur & of freedom it seems is below their dignity. be it so since they will have it: the road to glory & happiness & to glory is open to us too; we will elimb must tread it in a separately state apart from them, and] we must therefore acquiesce in the necessity which pro denounces our everlasting Adieu! [eternal] separation, and hold them as we 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 & by authority of the good people of these [states] colonies, [reject and renounce all allegiance & subjection to the kings of Great Britain' & all others who may hereafter claim by, through, or under them; we utterly dissolve & break off all political connection which may have heretofore have subsisted between us & the people or parliament of Great Britain; and finally we do assert and declare these colonies to be free and independant states, and that as free & independant states, they shall 2 1 Against this paragraph Jefferson wrote "a different phraseology inserted." MS. B. reads "parliament or people." Acts and Things which independ- hereafter have full power to levy ent States may of Right do. And for the Support of this Declaration, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honour. war conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, & to do all other acts and things which independant states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration] we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, & our sacred honour. A petition from Christopher Champlin was presented to Congress and read: Resolved, That it be referred to a committee of three: The members chosen, Mr. [Robert] Morris, Mr. [John] Alsop, and Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry. Resolved, That Mr. [Henry] Wisner, Mr. [Robert Treat] Paine, and Mr. [William] Floyd be a committee to confer with Anthony Mosengeil, on the subject of manufacturing sulphur: That 30 dollars be advanced to said committee, they to be accountable. Resolved, That the treasurers be empowered to advance to the committee of safety of Pensylvania a sum not exceeding 100,000 dollars; the colony of Pensylvania to be accountable. Resolved, That the committee for superintending the treasury, be directed to nominate and appoint six persons to sign and number the million of dollars ordered to be struck in small change. The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, Adjourned to 9 o'Clock on Monday next. |