30

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE .

would inevitably interrupt our connexions and correspondence. They too havebeen deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity. We must, therefore, ac-quiesce in the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them, as wehold the rest of mankind—enemies in war, in peace friends.

Declaration W E, therefore, the representatives of the United States of Anteri-or indepen- C a, in general congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge ofe c ' the world, for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and bythe authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and de-The colo- c * are > that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, freenies absolve and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance toftonTtheir the British crown, and that all political connexion between them andallegiance, the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved;

c ' and that, as free and independent states, they have full power to levywar, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all otheracts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the sup-Mutuai P ort this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Di-piedge of vine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our for-fiddny. tuneSj anc j our sacre( j honor.

The foregoing declaration was, by order of congress, engrossed and signedby the following members :

New Hampshire .JOSIAH BARTLETT ,WILLIAM WHIPPLE,MATTHEW THORNTON.

JOHN HANCOCK .

GEORGE TAYLOR,

JAMES WILSON,

GEORGE ROSS.

Delaware .

Massachusetts-Bay .SAMUEL ADAMS ,

JOHN ADAMS ,

ROBERT TREAT PAINE ,ELBRIDGE GERRY .

Rhode Island , &c.STEPHEN HOPKINS ,WILLIAM ELLERY .

Connecticut .

ROGER SHERMAN ,SAMUEL HUNTINGTON,WILLIAM WILLIAMS ,OLIVER WOLCOTT .

New York .

WILLIAM FLOYD,PHILIP LIVINGSTON ,FRANCIS LEWIS,

LEWIS MORRIS.

CESAR RODNEY,

GEORGE REED,

THOMAS M’KEAN.

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 LEECARTER BRAXTON .

North Carolina .

New Jersey .

RICHARD STOCKTON,JOHN WITHERSPOON,FRANCIS HOPKINSON ,JOHN HART,ABRAHAM CLARKE.

Pennsylvania .ROBERT MORRIS ,BENJAMIN RUSH ,BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ,JOHN MORTON,GEORGE CLYMER,JAMES SMITH,

WILLIAM HOOPER ,JOSEPH HEWES ,

JOHN PENN.

South Carolina .EDWARD RUTLEDGE ,THOMAS HEYWARD, Jr.THOMAS LYNCH , Jr.ARTHUR MIDDLETON.Georgia .

BURTON GWINNETT,LYMAN HALL .

GEORGE WALTON .