WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF
EVIDENT; THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED
EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY
THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN INALIEN-
ABLE RIGHTS. AMONG THESE ARE LIFE,
LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
THAT TO SECURE THESE RIGHTS GOVERN-
MENTS ARE INSTITUTED AMONG MEN. WE
SOLEMNLY PUBLISH AND DECLARE THAT
THESE COLONIES ARE AND OF RIGHT OUGHT
TO BE FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES
.....AND FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS
DECLARATION. WITH A FIRM RELIANCE
ON THE PROTECTION OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE,
WE MUTUALLY PLEDGE OUR LIVES, OUR
FORTUNES AND OUR SACRED HONOR. 
3
* * *
ALMIGHTY GOD HATH CREATED THE MIND
FREE. ALL ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE IT
BY TEMPORAL PUNISHMENTS OR BURDENS
ARE A DEPARTURE FROM THE PLAN OF
THE HOLY AUTHOR OF OUR RELIGION.....
NO MAN SHALL BE COMPELLED TO FRE-
QUENT OR SUPPORT ANY RELIGIOUS WOR-
SHIP OR MINISTRY OR SHALL OTHERWISE
SUFFER ON ACCOUNT OF HIS RELIGIOUS
OPINIONS OR BELIEF. BUT ALL MEN SHALL
BE FREE TO PROFESS AND BY ARGUMENT
TO MAINTAIN THEIR OPINIONS IN MATTERS
OF RELIGION. I KNOW BUT ONE CODE OF
RALITY FOR MEN WHETHER ACTING
SINGLY OR COLLECTIVELY. 4
* * *
GOD WHO GAVE US LIFE GIVE US LIBERTY.
CAN THE LIBERTIES OF A NATION BE
SECURE WHEN WE HAVE REMOVED A CON-
VICTION THAT THESE LIBERTIES ARE THE
GIFT OF GOD? INDEED I TREMBLE FOR
MY COUNTRY WHEN I REFLECT THAT GOD
IS JUST, THAT HIS JUSTICE CANNOT SLEEP
FOREVER. COMMERCE BETWEEN MASTER
AND SLAVE IS DESPOTISM. NOTHING IS
MORE CERTAINLY WRITTEN IN THE BOOK
OF FATE THAN THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE
TO BE FREE. ESTABLISH THE LAW FOR
EDUCATION THE COMMON PEOPLE. THIS
IT IS THE BUSINESS OF THE STATE TO
EFFECT AND ON A GENERAL PLAN. 5
* * *
I AM NOT AN ADVOCATE FOR FREQUENT
CHANGES IN LAWS AND CONSTITUTIONS.
BUT LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS MUST GO
HAND IN HAND WITH THE PROGRESS OF
THE HUMAN MIND, AS THAT BECOMES
MORE DEVELOPED, MORE ENLIGHTENED,
AS NEW DISCOVERIES ARE MADE, NEW
TRUTHS DISCOVERED AND MANNERS AND
OPINIONS CHANGE. WITH THE CHANGE
OF CIRCUMSTANCES, INSTITUTIONS MUST
ADVANCE ALSO TO KEEP PACE WITH THE
TIMES. WE MIGHT AS WELL REQUIRE A
MAN TO WEAR STILL THE COAT WHICH
FITTED HIM WHEN A BOY AS CIVILIZED
SOCIETY TO REMAIN EVER UNDER THE
REGIMEN OF THEIR BARBAROUS ANCESTORS. 6
