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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. [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.
-
-
-
- Notes: [1] From this point onwards thought to be the work of
- Jefferson. [2] Journal of Congress, edited 1800, I, pp 134-139
-
-
-
- BACKGROUND:
-
- The Second Continental Congress was remarkable for several
- things, not the least of which was selecting George Washington as
- the Commander In Chief of the Continental Army being created to
- fight the British Army assembled at Boston. You will recall that
- the "Boston Massacre" and events at Lexington, Concord, and
- Breeds Hill (next to Bunker Hill) had only recently stirred up
- the fighting in the northeastern colonies. Once the business of
- creating an army was taken care of, it was deemed necessary to
- inform the world of the reasons why the colonies had taken up
- arms. The first attempt at drafting such a declaration was by
- Thomas Jefferson, but was ruled far too militant. A second
- attempt was made by Colonel John Dickinson, known for earlier
- pamphlets in which he called himself "The Farmer". The final
- result was apparently a combination of both writers.
-
- Strange that Dickinson should create such a document; he was
- under considerable pressure from both his wife and mother, both
- Tory sympathizers, and he was no great fan of the New England
- representatives to the Congress. An incident related in _A New
- Age Now Begins_, written by Page Smith, marks him as an even more
- unlikely choice for the writer of such a declaration:
-
- "Dickinson once more had his way when Congress approved
- still another petition to the king. Dickinson was
- delighted when it passed and rose to express his pleasure.
- There was only one word to which he objected since it
- might possibly offend His Majesty, and that was the word
- 'Congress'. Whereupon Benjamin Harrison of Virginia
- promptly rose and, inclining his head to John Hancock,
- declared, 'There is but one word in the paper, Mr.
- President, of which I approve, and that is the word
- "Congress"."
-
- In any case, above is the complete text of that document
- published almost exactly a year before the Declaration of
- Independence.
-