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 Recitation of acts of pretended legislation.

us:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among

the injuries & usurpations on the part of the British

For protecting them by a mock trial, from punish- crown. ment 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 neighboring 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 complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun, with circumstances of cruelty and 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 endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose

Petitions unavailing.

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.

Appeal to the Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British people British brethren. We have warned them, from time fruitless, &c. 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 connexions 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.

Independence declared.

solved, &c.

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 the 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 Allegiance ab- independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connexion 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 do all other acts and things, which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance. Mutual pledge. On the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

The foregoing declaration was, by order of congress, engrossed, and signed by the following members: JOHN HANCOCK.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Josiah Bartlett,

William Whipple,
Matthew Thornton.

CONSTITUTION

Legislative power.

House of Representatives

OF THE

UNITED STATES.

WE, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

ARTICLE I.

SECTION 1.

1. All legislative powers herein granted, shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

SECTION 2.

1. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year, by the and qualifica people of the several states; and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature.

tions of elec

tors,

and of Representatives.

Apportion

sentatives.

2. No person shall be a representative, who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.

3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apment of Repre- portioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons. Enumeration. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of

sentation.

ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. Ratio of repreThe number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each State shall have at least one representative: and until such enumeration shall be made, the state of New Hampshire shall First appor be entitled to choose three; Massachusetts, eight; tionment. Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, one; Connecticut, five; New York, six; New Jersey, four; Pennsylvania, eight; Delaware, one; Maryland, six; Virginia, ten; North Carolina, five; South Carolina, five; and Georgia, three.

4. When vacancies happen in the representation Vacancies. from any State, the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.

5. The House of Representatives shall choose Speaker of the their speaker and other officers, and shall have the House. sole power of impeachment.

SECTION 3.

.1 The Senate of the United States shall be com- The Senateposed of two senators from each State, chosen by each senator a the Legislature thereof, for six years; and each sen- vote. ator shall have one vote.

2. Immediately after they shall be assembled, in Senators consequence of the first election, they shall be di- classed. vided, as equally as may be, into three classes, the A third of the seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated seats vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second every 2 years. class, at the expiration of the fourth year, and the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, so that one third may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignation or otherwise, during Vacancies. the recess of the legislature of any State, the executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies.

3. No person shall be a senator, who shall not Qualifications have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine of senators. years a citizen of the United States, and who shall

not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for

which he shall be chosen.

4. The vice president of the United States shall President of be president of the Senate; but shall have no vote, the senate. unless they be equally divided.

5. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and Officers. also a president, pro tempore, in the absence of the vice-president, or when he shall exercise the office of president of the United States.