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6 juli 1775
A declaration by the
representatives of the united colonies of North America, now met in Congress at
Philadelphia, setting forth the causes and necessity of their taking up arms.
If it was possible for men, who
exercise their reason to believe, that the divine Author of our existence
intended a part of the human race to hold an absolute property in, and an
unbounded power over others, marked out by his infinite goodness and wisdom, as
the objects of a legal domination never rightfully resistible, however severe
and oppressive, the inhabitants of these colonies might at least require from
the parliament of Great-Britain some evidence, that this dreadful authority over
them, has been granted to that body. But a reverance for our Creator, principles
of humanity, and the dictates of common sense, must convince all those who
reflect upon the subject, that government was instituted to promote the welfare
of mankind, and ought to be administered for the attainment of that end. The
legislature of Great-Britain, however, stimulated by an inordinate passion for a
power not only unjustifiable, but which they know to be peculiarly reprobated by
the very constitution of that kingdom, and desparate of success in any mode of
contest, where regard should be had to truth, law, or right, have at length,
deserting those, attempted to effect their cruel and impolitic purpose of
enslaving these colonies by violence, and have thereby rendered it necessary for
us to close with their last appeal from reason to arms. Yet, however blinded
that assembly may be, by their intemperate rage for unlimited domination, so to
sight justice and the opinion of mankind, we esteem ourselves bound by
obligations of respect to the rest of the world, to make known the justice of
our cause. Our forefathers, inhabitants of the island of Great-Britain, left
their native land, to seek on these shores a residence for civil and religious
freedom. At the expense of their blood, at the hazard of their fortunes, without
the least charge to the country from which they removed, by unceasing labour,
and an unconquerable spirit, they effected settlements in the distant and
unhospitable wilds of America, then filled with numerous and warlike barbarians.
-- Societies or governments, vested with perfect legislatures, were formed under
charters from the crown, and an harmonious intercourse was established between
the colonies and the kingdom from which they derived their origin. The mutual
benefits of this union became in a short time so extraordinary, as to excite
astonishment. It is universally confessed, that the amazing increase of the
wealth, strength, and navigation of the realm, arose from this source; and the
minister, who so wisely and successfully directed the measures of Great-Britain
in the late war, publicly declared, that these colonies enabled her to triumph
over her enemies. --Towards the conclusion of that war, it pleased our sovereign
to make a change in his counsels. -- From that fatal movement, the affairs of
the British empire began to fall into confusion, and gradually sliding from the
summit of glorious prosperity, to which they had been advanced by the virtues
and abilities of one man, are at length distracted by the convulsions, that now
shake it to its deepest foundations. -- The new ministry finding the brave foes
of Britain, though frequently defeated, yet still contending, took up the
unfortunate idea of granting them a hasty peace, and then subduing her faithful
friends.
These colonies were judged to
be in such a state, as to present victories without bloodshed, and all the easy
emoluments of statuteable plunder. -- The uninterrupted tenor of their peaceable
and respectful behaviour from the beginning of colonization, their dutiful,
zealous, and useful services during the war, though so recently and amply
acknowledged in the most honourable manner by his majesty, by the late king, and
by parliament, could not save them from the meditated innovations. -- Parliament
was influenced to adopt the pernicious project, and assuming a new power over
them, have in the course of eleven years, given such decisive specimens of the
spirit and consequences attending this power, as to leave no doubt concerning
the effects of acquiescence under it. They have undertaken to give and grant our
money without our consent, though we have ever exercised an exclusive right to
dispose of our own property; statutes have been passed for extending the
jurisdiction of courts of admiralty and vice-admiralty beyond their ancient
limits; for depriving us of the accustomed and inestimable privilege of trial by
jury, in cases affecting both life and property; for suspending the legislature
of one of the colonies; for interdicting all commerce to the capital of another;
and for altering fundamentally the form of government established by charter,
and secured by acts of its own legislature solemnly confirmed by the crown; for
exempting the "murderers" of colonists from legal trial, and in
effect, from punishment; for erecting in a neighbouring province, acquired by
the joint arms of Great-Britain and America, a despotism dangerous to our very
existence; and for quartering soldiers upon the colonists in time of profound
peace. It has also been resolved in parliament, that colonists charged with
committing certain offences, shall be transported to England to be tried. But
why should we enumerate our injuries in detail? By one statute it is declared,
that parliament can "of right make laws to bind us in all cases
whatsoever." What is to defend us against so enormous, so unlimited a
power? Not a single man of those who assume it, is chosen by us; or is subject
to our control or influence; but, on the contrary, they are all of them exempt
from the operation of such laws, and an American revenue, if not diverted from
the ostensible purposes for which it is raised, would actually lighten their own
burdens in proportion, as they increase ours. We saw the misery to which such
despotism would reduce us. We for ten years incessantly and ineffectually
besieged the throne as supplicants; we reasoned, we remonstrated with
parliament, in the most mild and decent language.
Administration sensible that we
should regard these oppressive measures as freemen ought to do, sent over fleets
and armies to enforce them. The indignation of the Americans was roused, it is
true; but it was the indignation of a virtuous, loyal, and affectionate people.
A Congress of delegates from the United Colonies was assembled at Philadelphia,
on the fifth day of last September. We resolved again to offer an humble and
dutiful petition to the King, and also addressed our fellow-subjects of
Great-Britain. We have pursued every temperate, every respectful measure; we
have even proceeded to break off our commercial intercourse with our
fellow-subjects, as the last peaceable admonition, that our attachment to no
nation upon earth should supplant our attachment to liberty. -- This, we
flattered ourselves, was the ultimate step of the controversy: but subsequent
events have shewn, how vain was this hope of finding moderation in our enemies.
Several threatening expressions
against the colonies were inserted in his majesty's speech; our petition, tho'
we were told it was a decent one, and that his majesty had been pleased to
receive it graciously, and to promise laying it before his parliament, was
huddled into both houses among a bundle of American papers, and there neglected.
The lords and commons in their address, in the month of February, said, that
"a rebellion at that time actually existed within the province of
Massachusetts- Bay; and that those concerned with it, had been countenanced and
encouraged by unlawful combinations and engagements, entered into by his
majesty's subjects in several of the other colonies; and therefore they besought
his majesty, that he would take the most effectual measures to inforce due
obediance to the laws and authority of the supreme legislature." -- Soon
after, the commercial intercourse of whole colonies, with foreign countries, and
with each other, was cut off by an act of parliament; by another several of them
were intirely prohibited from the fisheries in the seas near their coasts, on
which they always depended for their sustenance; and large reinforcements of
ships and troops were immediately sent over to general Gage.
Fruitless were all the
entreaties, arguments, and eloquence of an illustrious band of the most
distinguished peers, and commoners, who nobly and strenuously asserted the
justice of our cause, to stay, or even to mitigate the heedless fury with which
these accumulated and unexampled outrages were hurried on. -- equally fruitless
was the interference of the city of London, of Bristol, and many other
respectable towns in our favor. Parliament adopted an insidious manoeuvre
calculated to divide us, to establish a perpetual auction of taxations where
colony should bid against colony, all of them uninformed what ransom would
redeem their lives; and thus to extort from us, at the point of the bayonet, the
unknown sums that should be sufficient to gratify, if possible to gratify,
ministerial rapacity, with the miserable indulgence left to us of raising, in
our own mode, the prescribed tribute. What terms more rigid and humiliating
could have been dictated by remorseless victors to conquered enemies? in our
circumstances to accept them, would be to deserve them.
Soon after the intelligence of
these proceedings arrived on this continent, general Gage, who in the course of
the last year had taken possession of the town of Boston, in the province of
Massachusetts-Bay, and still occupied it a garrison, on the 19th day of April,
sent out from that place a large detachment of his army, who made an unprovoked
assault on the inhabitants of the said province, at the town of Lexington, as
appears by the affidavits of a great number of persons, some of whom were
officers and soldiers of that detachment, murdered eight of the inhabitants, and
wounded many others. From thence the troops proceeded in warlike array to the
town of Concord, where they set upon another party of the inhabitants of the
same province, killing several and wounding more, until compelled to retreat by
the country people suddenly assembled to repel this cruel aggression.
Hostilities, thus commenced by the British troops, have been since prosecuted by
them without regard to faith or reputation. -- The inhabitants of Boston being
confined within that town by the general their governor, and having, in order to
procure their dismission, entered into a treaty with him, it was stipulated that
the said inhabitants having deposited their arms with their own magistrate,
should have liberty to depart, taking with them their other effects. They
accordingly delivered up their arms, but in open violation of honour, in
defiance of the obligation of treaties, which even savage nations esteemed
sacred, the governor ordered the arms deposited as aforesaid, that they might be
preserved for their owners, to be seized by a body of soldiers; detained the
greatest part of the inhabitants in the town, and compelled the few who were
permitted to retire, to leave their most valuable effects behind.
By this perfidy wives are
separated from their husbands, children from their parents, the aged and the
sick from their relations and friends, who wish to attend and comfort them; and
those who have been used to live in plenty and even elegance, are reduced to
deplorable distress.
The general, further emulating
his ministerial masters, by a proclamation bearing date on the 12th day of June,
after venting the grossest falsehoods and calumnies against the good people of
these colonies, proceeds to "declare them all, either by name or
description, to be rebels and traitors, to supercede the course of the common
law, and instead thereof to publish and order the use and exercise of the law
martial." -- His troops have butchered our countrymen, have wantonly burnt
Charlestown, besides a considerable number of houses in other places; our ships
and vessels are seized; the necessary supplies of provisions are intercepted,
and he is exerting his utmost power to spread destruction and devastation around
him.
We have rceived certain
intelligence, that general Carleton, the governor of Canada, is instigating the
people of that province and the Indians to fall upon us; and we have but too
much reason to apprehend, that schemes have been formed to excite domestic
enemies against us. In brief, a part of these colonies now feel, and all of them
are sure of feeling, as far as the vengeance of administration can inflict them,
the complicated calamities of fire, sword and famine. [1] We are reduced to the
alternative of chusing an unconditional submission to the tyranny of irritated
ministers, or resistance by force. -- The latter is our choice. -- We have
counted the cost of this contest, and find nothing so dreadful as voluntary
slavery. -- Honour, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that
freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent
posterity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt
of resigning succeeding generations to that wretchedness which inevitably awaits
them, if we basely entail hereditary bondage upon them.
Our cause is just. Our union is
perfect. Our internal resources are great, and, if necessary, foreign assistance
is undoubtedly attainable. -- We gratefully acknowledge, as signal instances of
the Divine favour towards us, that his Providence would not permit us to be
called into this severe controversy, until we were grown up to our present
strength, had been previously exercised in warlike operation, and possessed of
the means of defending ourselves. With hearts fortified with these animating
reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, declare, that, exerting
the utmost energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath graciously
bestowed upon us, the arms we have been compelled by our enemies to assume, we
will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverence,
employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to
die freemen rather than to live slaves.
Lest this declaration should
disquiet the minds of our friends and fellow-subjects in any part of the empire,
we assure them that we mean not to dissolve that union which has so long and so
happily subsisted between us, and which we sincerely wish to see restored. --
Necessity has not yet driven us into that desperate measure, or induced us to
excite any other nation to war against them. -- We have not raised armies with
ambitious designs of separating from Great-Britain, and establishing independent
states. We fight not for glory or for conquest. We exhibit to mankind the
remarkable spectacle of a people attacked by unprovoked enemies, without any
imputation or even suspicion of offence. They boast of their privileges and
civilization, and yet proffer no milder conditions than servitude or death.
In our own native land, in
defence of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till
the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely
by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence
actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities
shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed
shall be removed, and not before.
With an humble confidence in
the mercies of the supreme and impartial Judge and Ruler of the Universe, we
most devoutly implore his divine goodness to protect us happily through this
great conflict, to dispose our adversaries to reconciliation on reasonable
terms, and thereby to relieve the empire from the calamities of civil war.
  
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