DECLARATION- OF INDEPENDENCE?
IN VERSE.
FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS.
BY A LADY OF CHARLESTON.
PRICE 12k CENTS.
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(jHjaiiestoir.
PRINTED BY J. S. BURGES, 183 KING'ST.
1834.
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,
IN VERSE.
When in the course of human events,
The political aspect some blemish presents,
That induces one people those bands to dissolve,
4 Which their interests with those of another involve:
Equal station to gain 'mid the powers of earth,
And assert Independence, man's boon from his birth;
A privilege Nature and God have conferred,
8 And apostates from these could alone have transferred;
Respect to opinions received by mankind,
Require that motives for this be assigned.
These self-evident truths we now seek to enforce,
12 By reason derived from a heavenly source:
That all men are gifted with equalized right;
And that liberty, life, the pursuit of delight,
Are among the endowments none dare alienate,
16 Till corruption has caused moral sense to stagnate.
These potent advantages best to secure,
Institutions are formed upon models most pure:
And men by a popular, free, delegation,
20 Are vested with powers of fair legislation.
4
Where the will of the governed each act regulates
That sovereign source whence all rule emanates.
That whate'er to destroy this wise policy tends,
24 Or baffle its glorious and virtuous ends,
The voice of the people alone shall advise,
To abolish, amend, or re-organize,
On such new foundations and principles pure,
28 As their safety and happiness best may ensure.
Discretion indeed will direct us to pause,
Nor perhaps for some transient or frivolous cause,
To alter establishments hallowed by age!
32 Experience, (that touchstone of savage and sage)
Declares that mankind would prefer tolerating
Abuses long suffered, than by innovating
Incur the rash hazard of evils untried,
36 Which habit ne'er fostered, or time sanctified.
But a period arises when public opinion,
Fulminates its decree 'gainst despotic dominion.
When duty and right their joint energies blend,
40 Against usurpation and pride to contend.
Such was the forbearance till now exercised,
Such the haughty assumption that must be chastised.
To the^history of Britain's great monarch appeal,
44 Its pages a series of wrongs will reveal.
One object with steadfast design they maintain
In the bonds of a Tyrant—the brave to restrain.
To prove this allegement as candor exacts,
48 We submit to the world these consecutive facts:
From statutes best framed for the general weal,
He withheld confirmation by sign or by seal.
o
Commanding his viceroys all laws to suspend,
52 Till his royal intentions, they first comprehend.
Delaying the while upon puerile pleas,
To convey his consent to Colonial decrees.
Large districts of people must lack legislation,
56 If they cede not their just right of representation.
A right that oppressors alone would denounce,
A privilege freemen can never renounce.
Legislative assemblies he fain must locate,
60 At places remote from the records of State,
For the sinister purpose of softening defiance,
By fatiguing refractory souls to compliance.
Representative houses he often dissolved,
64 When men on resistance, seemed firmly resolved.
After such dissolution refusing to send,
New writs of election—which could not but tend
To plunge the whole State into civil commotion,
68 Without chart or pole-star on faction's wild ocean.
For as nothing those powers can ever annihilate,
On the people at large it devolves then to legislate^-
A perilous crisis, when foreign invasion,
72 And internal strife at once menaced the nation.
Arbitrarily too, he has checked population,
By obstructing the laws for naturalization.
And by raising the terms for the tenure ot land,
76 Impeded migration from each distant strand.
His assent was refused for establishing laws,
Whence Justice her minist'ring agency draws.
Conferring judicial appointments alone,
80 On such as consulted no will but his own.
6
Who deriving emolument but from his gift,
Make forensic construction speed royalty's drift.
Swarms of officers, late to this country have hied,
84 By his Majesty's policy thus multiplied,
To harass our people, their substance destroy,
And by various devices their peace to annoy.
Standing armies are kept e'en when concord prevails,
88 Legislative protests, against this nought avails.
He affects to make civil authority bend,
And belligerent powers its virtue transcend.
A new jurisdiction he sought to impose,
92 Which law, constitution, and freedom oppose.
With others in treacherous, base combination,
Assenting to measures of feigned legislation.
For quartering among us an armed, martial host,
96 Who for murderous acts could impunity boast.
Cutting off our commerce with each foreign nation:
Imposing upon us a grievous taxation:
In some cases, trial by jury suspended:
100 Transported beyond seas for trespass pretended.
For the free, English system of laws substituting,
In a neighbouring province a code constituting,
A model at once and subservient tool
104 For here introducing unlimited rule.
Our charters and most precious statutes destroying,
With Tyranny's ore, freedom's metal alloying.
For suspending our sessions and boldly attempting,
108 To legislate for us, no cases exempting.
Abdicating his government here by declaring,
Protection abandoned, and purpose of warring.
4
Our coasts have been ravaged, our cities consumed,
112 Our seas widely plundered, our people death-doomed.
Even now are his barks mercenaries transporting,
Who with ruin and carnage forever are sporting,
To complete works of perfidy, death, desolation,
116 Unworthy the head of a civilized nation.
Compatriots made captive upon the high seas,
Were constrained to bear arms e'en against the strong
pleas,
Of conscience and country, of friends and of broth¬
ers,
120 Or fall by the ruthless inflictions of others.
Insurgent hostility he has excited,
The frontier-foe also his bribes have invited,
Though conscious that savage ferocity stains,
124 Its weapon with gore from the loveliest veins.
Petitioning still in each stage of oppression,
Our plaints were but answered by some new aggres¬
sion.
A prince by each act thus a despot defined,
128 Cannot rule a proud people by freedom refined.
Our brethren in Britain we failed not to warn,
Against such jurisdiction as roused our scorn.
We reminded them oft of the things that impel,
132 Aspiring spirits in forests to dwell.
And appealed to their justice and famed magnanimity.
Conjuring them still by each bond of affinity,
To disavow nobly these vile usurpations,
136 So adverse to recent pacific relations.
8
They also have turned from affection's appeal,
To fraternal divorce thus affixing the seal.
In this painful necessity we acquiesce,
140 In war hold them enemies—friends but in peace.
Representatives therefore, of these Federal States,
Appealing to God, from whom truth emanates,
For the rectitude of our general intention,
144 In the presence of this independent convention,
By the people's authority and in their name
Do solemnly publish, declare, and proclaim
That these Colonies are and of right ought to he
148 United, unshackled forever and free!
Thus sev'ring the links of allegiance and loyalty.
That fastened the yoke of infatuate royalty,
And as such have the right to perform any act,
152 Levy war, conclude peace, or alliance contract,
In commerce engage and adopt any measure,
These States may in future determine at pleasure.
In support of this fearless and firm declaration
With reliance that Providence shields this young na¬
tion,
158 We pledge, while imploring its blessing upon her,
Our lives, our fortunes, our most sacred honor.