—Famous Documents IV. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Cue (NZERS), Issue 16, 31 January 1945, Page 32

—Famous Documents IV. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

THE three documents looked upon as the most influential in human history ./are the United States Declaration of independence, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, and the Communist Manifesto. The United. States Declaration was the first to appear and was used by the French as a model for their Rights of Man. The principles were not new as John Locke, the English philosopher, had already published them in his book "Two Treaties of Government." The following are important extracts from the Declaration: — "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 Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they shouM declare the causes which hold these truths to be self-evident." "TFg hold these truths to be selfevident, that all' men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain ' alien able rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their first powers from the consent of those 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 bn such principles and organising its power in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence indeed will dictate that Governments long established shall 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 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.” ■• • • ' ' • . . ' " There then follows a lengthy list of grievances against the King (George III) ending with, the following declaration: "We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of :America, in the Name and by 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; "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 Honour." I The document was signed by representatives of the thirteen States then in existence — Virginia,. Massachusetts, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire; Connecticut and Rhode Island. For ioi years after its proclamation the Declaration had no permanent home. During its wanderings it found shelter in ten cities and five States, twice narrowly escaped destruction by fire, and in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 was nearly captured by the British. In 1894, when the text had been somewhat dimmed by more than 50 years’ exposure to light the documen was placed in a safe in the State Depar ment Library. Finally in 192 B it vias removed to ' the ‘Library of Congress where it is on permanent exhibition in a shrine specially constructed or preservation. /