Monster Media 1994 #1/monster.zip/monster/EDUCATE/USCON2.ZIP/USCON3.ZIP/DECARMS.DAT

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    Declaration of the causes and necessity of taking up arms
                            July 6, 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.  We are reduced to the alternative of
  chosing 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.