When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one body of a people to return to its roots, and to disassociate and also to renew the foundations of their existence, assuming among the powers of the world, the individual and equal assets which the laws of nature, nature's God, and the God of existence entitle them, a decent respect for the opinions of themselves and the others demands they declare the reasons for establishing the renewal.
We, the Americans of our Republic, hold the following truths and obvious and righteous: that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by the Taskmaster of Existence with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these liberties, these rights, governments among human beings are formed, whose power is derived from the consent of those governed; that whenever a form or body becomes destructive of these rights, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new form of government, laying its foundation on such righteous principles and organizing its powers in such form, so that their pursuit of happiness shall be realized fully. Wisdom, truly, has showcased that governments that have long been structured should not be amended for trivial and light reasons; and congruently all experience has demonstrated that humans are inclined to suffer, and that evil people are more likely to suffer than to fix themselves and behave righteously by thwarting their evil and accustomed acts. And so when a long list of evils and enmity pursuing invariably the end of unjust obedience reveals itself, it is the right and duty of the people to cast off those bands, and provide new guards of liberty and peace. This has been the patient suffering of the Americans of our current government, and so that is why we are so compelled to alter it, and renew it. The history of the current government and administration of America is a history of repeated insults, indignities, and usurpations, all striving to achieve the subjugation and belittlement of the American people. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
The American Bureaucracy has refused their assent to the law, the most whole, necessary, and constitutional for the public good.
For imposing taxes on us without our consent.
For depriving us in many cases of the benefits of trial by jury.
The American Establishment has forbidden their local governments from passing laws of immediate and necessary importance, unless they obtain their direct assent or relinquish the power to them federally; yet when that assent or power is yielded to them, they either neglect to pass such laws or pass totally backward or inexplicable ones.
They have obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing to abide by laws for establishing judiciary powers.
They have combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving their assent to their acts of pretended order.
For protecting the administrators of these injustices from the punishment of subjugations, by a mock trial, warping of facts, or burning of records, no matter the harm on the inhabitants of this Republic.
For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world.
For taking away our Constitution, abolishing or ignoring our most sacred laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our government.
In every stage of these injustices we have asked for restitution in the most sincere of manners, yet our sincerity has been welcomed with further injustice and harm. A government, whose nature is perpetually defined by acts that make one tyrannical, unresponsive, and guilty, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Not only this, but we have not been paying little attention to our American brothers and sisters who should be aware of this conduct. We have warned them of the attempts of the current government to subject us to such injustices. We have reminded them of the formation of our country, its foundation in liberty, peace, and responsive and mutual charity. We have appealed to their sense of justice and goodwill, and appealed to their sense of fellowship as countrymen to disavow the errant acts of this establishment, informing them of the fact that these injuries continuing will lead to radical change. That, too, has been met with deaf ears; justice and kinship is lost on them. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity of engaging in our renewal, and hold them, as we hold the rest of humanity, enemies in conflict, and friends in peace.
We, therefore, the people of the American Republic, in general body, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Justice of the world and all existence for the consistency of our intentions, do, in the name and authority of the good people of this republic, solemnly publish and declare, that this American Republic is, and of right out to be, a self-governing and autonomous body of citizens, dedicated to the original intent of our Founders; that it is freed from the moral obligation to follow unconstitutional dictates, and that we reclaim our inherent right to govern our private affairs and communities according to the original Constitution, regardless of the errors of the current establishment; and that as a free, renewed, and independent body, it has the full power to advocate for the truth, form peaceful associations with like-minded Americans, establish civic and general commerce within our community, and do all other acts which a free and virtuous people may of right do.
In establishing this renewal, we solemnly declare that our weapons are those of truth, reason, and civic virtue. We seek not the overthrow of the American State, but the restoration of the American soul and spirit. We commit to a peaceful, voluntary existence, abiding by the law of the land, the Constitution, while building a superior moral and social structure within it.
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 character of justice.