Founding America: Documents from the Revolution to the Bill of Rights (25 page)

 

 

We therefore the representatives of the United States of America in General Congress assembled do in the name, & by the authority of the good people of these
,
& that as free & independant states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, & to do all other acts & things which independant

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 the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish & declare that these United colonies are & of right ought to be free & independant states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them & the state of Great Britain is, & ought to be, totally dissolved ; & that as free & independant states they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce & to do all other acts & 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.

things which independant states may of right do.

And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes & our sacred honour.

[JULY 1,1776]

THE CONSEQUENCES INVOLVED IN the Motion now lying before You are of such Magnitude, that I tremble under the oppressive Honor of sharing in its Determination. I feel Myself unequal to the Burthen assigned Me. I believe, I had almost said, I rejoice, that the Time is approaching, when I shall be relieved from its Weight. While the Trust remains with Me, I must discharge the Duties of it, as well as I can—and I hope I shall be the more favorably heard, as I am convinced, that I shall hold such Language, as will sacrifice any private Emolument to general Interests. My Conduct, this Day, I expect will give the finishing Blow to my once too great, and my Integrity considered, now too diminish’d Popularity. It will be my Lott to [Prove?] that I had rather vote away the Enjoyment of [...] than the Blood and Happiness of my Countrymen—too fortunate, amidst their Calamities, if I prove a Truth known in Heaven, that I had rather they should hate Me, than that I should hurt them. I might indeed, practise an artful, an advantageous Reserve upon this Occasion. But thinking as I do on the subject of Debate, Silence would be guilt. I despise its Arts—I detest its Advantages. I must speak, tho I should lose my Life, tho I should lose the Affections of my C[ountrymen]. Happy at present, however, I shall esteem Myself, if I can so rise to the Height of this great argument, as to offer to this Honorable Assembly in a fully clear Manner, those Reasons that have so invariably fixed my own Opinion.