the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands. He has excited domestic insurrections among us, and has endeavored 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 British 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 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 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 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 do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of the 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. JOHN HANCOCK, President of Congress, and Delegate from Massachusetts. New Hampshire. Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton. Massachusetts Bay. Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry. Rhode Island, &c. Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery. Connecticut. Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, Wil. liam Williams, Oliver Wolcott. New York. William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris. New Jersey. Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark. Pennsylvania. Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross. Delaware. Cæsar Rodney, George Read, 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 Lee, Carter Braxton. North Carolina. William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn. South Carolina. Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Arthur Middleton. Georgia. Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton. Attest, CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary. THE END, APPENDIX. Note to § 306, 307. By acts of congress of more recent date, the laws respecting navigation have been essentially modified. Vessels of the United States are now, in most, if not all cases, admitted into the ports of the United States, free of duty. And on proclamation being made by the president, that any foreign country no longer imposes duties on vessels of the United States, the like privilege shall be extended to the vessels of such foreign country. Note to § 312. The penalty mentioned in this section is incurred only when such person is employed, or admitted as a passenger, in a foreign port, and without a written permission from the proper officers of the country of which such person is a citizen. If the vessel be a public vessel, the forfeiture is one thousand dollars; if a private vessel, five hundred dollars. Note to § 353. It is required, further, that the sealed certificate of the clerk to any judicial proceeding be accompanied by a certificate of the judge before whom the proceeding was had, that the attestation of the clerk is in due form. The acts of a state legislature must have the seal of the state affixed to them, in order to be entitled to credit in another state. INDEX OF SUBJECTS, MOST OF WHICH ARE NOT FOUND IN THE The Numbers refer to the Sections. AMBASSADORS powers and duties of, 483; privileges of, 386; how appoint- ARISTOCRACY. defined, 34. APPOINTMENT of subordinate executive officers, how made, 91, 92, 479. BAIL, definition and objects of, 127: (See bailment.) BALL, excessive, prohibited by constitution, 576. BAILMENT, definition of, 654. BIGANY, definition of, 604; (See polygamy.) BILL, defined, 75; bills, how passed, 75-82; for raising revenue, originate BILLS of attainder, may not be passed, 432, 442, 448; defined, 433. BILLS of credit, states may not emit, 442; defined, 446. BODY politic, meaning of, 15. BRIBERY, what it is, 737; how punished, 740. BURGLARY, what it is, 731; how punished, 740. CAPITATION tax, 131; in what cases restricted by constitution, 434, 435. CARRIERS, how far liable for loss of property, 663, 664. CHARGE of affairs, duties and compensation of, 484. CENSUS, origin and meaning of, 208. CHARTER, definition of, 40. CHATTELS real, 640. CITIZENS, privileges of, secured in all the states, 533, 534. COMMUNITY, meaning of, 15. CONGRESS, Compensation of members, 253, 254; officers of, how chosen, 214. CONSTITUTION, signification of, 40; of United States, supreme law of the CONSULS, powers and duties of, 485; how appointed, 479. CONTRACTS, obligation of, may not be impaired, 442, 449. CORPORATION, definition of, 15. CORRUPTION of blood, abolished, 529; defined, 531. COUNTERFEITING, defined, 732: punishment of, 740. COURTS of justice, in states, different kinds of, 107-119. CUSTOMS, meaning of, 136. DEEDS and mortgages, nature of, 635-639. DEMOCRACY. definition of, 37, 38. DESPOTISM, defined, 32, 33. DUELLING, what constitutes the offence, and how punishable, 738. DUTIES, different kinds defined, 135, 136, 271, 274, 292, 293; must be equal ELECTION, by ballot and viva voce described, 53; majority and plurality, 54. EMBARGO, its meaning and constitutionality, 317. EMBEZZLING, definition and punishment of, 735, 740. ESTATES real, title to, how acquired and secured, 630-639. EX POST facto law, may not be passed, 432, 433, 442, 448. FEDERAL, meaning of the term, 179, 183. FORGERY, defined, 732; how punished, 740. FREEHOLDER, definition of, 56, 631. GIFTS, when valid, 643. HABEAS CORPUS, privileges of writ of secured, 430; meaning of, 431; writ HOMICIDE, defined, 728. IMPEACHMENT, and mode of trial, 105, 106, 229, 230, 231; what officers IMPOSTS, definition of, 136. INTERNAL improvements, power of congress concerning, 424, 425; effecta JUDGES, appointment and compensation of, 98, 102, 479, 509. JURISDICTION, defined, 107. JURY, trial by, secured, 122, 521, 522, 575. LARCENY, definition and punishment of, 734, 740. LIBEL and slander, 592-596 LIEN, general and particular, 668. MANSLAUGHTER, law concerning. 726, 727; how punished, 740. MARRIAGE, law relating to, 602-608. MILITIA, power of congress concerning, 403, 408. MINISTERS, public, appointment and duties of, 479, 480, 483-485. MONEY, cases of abundance and scarcity of, 907; quantity and value of, NEGATIVE, power of, absolute and qualified, defined, 80; utility of, 81, 82. NOBILITY, title of, may not be granted by United States, 440, 441. NOTARIES PUBLIC, duties of, 687, 688. OATH to support constitution to be taken, 473, 474, 556, 557. OLIGARCHY, definition of. 34. PARDON and reprieve, utility of power, 90. PARLIAMENT of Great Britain how constituted, 35. PASSPORTS, what, and when granted. 310. PERJURY, definition of, 736; punishment of, 740. PETITION, right of secured, 563. POLYGAMY, definition and punishment of, 604. PRICE, causes of the fluctuation of, 754, 906. PRODUCT, definition of, 755, 771. PROPERTY, manner of descent to heirs, 632-634. QUARANTINE, defined, and regulations concerning, 318. |