....Francis Hopkinson, Esqr. one of the delegates for New Jersey, attended, and produced the credentials of their appointment, which were read, as follows, viz.
In Provincial Congress, New Jersey,
Burlington, June 21st, 1776.
The Congress proceeded to the Election of Delegates to represent this Colony in Continental Congress, when Richard Stockton, Abraham Clark, John Hart, and Francis Hopkinson, Esqs. and Dr. John Witherspoon, were elected by Ballot, to serve for one Year, unless a new Appointment be made before that Time.
Resolved, That the following Instructions be given to the Delegates elected as aforesaid:
To Richard Stockton, Abraham Clark, John Hart and Francis Hopkinson, Esquires, and the Reverend Dr. John Witherspoon, Delegates appointed to represent the Colony of New Jersey in Continental Congress:
The Congress empower and direct you, in the Name of this Colony, to join with the Delegates of the other Colonies in Continental Congress, in the most vigorous Measures for supporting the just Rights and Liberties of America; and, if you shall judge it necessary or expedient for this Purpose, we empower you to join with them in declaring the United Colonies independent of Great Britain, entering into a Confederacy for Union and common Defence, making Treaties with foreign Nations for Commerce and Assistance, and to take such other Measures as may appear to them and you necessary for these great Ends; promising to support them with the whole Force of this Province; always observing, that, whatever Plan of Confederacy you enter into, the Regulating the internal Police of this Province is to be reserved to the Colony Legislature. By Order of Congress.
Samuel Tucker,President....
....The committee appointed to prepare a declaration, &c. brought in a draught, which was read:
Ordered, To lie on the table.
Declaration of Independence.1
FIRST DRAFT
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America in general Congress assembled.
When in the Course of human Events it becomes necessary for a People to advance from that Subordination, in which they have
REPORTED DRAFT
A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General2
[Note 2: 2 In MS. A this word is in brackets.]
Congress assembled.
When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for a one people to advance from that subordination in which they have hitherto remained and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the equal and independent Station 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 impell them to the Change.
We hold these Truths to be self evident; that all Men are created equal and independent; that from that equal Creation they derive Rights inherent and unalienable; among which are the Preservation of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness; that to secure these Ends, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the governed; that whenever, any form of Government, shall become 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 shown, that Mankind are more disposed
hitherto remained, & to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with other another and to assume among the powers of the earth the equal & independent separate and equal station to which the laws of nature & 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 change the separation.
We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable self-evident; that all men are created equal,& independent; that from that equal creation they derive in they are endowed by their creator with equal rights some of which are certain [inherent &] inalienable rights; that among which these are the preservation of life,& liberty, & the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these ends rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government shall becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, & to institute new government, laying it's foundation on such principles & organising it's powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety & happiness, prudence indeed will dictate that governments long established should to Suffer, while Evils are Sufferable, than to right themselves, by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, begun at a distinguish'd Period, and pursuing invariably, the same object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Power, 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 Sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the Necessity, which constrains them to expunge their former Systems of Government.
The History of his present Majesty, is a History of unremitting Injuries and Usurpations, among which no one Fact stands Single or Solitary to contradict the uniform Tenor of the rest, all of which have in direct object, the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be Submitted to a candid World, for the Truth of which We pledge a Faith, as yet unsullied by falsehood.
not be changed for light & transient causes: and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. but when a long train of abuses & usurpations, [begun at a distinguished period, &] pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to subject reduce them to arbitrary power, under absolute Despotism,1
[Note 1: 1 Against these three words Jefferson has written "Dr. Franklin's hand writing," but the insertion appears to have been made by Jefferson himself.]
it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government & to provide new guards for their future security. such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; & such is now the necessity which constrains them to [expunge] alter their former systems of government. the history of his the present Majesty King of Great Britain,2
[Note 2: 2 Against these four words Jefferson has written: "Mr. Adams's hand writing."]
is a history of [unremitting] repeated injuries and usurpations, [among whichno one fact stands single or solitary appears no solitary fact to contradict the uniform tenor of the rest,all of which [have] but] all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. to prove this let facts be submitted to a candid world, [for the truth of which we pledge a faith yet unsullied by falsehood.]
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 Importance, unless suspended in their operation, till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended he has neglected utterly 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 dissolved Representative Houses, repeatedly, and continually, for opposing with manly Firmness his Invasions on the Rights of the People.
He has refused, for a long Space of 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 remaining in the mean time, exposed to
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 & pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected utterly 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, & formidable to tyrants only:
he has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, & 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 [& continually] for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people:
when dissolved he has refused for a long space of time time after such Dissolutions1
[Note 1: 1 Against these four words Jefferson has written "Mr. Adams."]
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 remaining in the mean time all the Dangers of Invasion, from without, and Convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the Population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their Migrations hither; and raising the Conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has suffered the Administration of Justice totally to cease in some of these Colonies, refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made our Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the Tenure of their offices, and amount of their Salaries:
He has created a Multitude of new offices by a Self-assumed Power, 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 and Ships of War.
He has affected to render the military, independent of, and Superiour to, the civil Power.
He has combined with others to
exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, & convulsions within:
he has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither; & raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands:
he has [suffered] obstructed the administration of justice [totally to cease in some of these colonies states,] by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers:
he has made [our] judges dependant on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount & payment1
[Note 1: 1 Against these words Jefferson has written "Dr. Franklin."]
of their salaries:
he has erected a multitude of new offices [by a self-assumed power,] & sent hither swarms of2
[Note 2: 2 MS. A reads "new officers."]
officers to harrass our people & eat out their substance:
he has kept among us in times although our Conduct3
[Note 3: 3 These words were in the writing of John Adams.]
standing armies [£ ships of war] without the consent of our Legislatures:
he has affected to render the military, independent of & superior to the civil power:
he has combined with others to subject us to a Jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution and unacknowledged by our Laws; giving his Assent to their pretended Acts of Legislation; for quartering large Bodies of armed Troops among us; for protecting them by a Mock Tryal from Punishment for any Murders they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States; for cutting off our Trade with all Parts of the World; for imposing Taxes on us without our Consent; for depriving Us of the Benefits of Trial by Jury; for transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses; for taking away our Charters, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Government; for suspending our own Legislatures and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all Cases whatsoever.
subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitutions and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to theiracts of pretended acts of legislation, for quartering large bodies of armed troops among us;
for protecting them by a mock-trial from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states;
for cutting off our trade with all parts of the world;
for imposing taxes on us without our consent;
for depriving us in many cases1
[Note 1: 1 MS. B. omits these three words.]
of the benefits of trial by jury;
for transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offences;
for abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government and enlarging it's boundaries so as to render it at once an example & fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these colonies [states] colonies;
for taking away our charters, abolishing our most important valuable Laws,2
[Note 2: 2 Against this phrase Jefferson has written "Dr. Franklin,"]
and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments,
for suspending our own legislatures and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever:
He has abdicated Government here, withdrawing his Governors, and declaring us, out of his Allegiance and Protection.
He has plundered our Seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the Lives of our People.
He is at this Time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to complete the Works of death, Desolation, and Tyranny, already begun with Circumstances of Cruelty and Perfidy unworthy the Head of a civilized Nation.
He has endeavoured to bring on the Inhabitants of our Frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare is an undistinguished Destruction of all Ages, Sexes, and Conditions of existence.
He has incited treasonable Insurrections of our Fellow Citizens, with the allurement of Forfeiture and Confiscation of our Property.
he has abdicated government here, [withdrawing his governors, & declaring us out of his allegiance & protection:] by declaring us out of his protection & waging war against us.1
[Note 1: 1 MS. B. omits the words "and waging war against us."]
he has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns & destroyed the lives of our people:
he is at this time transporting large armies of Scotch and other foreign mercenaries to compleat the works of death desolation and tyranny already begun with circumstances of cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation:
he has constrained &c.2
[Note 2: 2 Probably a note of insertion for locating in the final from the paragraph given below. MS. A gives the final order of paragraphs, while MS. B. follows the earlier arrangement.]
he has excited domestic insurrections amongst us and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, & conditions [of existence:]
[he has incited treasonable insurrections of our fellow-citizens, with the allurements of forfeiture & confiscation of our property:
He has constrained others,3
[Note 3: 3 MS. A reads "our fellow citizens."]
falling into his hands taken captive
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 destroy & 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.]
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 only1
[Note 1: 1 Against this word Jefferson has written "Dr. Franklin."]
by repeated injuries.2
[Note 2: 2 MS. B. reads "injury."]
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 scarce3
[Note 3: 3 MS. A. reads "scarcely."]
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,4
[Note 4: 4 MS. A. reads "so 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 legislature to extend a5
[Note 5: 5 This word should have been stricken out.]
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 we had adopted one common King, thereby laying a Foundation for Perpetual League and 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 appealed to their Native Justice and Magnanimity, as well as to the Ties of our common Kindred to disavow these usurpations, which were likely to interrupt our Correspondence and Connection. They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of Consanguinity, and 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 and foreign Mercenaries, to invade and deluge us in Blood. These Facts have given the last Stab to agonizing affection, and manly Spirit bids us to renounce forever these unfeeling Brethren. We must endeavour 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 been a free and a great People together
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.1
[Note 1: 1 Against these two words Jefferson has written "Dr. Franklin."]
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 but 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
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 toglory & happiness & to glory is open to us too; we will climb must tread itin a separately state apart from them, and] we must therefore acquiesce in the necessity which pro denounces our everlasting Adicu! [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 Britain1
[Note 1: 1 Against this paragraph Jefferson wrote "a different phraseology inserted."]
& 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 parliament2
[Note 2: 2 MS. B. reads "parliament or people."]
of Great Britain; and finally we do assert and declare these colonies to be free and independent states, and that as free & independent states, they shall Acts and Things which independent 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.
hereafter have full power to levy 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.
[Note 1: 1 The "first draft" is from a manuscript in the writing of John Adams, among the Adams Papers, as printed in the Writings of Thomas Jefferson (Ford), II, 42. It probably represents the original form of the paper, but the capitalization is Adams's, not Jefferson's. The "second draft" is from the manuscript in the Department of State, which has been reproduced many times in facsimile. I have given the text of this manuscript in full, showing the changes made during its consideration in committee and in Congress. In notes I give the mere important differences to be found in copies of the Declaration which Jefferson prepared for his friends. That in the Madison collection is called "MS. A," and that in the Emmet collection is called "MS. B." The latter was probably intended to be a copy of the first form in which the Declaration left Jefferson's hand, and should be like the Adams manuscript. Differences exist, however, and only a definite statement from Jefferson could indicate the time at which this MS. B. was prepared. MS. A was doubtless prepared at a later period, being embodied in the notes of debates in the Congress of 1776, prepared for Madison by Jefferson, "as a copy from his original notes." These original notes are in the Jefferson Manuscripts in the Library of Congress, 5th Series, III. Jefferson says that words with a "black line under them were struck out by Congress"--here distinguished by [].]
**********
[July 14, 1776] (1)
JULY 1, 1776
On Monday the 1st of July the house resolved itself into a commee. of the whole & resumed the consideration of the original motion made by the delegates of Virginia, which being again debated through the day, was carried in the affirmative by the votes of N. Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusets, Rhode island, N. Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, N. Carolina, & Georgia. S. Carolina and Pennsylvania voted against it. Delaware having but two members present, they were divided: the delegates for New York declared they were for it themselves, & were assured their constituents were for it, but that their instructions having been drawn near a twelvemonth before, when reconciliation was still the general object, they were enjoined by them to do nothing which should impede that object. They therefore thought themselves not justifiable in voting on either side, and asked leave to withdraw from the question, which was given them. The Commee. rose & reported their resolution to the house. Mr. Rutlege of S. Carolina then requested the determination might be put off to the next day, as he believed his collegues, tho' they disapproved of the resolution, would then join in it for the sake of unanimity. The ultimate question whether the house would agree to the resolution of the committee was accordingly postponed to the next day, when it was again moved and S. Carolina concurred in voting for it.(2) In the mean time a third member had come post from the Delaware counties and turned the vote of that colony in favour of the resolution. Members of a different sentiment attending that morning from Pennsylvania also, their vote was changed, so that the whole 12 colonies, who were authorized to vote at all, gave their voices for it; and within a few days(3) the convention of N. York approved of it and thus supplied the void occasioned by the withdrawing of their delegates from the vote.
Congress proceeded the same day to consider the declaration of Independance,2 which had been reported & laid on the table the Friday preceding, and on Monday referred to a commee. of the whole. The pusillanimous idea that we had friends in England worth keeping terms with, still haunted the minds of many. For this reason those passages which conveyed censures on the people of England were struck out, lest they should give them offence. The clause too, reprobating the enslaving the inhabitants of Africa, was struck out in complaisance to South Carolina & Georgia, who had never attempted to restrain the importation of slaves, and who on the contrary still wished to continue it. Our Northern brethren also I believe felt a little tender under those censures; for tho' their people have very few slaves themselves yet they had been pretty considerable carriers of them to others. The debates having taken up the greater parts of the Ed 3d & 4th days of July were, in the evening of the last closed.(4)The declaration was reported by the commee., agreed to by the house, and signed by every member present except Mr. Dickinson.(5) As the sentiments of men are known not only by what they receive, but what they reject also, I will state the form of the (6) declaration as originally reported. The parts struck out by Congress shall be distinguished by a black line drawn under them; & those inserted by them shall be placed in the margin or in a concurrent column.
A Declaration by the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled
When in the course of human events it becomes necessary 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 & equal station 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 evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with {certain} (7)inherent and inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness: that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent 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, & to institute new government, laying it's foundation on such principles, & organising it's powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety & happiness. Prudence indeed will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light & transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses & usurpations [begun at a distinguished period and] 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, & to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; & such is now the necessity which constrains them to {alter} [expunge] their former systems of government. the history of the present kirig of Great Britain is a history of {repeated} [unremitting] injuries & usurpations, [among which appears no solitary fact to contradict the uniform tenor of the rest but all have] {all having} in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. to prove this let facts be submitted to a candid world [for the truth of which we pledge a faith yet unsullied by falsehood.]
He has refused his assent to laws the most wholsome & necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate & pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; & when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other laws for the accomodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them, & formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies 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 [& continually] for opposing with manly firmness 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 remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without & convulsions within.
He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners, refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, & raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.
He has {obstructed} [suffered] the administration of justice [totally to cease in some of these states] {by} refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.
He has made [our] judges dependant on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, & the amount & paiment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of new offices [by a self assumed power] and sent hither swarms of new officers to harrass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us in times of peace standing armies [and ships of war] without the consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the military independant of, & superior to the civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitutions & unacknoleged by our laws, giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation for quartering large bodies of armed troops among us; for protecting them by a mock- trial from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states; for cutting off our trade with all parts of the world; for imposing taxes on us without our consent;
for depriving us {in many cases} of the benefits of trial by jury; for transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses; for abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging it's boundaries, so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these {colonies} [states]; for taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments; for suspending our own legislatures, & declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here {by declaring us out of his protection & waging war against us.} [withdrawing his governors, and declaring us out of his allegiance & protection.]
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, & destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation & tyranny already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy {scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, & totally} unworthy the head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends & brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.
He has {excited domestic insurrections amongst us, & has} endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, & conditions [of existence.]
[He has incited treasonable insurrections of our fellow-citizens with the allurements of forfeiture & confiscation of our property
He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating it's most sacred rights of life and 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, he has prostituted his negative for suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this execrable commerce. 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 that liberty of which he has deprived them, by murdering the people on 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 again the lives of another.]
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 scarcely believe that the hardiness of one man adventured, within the short compass of twelve years only, to lay a foundation so broad & so undisguised for tyranny over a people fostered & fixed in prin- ciples of freedom.]
Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend {an unwarrantable} [a] jurisdiction over {us} [these our states.] 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 forms of government, we had adopted one common king, thereby laying a foundation for perpetual league & amity with them: but that sub- mission 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 and magnanimity {and we have conjured them by} [as well as to] the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations which {would inevitably} [were likely to] interrupt our connection and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice & of consanguinity, [and 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 souldiers of our common blood, but Scotch & foreign mercenaries to invade & 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 been a free and a great people together; but a communication of grandeur & of freedom it seems is below their dignity. Be it so, since they will it. The road to happiness & to glory is open to us too. We will tread it apart from them, and] {we must therefore} acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our [eternal] separation {and hold them as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends}!
We therefore the representa- We therefore the representa-
tives of the United States of tives of the United States of
America in General Congress America in General Congress
assembled do in the name, & assembled, appealing to the
by the authority of the good supreme judge of the world
people of these [states reject for the rectitude of our in-
& renounce all allegiance & tentions, do in the name, &
subjection to the kings of by the authority of the good
Great Britain & all others people of these colonies,
who may hereafter claim by, solemnly publish & declare
through or under them: we that these United colonies are
utterly dissolve all political & of right ought to be free &
connection which may here- independant states; that they
tofore have subsisted between are absolved from all alle-
us & and the people or parlia- giance to the British crown,
ment of Great Britain: & and that all political connect-
finally we do assert & de- ion between them & the state
clare these colonies to be of Great Britain is, & ought
free & independant states,] to be, totally dissolved; &
& that as free & indepen- that as free & independant
dent states, they have full states they have full power
power to levy war, con- to levy war, conclude peace,
clude peace, contract al- contract alliances, establish
liances, establish commerce commerce & to do all other
& to do all other acts & acts & things which indepen-
things which independant dant states may of right do.
states may of right do. And And for the support of this
for the support of this de- declaration, with a firm re-
claration we mutually pledge liance on the protection of
to each other our lives, our divine providence we mutually
fortunes & our sacred hon- pledge to each other or lives,
our. out fortunes & our sacred
honour.(8)
MS (DLC). In the hand of Thomas Jefferson. A continuation of Jefferson's Notes of Proceedings in Congress, June 7-28, 1776.
1 For a detailed analysis of the notes printed in this entry, see Jefferson, Papers
2 In the margin beside this sentence, Jefferson wrote "July 2."
3 Jefferson inserted an asterisk at this point in the MS referring to the date he wrote in the margin, "July 9."
4 Contrary to this explicit statement, it now seems clear that the debate on the Declaration was brought to a close in the morning rather than "in the evening" of July 4. See Committee of Congress to the Lancaster Associators, July 4, 1776,
5 The credibility of Jefferson's notes has long been in question because of this passage indicating that on this day the Declaration was signed and John Dickinson was in attendance. While the consensus of authorities at present is that there was no general signing of the Declaration until August 2, the matter of Dickinson's attendance merits reassessment. It has long been assumed, on the authority of Thomas McKean, that Dickinson and Robert Morris, both opponents of independence, did not attend Congress on July 4, deliberately absenting themselves so that Pennsylvania's vote could be cast in favor of independence. As McKean long afterward explained: "The State of Pennsylvania on the 4th. of July (there being five members present, Messrs. Dickinson and Morris, who had in the committee of the whole voted against Independence were absent) voted for it; three to two, Messrs. Willing and Humphries in the negative. Unanimity in the thirteen States, an all important point on so great an occasion, was thus obtained; the dissention of a single State might have produced very dangerous consequences." See Burnett, Letters, 1:534-45.
Despite McKean's precise explanation of the behavior of the Pennsylvania delegates, there is good reason to believe that his memory failed him on this point, and that Dickinson and Morris may have actually been in Congress on July 4. It should be noted, at any rate, that Dickinson's name appears as a member of the committee appointed that day to confer on the defense of New Jersey and Pennsylvania and that Morris was explicitly ordered by Congress that morning to inquire into a matter related to a vessel employed by the Continental Navy. It is of course possible that both these actions involving the two men could have been taken in their temporary absence, but it seems more likely that McKean's account of Pennsylvania's vote on independence pertains to the vote of July 2 on Richard Henry Lee's resolution rather than the vote on the Declaration on July 4. McKean related his version of this vote twice, in 1796 and in 1813, the first of which is known to be in error on the subject of the weather. Thus McKean wrote "On the 4th (which was a rainy day) Messrs. Dickinson and Morris were absent," but it is beyond doubt that although it rained for several hours in Philadelphia on July 2, July 4 was a clear day.
If, therefore, McKean is wrong about Dickinson's presence on July 4, it would be a great irony that Jefferson's credibility was long questioned because of this particular passage from his notes but escaped challenge on other points analyzed in this volume, such as the time of day the Declaration was adopted, now believed to be in error. See Jefferson's Notes of Proceedings in Congress, June 7-28, note 2; and Committee of Congress to the Lancaster Associators, July 4, 1776, note 2.
6 For a discussion of the significant alterations that Jefferson made in this paragraph, see Jefferson, Papers (Boyd), 1:328n.15.
7 The words appearing in these brackets, here and below, Jefferson wrote in the margin, indicating their placement with carets.
8 For discussion of a controversial statement about the signing of the Declaration that Jefferson later wrote on a separate slip and inserted at this point in the MS, see Jefferson, Papers (Boyd), 1:301-8. For the continuation of these notes, see Jefferson's Notes of Proceedings in Congress, July 12-August 1, 1776.
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