Originally posted by se portland on 09/02/07
As a class project fifth grader Cecile Lipscomb submitted a Freedom of Information request to the White House for a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Now 17, Cecile shared with me the document he just now received.
View my reconstruction of the heavily redacted Declaration of Independence Cecile finally got from the White House below the fold.
[cross posted at Daily Kos]
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to assume among the powers of the earth, the Laws of God requires that they should
We hold these truths to be self-evident, their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are to secure these rights, Governments are instituted – That whenever Government becomes the Right and to institute Government, laying its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and to provide new Guards for their future security. – Such has been Systems of Government. The history of the present is a history of repeated Facts submitted to a candid world.
Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, to attend to them.
pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people,
He has called together legislative bodies purpose compliance with his measures.
He has manly firmness
He has to be elected, exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners;
He has Administration of Justice by Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges
He has erected a multitude substance.
He has kept Standing Armies with the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected the Military superior Power.
He has combined a jurisdiction to our constitution, and acknowledged by our laws; giving Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For armed troops
For protecting the Inhabitants of these States:
For our Trade with all parts of the world:
with our Consent:
For transporting us beyond Seas
For the free System of Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein a government, so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument
For our most valuable Laws fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
invested with power in all cases
He has by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has our seas, our coasts, our towns, and the lives of our people.
He is Head of a civilized nation.
our fellow Citizens become their friends and Brethren,
excited domestic insurrections amongst us, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage whose character is thus marked by every act which may define the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend a warrantable jurisdiction . We have reminded them of the circumstances of our justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred They too have the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, War,
We, therefore, do, declare, Allegiance to the State ought to be total and have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. - with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,
