mittee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration, the Declaration of Independence.

Ajourned to nine o'clock to-morrow.

THURSDAY, July 4, 1776.

Resolved, That application be made to the committee of safety of Pennsylvania for a supply of flints for the troops at New-York: and that Delaware government and Maryland, be requested to embody their militia for the flyingcamp, with all possible expedition, and to march them, without delay, to the city of Philadelphia.

Agreeable to the order of the day, the Congress resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to take into their farther consideration, the declaration; and after some time, the president resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, that the committee have agreed to a declaration, which they desired him to report.

The declaration being read, was agreed to as follows:

A Declaration

BY THE

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED.

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:

He has refused his assent to laws the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and, when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature; a right inestimable to them, and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing, with manly firmness, his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused, for a long time after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have return ed to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining, in the mean time, exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose, obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their of fices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in time of peace, standing armies, without the consent of our legislatures.

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 acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us :

For protecting them, by a mock trial, from punishment, 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 hand

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst 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 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.

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 Endependent 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 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.

The foregoing declaration was, by order of Congress, engrossed, and signed by the following members:

JOHN HANCOCK.

Benjamin Harrison,
Thomas Nelson, jun.
Francis Lightfoot Lec,.
Carter Braxton.
William Hooper,
Joseph Hewes,

John Penn.

Edward Rutledge,

Thomas Heyward, jun.

Robert Morris,

Benjamin Rush, ✔

South-Carolina,

Thomas Lynch, jun.

Pennsylvania,

Benjamin Franklin,

John Morton,

Button Gwinnett,

George Clymer,

James Smith,

Resolved, That copies of the declaration be sent to the several assemblies, conventions and committees, or councils of safety, and to the several com

manding officers of the continental troops; that it be proclaimed in each of the United States, and at the head of the army.

Ordered, That Mr. Morris and Mr. Hewes determine the hire of Mr. Walker's vessel, which was employed by commodore Hopkins in the service of the continent.

A letter of the 3d, from general Washington, was laid before Congress, and read:

Resolved, That the delegates of New-York, New-Jersey and Pennsylvania, be a committee to confer with the committee of safety of Pennsylvania, and the committee of inspection and observation for the city and liberties of Philadelphia, and the field officers of the battalions of the said city and liberties, on the best means of defending the colonies of New-Jersey and Pennsylvania; and that they be empowered to send expresses where necessary:

That the secret committee be instructed to order the flints belonging to the continent, and now at Rhode-Island, to be sent to the general at New York. Resolved, That Mr. Wisner be empowered to send a man, at the public expense, to Orange county, for a sample of flint-stone.

The Congress proceeded to the appointment of two commissioners for Indian affairs in the middle department; and, the ballots being taken,

Jasper Yates and John Montgomery, esqrs. were elected.

Ordered, That Dr. Franklin and Mr. Wilson inform the above named gentlemen of their appointment, and desire them to attend the treaty with the Indians at Pittsburg, on the day appointed; and also to appoint some persons to procure goods necessary for the Indians.

Resolved, That to-morrow be assigned for filling up the vacancies in the committee for Indian affairs.

Resolved, That the president be empowered to employ another private secretary.

Resolved, That the board of war be empowered to employ such a number of persons, as they shall find necessary, to manufacture flints for the continent; and, for this purpose, to apply to the respective assemblies, conventions and councils, or committees of safety of the United American States, or committees of inspection of the counties and towns thereunto belonging, for the names and places of abode of persons skilled in the manufactory aforesaid, and of the places, in their respective states, where the best flint-stones are to be obtained, with samples of the same.

Resolved, That an order for 3 dollars and 54-90ths, be drawn on the treasurers, in favor of the express, who brought the despatches from Trenton.

Resolved, That Dr. Franklin, Mr. J. Adams and Mr. Jefferson, be a committee, to prepare a device for a seal for the United States of America. Resolved, That the secret committee be directed to sell 25 lb. of power to John Garrison, of North-Carolina.

Adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow.

FRIDAY, July 5, 1776.

A letter from captain Crawford, a prisoner of the 26th regiment, was read, requesting leave to visit the prisoners in the several places where they are confined:

Resolved, That, in the present situation of affairs, such leave be not granted.
The committee on ways and means, brought in a report, which was read:
Ordered, To lie on the table.

The account and vouchers of Mr. Price being laid on the table,
Resolved, That they be referred for adjustment to the board of treasury.
The board of war brought in a report: Whereupon,

Resolved, That a regiment be raised out of the officers who served in Canada, on the same terms on which the regiment, to be commanded by colonel Dubois,

}

is to be raised; and that the following persons be appointed officers of the said regiment:

Seth Warner, colonel :

Samuel Safford, lieutenant-colonel:

Elisha Painter, major:

Wait Hopkins, John Grant, Gideon Brownson, Abiather Angel, Simeon

Smith, Joshua Stanton,

Allen, Fusset,

Seely, Jacob Vorsboroug, captains; John Walbridge, Deane, James Gold,

Sill,

Ebenezer Hide, Gamaliel Painter, first lieutenants;
Ebenezer Beaumont, adjutant.

Resolved, That the president write to governor Cooke, requesting him to order fifty ship-carpenters to be engaged, on the best terms, at the expense of the continent, and sent to general Schuyler at Albany, as soon as possible, in order to build vessels for the defence of the lakes.

The committee of Congress, appointed to confer with the committee of safety of Pennsylvania, the committee of inspection and observation for the city and liberties of Philadelphia, and the field-officers of the five battalions of the said city, reported, that they have had a meeting with the committees and officers aforesaid, and have agreed to the following resolutions, viz.

That all the associated militia of Pennsylvania, (excepting the counties of Westmoreland, Bedford and Northumberland) who can be furnished with arms and accoutrements, be forthwith requested to march, with the utmost expedidition, to Trenton, (except the militia of Northampton county, who are to march directly for New-Brunswick) in New-Jersey; and that the said militia continue in service, until the flying-camp, of ten thousand men, can be collected to relieve them, unless they shall be sooner discharged by Congress : That the militia march by companies to the place of rendezvous:

That the said militia be taken into the continental pay, and receive the same pay, allowances and rations, as the continental troops, from the time they begin their march, until they return to their respective homes:

That those of the three battalions of the Pennsylvania troops, now remaining in the province, be ordered to march immediately for New-Brunswick, in New-Jersey:

That the committee of safety of Pennsylvania provide as many tents as they can for said militia :

That the committees of inspection and observation, in the several counties, furnish a good kettle to every six men, and give all the assistance in their power, that the said militia be well armed and equipped, and march with the greatest expedition:

That the committees of inspection for the several counties of Pennsylvania, be desired to order such troops as they may raise for the flying-camp, to be marched to Trenton; the resolve of Congress passed yesterday notwithstanding; Whereupon,

Resolved, That this Congress highly approve the foregoing resolutions, and recommend it to the good people of Pennsylvania, to carry the same into execution with the same laudable readiness, which they have hitherto manifested in supporting the injured rights of their country.

Resolved, That colonel Hazlet, of the battalion in Delaware government, be ordered to station one company at Lewistown, and to march the remaining seven to Wilmington, and there remain until farther orders of this Congress. Resolved, That the commissioners for Indian affairs in the southern department, while on actual service, receive four dollars a-day.

The committee on the treasury reported, that there is due,

To John Walker, esq. one of the commissioners of Indian affairs in the southern department, the sum of 869 67-90 dollars, for several horses, a wagon and geers, and expenses in travelling 2500 miles..