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INTRODUCTION TO THE

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

In the Congress of 1776, the great question of American Liberty came first to be discussed. On the 8th of May, Mr. Adams offered a resolution, that the Colonies should adopt governments adequate to the wants of the Country, and independent of Great Britain. The success of this resolution on the 15th was considered as decisive of the question of allegiance to any foreign power. On the 7th of June, Richard Henry Lee, seconded by Mr. Adams, moved in Congress the ever-memorable resolution of American Independence. The debate continued until the 10th, when the consideration of the resolution was postponed until the 1st of July. The next day, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and R. R. Livingston, were appointed to prepare a draught of a Declaration of Independence. The two gentlemen first named on this Committee having been deputed a sub-Committee to draw up a Declaration, at the desire of Mr. Adams it? was prepared by Mr. Jefferson.

On the 1st of July, the question on the resolution was again resumed, and unanimously agreed to on the second. Mr. Jefferson has told us that "the Colossus of that Congress-the great pillar of support to the Declaration of Independence, and its ablest advocate and champion on the floor of the House, was John Adams. In that moment of darkness, of terror, and of consternation, when the election was to be made between an attempt at Liberty and Independence on the one hand, and defeat, subjugation, and death on the other, the courage of Adams, in the true spirit of heroism, rose in proportion to the dangers which pressed around him; and he poured forth that only genuine eloquence, the eloquence of the soul, which, in the language of Mr. Jefferson, moved his hearers from their seats.' The objections of his adversaries were seen no longer bus in a state of wreck; floating in broken fragments on the billows of the storm, and over rocks, over breakers and amid ingulphing whirlpools, that every where surrounded him, he brought the gallant ship of the Nation safe into port."* (* Wirt.

The Declaration already prepared was taken into consideration on the 4th of July, 1776-a day never to be forgotten-when it received the sanction of the whole Congress.

DECLARATION.

WHEN in the course of human events, itly, all experience hath shown, that mankind becomes necessary for one people to dissolve are more disposed to suffer, while evils are the political bands which have connected sufferable, than to right themselves by abolthem with another, and to assume, among the ishing the forms to which they are accustomed. powers of the earth, the separate and equal sta- But, when a long train of abuses and usurpation to which the laws of nature and of nature's tions, pursuing invariably the same object, evinGod entitle them, a decent respect for the ces a design to reduce them under absolute opinions of mankind requires that they should despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to declare the causes which impel them to the throw off such government, and to provide separation. new guards for their future security. Such

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that has been the patient sufferance of these Coloall men are created equal; that they are endow-nies, and such is now the necessity which ed by their Creator with certain unalienable constrains them to alter their former systems rights; that among these, are life, liberty, and of government. The history of the present the pursuit of happiness. That, to secure these King of Great Britain, is a history of repeated rights, governments are instituted among men, injuries and usurpations, all having, in direct deriving their just powers from the consent of object, the establishment of an absolute tyranny the governed; that, whenever any form of gov-over these States. To prove this, let facts be ernment becomes destructive of these ends, it submitted to a candid world:

its

is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, He has refused his assent to laws the most and to institute a new government, laying its wholesome and necessary for the public good. foundation on such principles, and organizing He has forbidden his Governors to pass laws? powers in such form, as to them shall seem of immediate and pressing importance, unless most likely to effect their safety and happiness. suspended in their operation till his assent) Prudence, indeed, will dictate, that govern- should be obtained; and, when so suspended. ments long established, should not be changed he has utterly neglected to attend to them. for light and transient causes; and, according- He has refused to pass other laws for the

accommodation of large districts of people, un-most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally
less those people would relinquish the right of the forms of our governments;
representation in the legislature; a right inesti- For suspending our own legislatures, and
mable to them, and formidable to tyrants only declaring themselves invested with power to
He has called together legislative bodies at legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from He has abdicated government here, by de-
the depository of their public records, for the claring us out of his protection, and waging
sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance war against us.
with his measures.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our
He has dissolved representative houses re- lives of our people.
coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the
peatedly, for opposing, with manly firmness,
his invasions on the rights of the people.

He is, at this time, transporting large armies
He has refused, for a long time after such dis-
of foreign mercenaries to complete the work)
solutions, to cause others to be elected; where- of death, desolation, and tyranny, already be-
by the legislative powers, incapable of annihi-gun, with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy
lation, have returned to the people at large for scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages,
their exercise; the State remaining, in the and totally unworthy the head of a civilized

mean time, exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens, taken He has endeavored to prevent the population their country, to become the executioners of captive on the high seas, to bear arms against of these States; for that purpose, obstructing their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migraby their hand. tion hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for estab-savages, whose known rule of warfare is an lishing 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 harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in time 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.

He has combined, with others, to subject us to a juris liction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his as sent to their acts of pretended legislation:

undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes,
and conditions.

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 injury. A prince, whose
character is thus marked by every act which
free people.
may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a

Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our Briti h brethren. We have warned them, from time to time, of attempts by their legisla-) ture, to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the cir-2 cumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them, by the ties of our common kindred, to disaFor protecting them, by a mock trial, from vow these usurpations, which would inevitapunishment, for any murders which they should bly interrupt our connexions and corresponcommit on the inhabitants of these States;

For quartering large bodies of armed troops

among us;

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world;

For imposing taxes on us without our con

sent;

dence. They, too, have been deaf to the voice
of justice and of consanguinity. We must,
therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which de-
nounces our separation, and hold them, as we
hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war,

For depriving us, in many cases, of the ben-in peace friends. efits of trial by jury; We, therefore, the representatives of the UniFor transporting us beyond the seas to be ted States of America, in General Congress tried for pretended offences; assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge? For abolishing the free system of English of the World for the rectitude of our intenlaws in a neighboring Province, establishing tions, do, in the name, and by the authority, of therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging the good people of these Colonies, solemnly its boundaries, so as to render it at once an ex-publish and declare, That these United Colample and fit instrument for introducing the onies are, and of right ought to be, FREE same absolute rule into these Colonies; AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they For taking away our charters, abolishing our are absolved from all allegiance to the British

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crown, and that all political connexion between acts and things which independent States them and the State of Great Britain, is, and may of right do. And, for the support of this ought to be, totally dissolved; and that, as Declaration, with a firm reliance on the proFree and Independent States, they have full tection of Divine Providence, we mutually power to levy war, conclude peace, contract al- pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and liances, establish commerce, and to do all other our sacred honor.

The foregoing Declaration was, by order of Congress, engrossed, and signed by the following members:

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WE, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America:

ARTICLE I.-CONGRESS.
SECTION 1.-Legislative Powers.

1. ALL Legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

SECTION II.-House of Representatives.

presentative and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New-Hampshire shall be entitled and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, to choose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island New-York six, New-Jersey four, Pennsylvana eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Geur. gua three.

1. The House of Representatives shall be composed 4. When vacancies happen in the representation of members chosen every second year by the people from any State, the Executive authority thereof shall; of the several States, and the Electors in each State issue writs of election. shall have the qualifications requis te for Electors of, the most numerous branch of the State Legislature.

5. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other officers, and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

SECTION II.-Senate.

Qualification of Members-Apportionment. 2. No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that 1. The Senate of the United State shall be composed State in which he shall be chosen. of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legis. 3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be appor.lature thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall tioned among the several States which may be inclu-have one vote.

ded within this Union, acceding to their respective! 2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in co numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the sequence of the first Election, they shall be divi whole number of free persons, including those bound der as equally as may be into three classes The seats to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons. The actual expiration of the second year, of the second class at enumeration shall be made within three years after the the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third clas first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and at the expiration of the sixth year, so that one third, within every subsea ent term of ten years, in such may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies manner as they shall by law direct. The number of happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the recess Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty of the Legislature funy State, the Executive there. thousand, but ench State shall have at least one Re- of may make temporary appointments, until the next

vacancies.

meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it be. come a law, be presented to the President of the Uni3. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have ted States; if he approve he shall sign it, but if not, he attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine shall return it, with his objections, to that House in years a citizen of the United States, and who shall which it shall have originated, who shall enter the obnot, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for jections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconwhich he shall be chosen. sider it. If, after such recons deration, two-thirds of

4. The Vice-President of the United States shall that House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, be President of the Senate. but shall have no vote un- together with the objections, to the other House, by less they be equally divided. which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approv

5. The Senate shall choose their own own officers, el by two-thirds of that House, it shall become a law.) and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the But in all such cases the votes of both Houses shall be Vice President, or when he shall exercise the oflice of determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the President of the United States. persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered

6. The Seunte shall have the sole power to try all on the journal of each House respectively. If any bill) impeachments; when sitting for that purpose, they shall not be returned by the President within ten days shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President [Sundays excepted] after it shall have been presented of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he preside; and no person shall be convicted without had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjourn.) the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present. ment prevent its return, in which case it shall not 7. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not ex. be a law.

tend farther than to removal from office, and disqua- 3. Every order, resolution or vote, to which the conlification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, tust currence of the Senate and House of Representatives) or profit under the United States; but the party con. may be necessary. (except on a question of adjours. victed shall nevertheless be liable and subject to in- ment,) shall be presented to the Pres dent of the Unidictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according ted States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two-thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.

to law.

SECTION IV.-Election of Members.

1. The times, places and manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations, except as to the places of choosing Senators.

2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

SECTION V. Powers of each Hoase.

SECTION VIII.-Powers of Congress.

1. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States: but all dut es, imposts and excises, shall be uniform throughout the United States. 2. To borrow money on the credit of the United) States;

3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations and the several States, and with the Indian tribes:

1. Each House shall be the judge of the elections, among establish a uniform rule of naturalization, re urns and qualifications of its own members, and a 4.

majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies business: but a smaller number may adjourn from day throughout the United States:

to day, und may be authorized to compel the attend- 5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and ance of absent members, in such manner, and under of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and such penalties, as each House may provide.

measures;

7. To establish post offices and post ronds;

2. Each House may determine the rules of its pro- 6 To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting ceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, the securities and current coin of the United States; and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member. 3. Each House shall keep a journal of its proceed. ings, and from time to time publish the same, except such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.

4. Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

SECTION VI.-Compensation, Privileges, &c. 1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for nay speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and nventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries; 9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court; 10. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law offnations; 11. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

12. To raise and support armies, but no appropria. tion of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

13. To provide and maintain a navy:

14. To make rules for the government and regulation of the lacd and naval forces;

15. To prov de for calling forth the militia to exe cute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions:

16. To provide for organizing, arming and disciplin2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the ing the militia, and for govern ng such part of them time for which he was elected, be appointed to any as may be employed in the service of the Un ted States, civil office under the authority of the United States, reserving to the States respect vely, the appointment of which shall have been created or the emoluments the officers and the authority of training the militia whereof shall have been increased during such time; according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; and no person holding any office under the United States shall be a member of either House during his continuance in office.

17. To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceed ng ten miles square) as may, by cession of part cular States SECTION VII.-Bills and Resolutions, &e. and the acceptance by Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise. 1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in like authority over all places purchased by the con. the House of Representatives; but the Senate may sent of the Legislature of the State in which the same propose, or concur with amendments, as on other bills. shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, 2. Every bill which shall have passed the House of dock yards, and other needful build ngs:-And,

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