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Wednesday, July 3, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thir-
teen united States of America, When in the
Course of human events, it becomes neces-
sary for one people to dissolve the political
bands which have connected them with
another, and to assume among the powers
of the earth, the separate and equal sta-
tion to which the Laws of Nature and of
Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect
to the opinions of mankind requires that
they should declare the causes which impel
them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evi-
dent, that all men are created equal, that
they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness. — That to secure these rights,
Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed, — That whenever any
Form of Government becomes destructive
of these ends, it is the Right of the People
to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new
Government, laying its foundation on such
principles and organizing its powers in such
form, as to them shall seem most likely to
effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence,
indeed, will dictate that Governments long
established should not be changed for light
and transient causes; and accordingly all
experience hath shewn, that mankind are
more disposed to suffer, while evils are suf-
ferable, than to right themselves by abolish-
ing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpa-
tions, pursuing invariably the same Object
evinces a design to reduce them under
absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is
their duty, to throw off such Government,
and to provide new Guards for their future
security. — Such has been the patient suf-
ferance of these Colonies; and such is now
the necessity which constrains them to alter
their former Systems of Government. The
history of the present King of Great Britain
is a history of repeated injuries and usurpa-
tions, all having in direct object the estab-
lishment of an absolute Tyranny over these
States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted
to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the
most wholesome and necessary for the
public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass
Laws of immediate and pressing impor-
tance, unless suspended in their opera-
tion till his Assent should be obtained;
and when so suspended, he has utterly
neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the
accommodation of large districts of people,
unless those people would relinquish the
right of Representation in the Legislature,
a right inestimable to them and formidable
to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bod-
ies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and
distant from the depository of their public
Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing
them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses
repeatedly, for opposing with manly firm-
ness his invasions on the rights of the
people.
He has refused for a long time, after such
dissolutions, to cause others to be elected;
whereby the Legislative powers, incapable
of Annihilation, have returned to the People
at large for their exercise; the State remain-
ing in the mean time exposed to all the dan-
gers of invasion from without, and convul-
sions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the pop-
ulation of these States; for that purpose
obstructing the Laws for Naturalization
of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to
encourage their migrations hither, and rais-
ing the conditions of new Appropriations of
Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of
Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for
establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his
Will alone, for the tenure of their offices,
and the amount and payment of their
salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New
Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers
to harrass our people, and eat out their
substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace,
Standing Armies without the Consent of
our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military
independent of and superior to the Civil
power.