The Reason for The Season
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
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 and 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 unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and 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, 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 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 and usurpations, 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, 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 alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, 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.
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 utterly neglected 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 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, 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, 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 obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, 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 without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and 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 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 offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, 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, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
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 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 our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and 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.
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 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.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our 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, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent 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 and our sacred Honor.
The men who pledged their Lives, their Fortunes and their sacred Honor are worthy of our study and remembrance.
Column 1
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton
Column 2
North Carolina:
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton
Column 3
Massachusetts:
John Hancock
Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton
Column 4
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean
Column 5
New York:
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark
Column 6
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple
Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton
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29 Comments!
The Declaration of Independence enumerated quite a litany of grievances against the King of England. I daresay, that list is trivial compared to the history of repeated injuries and usurpations being visited upon us by our present government, while giving lip service to The Constitution at every inauguration. Phooey! Be afraid. Be very afraid. November is coming.
Is that list really from the declaration of independence*, or did someone replace it with a list of the stuff Obama’s been doing this past 3 years?
*yes, I know it is.
Obama is guilty of most of the enumerated offenses , and, manifestly, WANTS to be guilty of the rest!
Hello, my friends in U.S. of A.
Congratulations on this 4th of July!!
From Brazil
I’m feelin’ sorta usurped these daze.
I’m sorry Mr. Franklin. We were apparently unable to keep it more than 236 years
Thanks, Claire, for the whole thing. The “complaints” are Important. It’s easy to forget the real reasons for our desire to separate.
Susan Lee
Joseph Hewes (NC) was one of my wife’s distant relations.
We get a chuckle watching his portrayal every 4th watching the musical “1776″.
Claire: I haven’t read that for a while, but I did today!
Thank you,
Hog Whitman
And speaking of Holy Shit! (we were speaking about that, weren’t we?), I almost forgot to include this timeless classic from Rhett and Link. It’s a 4th of July must!
As I am a part of it, I am confident that there will be a National TEA PARTY Addendum to this, the original declaration. WE the American People will once again arise to meet the Liberal threat to OUR beloved country; of that I have no doubt.
It is difficult for some not to feel that events, now confronting us, are the beginning of an end to the greatest experiment the world has ever seen. Not this child; no. fucking. way! And I am far from alone…..From Rick Santelli in 2009 all the way to here in Nevada County and many, many places in between, there arose several millions of decent and honest concerned American citizens who came together and created a common sense way in which to “Restore America” to honor and abide by the same words and deeds of our Founding Fathers.
It was not easy for them nor will it be easy for us, They risked their fortunes and their very lives to make a United States of America. WE vow to do the same and we WILL!
Let us celebrate this 4th of July and those that are sure to follow. I believe with all my heart and mind that all of us here and in the expanse of this original and uniquely exceptional nation will “Make it so!”
God Bless America.
Thanks Colonel Jerry. After the Romney “not a tax” fiasco, I was feeling kind of depressed.
I’m good now.
Ready to rumble.
And if you haven’t got all your 4th of July shopping done yet, there’s still a bunch of last-minute close-outs to be had!
And God Bless America again! It almost makes me want to drive to Reno, and shoot me a librul, just to wa-aaatch him die.
Unfortunately, I guess that’s still illegal in Nevada, so I think I’ll just spend a quiet afternoon with my 1½ cats.
And besides, with the price of gasoline double the amount it used to be about, oh, 4-years ago, who can afford to drive to Reno!?
Thanks, Claire, I read it aloud for the first time in years and will take copies to share with the family this afternoon. Maybe start a new tradition. . .
Are there any motels left in Reno that still take cats?
Sorry… I was just wonderin’
Thank you Claire.
It is difficult to not become disheartened these days.
A reminder from whence we came is a good thing.
I am proud to be from a small town that was home to both Francis Hopkinson and Thomas Paine.
Don’t forget Declaration 2.0
Just updated a few names.
Thank you, Claire.
Maria Edi (4)
If your countrymen ever bug you about about your admirable political insight, quote ‘em this:
By the ballot and by constitutional amendment of course,
but in any case …
This passage should remind us that electoral cheating is treason, because any government so formed wields unjust power without our consent and is, therefore, “destructive of these ends.” It is illegitimate.
The FedGov does not exist as a state of nature nor as a creation of God. It was created by the People and the States at the stroke of a pen and is maintained by the ballot and our consent. If it is maintained by illegitimate ballot or against our consent, then it is no longer a republican form of government but just another tyrannical Old-World type; and the Declaration of Independence applies once again.
CI(2), LSP (3), Susan Lee (7)
I suspect the next one’s list of grievances will be longer and uglier.
DougM: “… deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”
Two points there:
(1) Just powers
(2) Consent of the governed
Fail on both counts.
Chris Muir nails it again.
On our country’s birthday, I took a look at the Declaration and the offenses enumerated in that document that drove the Founders to separate from Great Britain and its King. It looks to me, as some above have noted, like our current government is guilty of many of the same things that drove us to war 236 years ago, and in some cases to a greater degree. Some of the following occurred under Bush Jr. in the aftermath of 9-11, but Uhbama not only continues the offensive behavior long after that tragic event, but cranks up the volume and adds offenses of his own.
Others may be more detailed or eloquent, but here is my take:
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
Ex.: suing Arizona for its illegal alien law, allowing voter intimidation, ignoring contract law in bailing out GM
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.
Ex.: Uhbamacare meetings at night, locking Republicans out and attempting questionable procedures such as ‘deeming passed’ to pass the bill, announcing executive orders late Friday evenings to avoid news reports.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
Ex.: DHS, TSA, czars, appointments without Senate approval, 11 agencies, departments and panels in Uhbamacare, new taxes with delayed benefits.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
Ex.: DHS, “a domestic army of 250,000″, 16,000 new IRS agents, arming Dept of Education and IRS, 450,000,000 rounds of ammunition for DHS, civilian drones for domestic surveillance, self written search warrants.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
Ex.: DHS, TSA freely violate 1st and 4th Amendment protections
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 Acts of pretended Legislation.
Ex.: Patriot Act, DHS, attempting to put us under World Court and UN jurisdiction
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States.Ex.: Claiming executive privilege in the investigation of the murder of Border Patrol Agent Terry
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.
Ex.: By making manufacturing in the USA non-competitive through taxes and regulations
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.
Ex.: there are at least 21 new taxes in Uhbamacare, and he attempted to pass a Carbon Tax and Cap and Trade.
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury.
Ex.: The most recent Defense Appropriation act has a clause allowing the Executive to arrest and imprison a US citizen without charge or trial
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments.
Ex.: I don’t have much Hope, but there is plenty of Change, for the worse. Uhbama has stated he doesn’t like our Constitution
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
Ex.: Uhbamacare imposed spending on States without the consent of the States.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
Ex.: After unofficially ignoring illegal alien invasions, Uhbama officially told Arizona they were on their own after the recent SCOTUS decision on the Arizona immigration law.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and 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.
Ex.: Uhbama has made a career of exploiting group identity and class warfare politics. He continues that and further encourages illegal aliens, drug cartels among them, to flaunt our laws, rob our treasuries and bankrupt public services from both government and private institutions.
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.
With a Congress who actually adhered to their oath of office, this malignant buffoon Uhbama would be impeached, tried and imprisoned.
As I remember, my Marine Officer’s Oath had no expiration date, and I swore to defend the Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic.
When and if the time comes, there are a Lot of us out here.
G-d Bless America…….
What Wollf said, ‘cept I was just a corporal.
dick, nqdwg, Wollf and others: As I’ve said before, I don’t believe that part of the oath had an expiration date, just a date after which I was no longer required to “preserve, protect and defend” 24/7.
Or as one recruiter “joked”: “If we ever see Russian submarines at the bridge in Vicksburg, we’ll give ya a call.”
Happy independence day all! I hope yours was as enjoyable as mine.
Thanks for the post Claire! (My local paper published it in the community section)
I like your examples, Dick. It’s pretty telling when you see the parallels.
Colonel Jerry, SIR!!! There’ a whole lot more of us than there is of them!
Maria Edi, thank you! It’s nice to see you pop in from time to time.
I had some encouragement while visiting my small UP home town for da Fortchuly–Generations of staunch Democrats for the workers are mad as hell at what’s happened to our country– Freedom and America comes first!!
Very good posts by everyone– as usual–
What Wolff said; . . . ‘cept I was just an NCO.
Amen, Wollf (23)