4th of July Greetings

From: aaroflex (aaroflex@aaroflex.com)
Date: Thu Jun 25 1998 - 20:41:15 EEST


"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."--Thomas Jefferson

With these moving and now famous words, Thomas Jefferson
ended our Declaration of Independence, signed in Philadelphia
222 years ago, next Saturday. As I consider the blessings of
being born an American citizen I am overwhelmed by the strength
and sacrifice of these first Americans. I can think of no better
tribute
to this holiday season, than to post the Declaration of Independence
of the United States of America.

        Albert C. Young, Jr.

                         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.

     (Omitted here are 27 specific greivances against King George of
England--If you want to
     view the full original, it can be seen at:
http://wae.com/freedom/dectrans.html)

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.
  ----------------------------

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