autobiography-第4部分

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o；　since　which　the　face　of　affairs　has　totally　changed：

　　　　　　　　That　within　that　time　it　had　become　apparent　that　Britain　was　determined　to　accept　nothing　less　than　a　carte…blanche；　and　that　the　King's　answer　to　the　Lord　Mayor　Aldermen　&　common　council　of　London；　which　had　come　to　hand　four　days　ago；　must　have　satisfied　every　one　of　this　point：

　　　　　　　　That　the　people　wait　for　us　to　lead　the　way：

　　　　　　　　That　_they_　are　in　favour　of　the　measure；　tho'　the　instructions　given　by　some　of　their　_representatives_　are　not：

　　　　　　　　That　the　voice　of　the　representatives　is　not　always　consonant　with　the　voice　of　the　people；　and　that　this　is　remarkably　the　case　in　these　middle　colonies：

　　　　　　　　That　the　effect　of　the　resolution　of　the　15th　of　May　has　proved　this；　which；　raising　the　murmurs　of　some　in　the　colonies　of　Pennsylvania　&　Maryland；　called　forth　the　opposing　voice　of　the　freer　part　of　the　people；　&　proved　them　to　be　the　majority；　even　in　these　colonies：

　　　　　　　　That　the　backwardness　of　these　two　colonies　might　be　ascribed　partly　to　the　influence　of　proprietary　power　&　connections；　&　partly　to　their　having　not　yet　been　attacked　by　the　enemy：

　　　　　　　　That　these　causes　were　not　likely　to　be　soon　removed；　as　there　seemed　no　probability　that　the　enemy　would　make　either　of　these　the　seat　of　this　summer's　war：

　　　　　　　　That　it　would　be　vain　to　wait　either　weeks　or　months　for　perfect　unanimity；　since　it　was　impossible　that　all　men　should　ever　become　of　one　sentiment　on　any　question：

　　　　　　　　That　the　conduct　of　some　colonies　from　the　beginning　of　this　contest；　had　given　reason　to　suspect　it　was　their　settled　policy　to　keep　in　the　rear　of　the　confederacy；　that　their　particular　prospect　might　be　better；　even　in　the　worst　event：

　　　　　　　　That　therefore　it　was　necessary　for　those　colonies　who　had　thrown　themselves　forward　&　hazarded　all　from　the　beginning；　to　come　forward　now　also；　and　put　all　again　to　their　own　hazard：

　　　　　　　　That　the　history　of　the　Dutch　revolution；　of　whom　three　states　only　confederated　at　first　proved　that　a　secession　of　some　colonies　would　not　be　so　dangerous　as　some　apprehended：

　　　　　　　　That　a　declaration　of　Independence　alone　could　render　it　consistent　with　European　delicacy　for　European　powers　to　treat　with　us；　or　even　to　receive　an　Ambassador　from　us：

　　　　　　　　That　till　this　they　would　not　receive　our　vessels　into　their　ports；　nor　acknowledge　the　adjudications　of　our　courts　of　admiralty　to　be　legitimate；　in　cases　of　capture　of　British　vessels：

　　　　　　　　That　though　France　&　Spain　may　be　jealous　of　our　rising　power；　they　must　think　it　will　be　much　more　formidable　with　the　addition　of　Great　Britain；　and　will　therefore　see　it　their　interest　to　prevent　a　coalition；　but　should　they　refuse；　we　shall　be　but　where　we　are；　whereas　without　trying　we　shall　never　know　whether　they　will　aid　us　or　not：

　　　　　　　　That　the　present　campaign　may　be　unsuccessful；　&　therefore　we　had　better　propose　an　alliance　while　our　affairs　wear　a　hopeful　aspect：

　　　　　　　　That　to　await　the　event　of　this　campaign　will　certainly　work　delay；　because　during　this　summer　France　may　assist　us　effectually　by　cutting　off　those　supplies　of　provisions　from　England　&　Ireland　on　which　the　enemy's　armies　here　are　to　depend；　or　by　setting　in　motion　the　great　power　they　have　collected　in　the　West　Indies；　&　calling　our　enemy　to　the　defence　of　the　possessions　they　have　there：

　　　　　　　　That　it　would　be　idle　to　lose　time　in　settling　the　terms　of　alliance；　till　we　had　first　determined　we　would　enter　into　alliance：

　　　　　　　　That　it　is　necessary　to　lose　no　time　in　opening　a　trade　for　our　people；　who　will　want　clothes；　and　will　want　money　too　for　the　paiment　of　taxes：

　　　　　　　　And　that　the　only　misfortune　is　that　we　did　not　enter　into　alliance　with　France　six　months　sooner；　as　besides　opening　their　ports　for　the　vent　of　our　last　year's　produce；　they　might　have　marched　an　army　into　Germany　and　prevented　the　petty　princes　there　from　selling　their　unhappy　subjects　to　subdue　us。

　　　　　　　　It　appearing　in　the　course　of　these　debates　that　the　colonies　of　N。　York；　New　Jersey；　Pennsylvania；　Delaware；　Maryland；　and　South　Carolina　were　not　yet　matured　for　falling　from　the　parent　stem；　but　that　they　were　fast　advancing　to　that　state；　it　was　thought　most　prudent　to　wait　a　while　for　them；　and　to　postpone　the　final　decision　to　July　1。　but　that　this　might　occasion　as　little　delay　as　possible　a　committee　was　appointed　to　prepare　a　declaration　of　independence。　The　commee　were　J。　Adams；　Dr。　Franklin；　Roger　Sherman；　Robert　R。　Livingston　&　myself。　　Committees　were　also　appointed　at　the　same　time　to　prepare　a　plan　of　confederation　for　the　colonies；　and　to　state　the　terms　proper　to　be　proposed　for　foreign　alliance。　　The　committee　for　drawing　the　declaration　of　Independence　desired　me　to　do　it。　　It　was　accordingly　done；　and　being　approved　by　them；　I　reported　it　to　the　house　on　Friday　the　28th　of　June　when　it　was　read　and　ordered　to　lie　on　the　table。　　On　Monday；　the　1st　of　July　the　house　resolved　itself　into　a　commee　of　the　whole　&　resumed　the　consideration　of　the　original　motion　made　by　the　delegates　of　Virginia；　which　being　again　debated　through　the　day；　was　carried　in　the　affirmative　by　the　votes　of　N。　Hampshire；　Connecticut；　Massachusetts；　Rhode　Island；　N。　Jersey；　Maryland；　Virginia；　N。　Carolina；　&　Georgia。　　S。　Carolina　and　Pennsylvania　voted　against　it。　　Delaware　having　but　two　members　present；　they　were　divided。　　The　delegates　for　New　York　declared　they　were　for　it　themselves　&　were　assured　their　constituents　were　for　it；　but　that　their　instructions　having　been　drawn　near　a　twelvemonth　before；　when　reconciliation　was　still　the　general　object；　they　were　enjoined　by　them　to　do　nothing　which　should　impede　that　object。　　They　therefore　thought　themselves　not　justifiable　in　voting　on　either　side；　and　asked　leave　to　withdraw　from　the　question；　which　was　given　them。　　The　commee　rose　&　reported　their　resolution　to　the　house。　　Mr。　Edward　Rutledge　of　S。　Carolina　then　requested　the　determination　might　be　put　off　to　the　next　day；　as　he　believed　his　colleagues；　tho'　they　disapproved　of　the　resolution；　would　then　join　in　it　for　the　sake　of　unanimity。　　The　ultimate　question　whether　the　house　would　agree　to　the　resolution　of　the　committee　was　accordingly　postponed　to　the　next　day；　when　it　was　again　moved　and　S。　Carolina　concurred　in　voting　for　it。　　In　the　meantime　a　third　member　had　come　post　from　the　Delaware　counties　and　turned　the　vote　of　that　colony　in　favour　of　the　resolution。　　Members　of　a　different　sentiment　attending　that　morning　from　Pennsylvania　also；　their　vote　was　changed；　so　that　the　whole　12　colonies　who　were　authorized　to　vote　at　all；　gave　their　voices　for　it；　and　within　a　few　days；　the　convention　of　N。　York　approved　of　it　and　thus　supplied　the　void　occasioned　by　the　withdrawing　of　her　delegates　from　the　vote。

　　　　　　　　Congress　proceeded　the　same　day　to　consider　the　declaration　of　Independance　which　had　been　reported　&　lain　on　the　table　the　Friday　preceding；　and　on　Monday　referred　to　a　commee　of　the　whole。　　The　pusillanimous　idea　that　we　had　friends　in　England　worth　keeping　terms　with；　still　haunted　the　minds　of　many。　　For　this　reason　those　passages　which　conveyed　censures　on　the　people　of　England　were　struck　out；　lest　they　should　give　them　offence。　　The　clause　too；　reprobating　the　enslaving　the　inhabitants　of　Africa；　was　struck　out　in　complaisance　to　South　Carolina　and　Georgia；　who　had　never　attempted　to　restrain　the　importation　of　slaves；　and　who　on　the　contrary　still　wished　to　continue　it。　　Our　northern　brethren　also　I　believe　felt　a　little　tender　under　those　censures；　for　tho'　their　people　have　very　few　slaves　themselves　yet　they　had　been　pretty　considerable　carriers　of　them　to　others。　　The　debates　having　taken　up　the　greater　parts　of　the　2d　3d　&　4th　days　of　July　were；　in　the　evening　of　the　last；　closed　the　declaration　was　reported　by　the　commee；　agreed　to　by　the　house　and　signed　by　every　member　present　except　Mr。　Dickinson。　　As　the　sentiments　of　men　are　known　not　only　by　what　they　receive；　but　what　they　reject　also；　I　will　state　the　form　of　the　declaration　as　originally　reported。　　The　parts　struck　out　by　Congress　shall　be　distinguished　by　a　black　line　drawn　under　them；　&　those　inserted　by　them　shall　be　placed　in　the　margin　or　in　a　concurrent　column。

　　　　　　　　　　A　Declaration　by　the　Representatives　of　the　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　United　States　of　America；　in　General　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　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　&　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　*inherent　and*　＇certain＇　inalienable　rights；　that　among　these　are　life；　liberty；　&　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　abolish　it；　&　to　institute　new　government；　laying　it's　foundation　on　such　principles；　&　organizing　it's　powers　in　such　form；　as　to　them　shall　seem　most　likely　to　effect　their　safety　&　happiness。　Prudence　indeed　will　dictate　that　governments　long　established　should　not　be　changed　for　light　&　transient　causes；　and　accordingly　all　experience　hath　shown　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　&　usurpations　*begun　at　a　distinguished　period　and*　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；　&　to　provide　new　guards　for　their　future　security。　Such　has　been　the　patient　sufferance　of　these　colonies；　&　such　is　now　the　necessity　which　constrain