Page 17 - JM Teacher's Guide

JEFFERSON’S “ROUGH DRAUGHT”
COMMITTEE OF FIVE DRAFT
aries so as to render it at once an ex- ample and fit instrument for intro- ducing the same absolute rule into these colonies;
For taking away our charters, abol- ishing our most valuable laws, and fundamentally the forms of our gov- ernments,
For suspending our own legislatures and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever:
He has abdicated government here, with- drawing his governors, and declaring us out of his allegiance and protection.
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 com- plete the works of death, desolation and tyranny already begun with circum- stances of cruelty and perfidy unworthy the head of a civilized nation:
He has endeavored to bring on the in- habitants of our frontiers the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruc- tion of all ages, sexes, and conditions of existence.
He has incited treasonable insurrections of our fellow-citizens, with the allure- ments of forfeiture and confiscation of our property:
He has constrained others, taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the execution- ers of their friends and brethren, or to
SIGNED DECLARATION
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, abol- ishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legisla- tures, and declaring themselves in- vested 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 com- pleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circum- stances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civi- lized nation.
for taking away our charters, & alter- ing fundamentally the forms of our governments;
for suspending our own legislatures & declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever:
he has abdicated government here, with- drawing his governors, & declaring us out of his allegiance & protection:
he has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns & destroyed the lives of our people:
he is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to com- pleat the works of death, desolation & tyranny, already begun with circum- stances of cruelty & perfidy unworthy the head of a civilized nation:
he has endeavored to bring on the in- habitants of our frontiers the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruc- tion of all ages, sexes, & conditions of existence:
he has incited treasonable insurrections in our fellow-subjects, with the allure- ments of forfeiture & confiscation of our property:
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He has excited domestic insurrection among us, and has endeavoured 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 condi- tions.
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