IN CONGRESS. DECEMBER 29, 1780. 1 RESOLVED, THAT a Committee of three be appointed to collect, and cause to be published, two hundred correct copies of the Declaration of Independence, the articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, the Alliances between these United States and his Moft Chriftian Majefty, with the Conftitutions or Forms of Government of the feveral States, to be bound together in boards. The members chofen, Mr. Bee, Mr. Witherfpoon and Mr. Wolcott. Extract from the Minutes, CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary. W HEN, in the course of human events, it becomes neceffary for one people to diffolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to afsume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal ftation to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent refpect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the feparation. We hold these truths to be self-evident : That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with B certain una lienable any lienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the purfuit of happiness; that to fecure these rights governments are inftituted among men, deriving their juft powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to inftitute a new government, laying its foundation on fuch principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them fhall feem most likely to effect their fafety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate, that governments long established fhould not be changed for light and tranfient causes; and accordingly all experience hath thewn, that mankind are more difpofed to fuffer while evils are fufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and ufurpations, pursuing invariably the fame object, evinces a design to reduce them under abfolute defpotifm, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off fuch government, and to provide new guards for their future fecurity. Such has been the patient fufferance of thefe Colonies; and fuch is now the neceffity which constrains them to alter their |