Words That Sing Through History: The Declaration Of Independence

Here you will find the link to a transcription of the Declaration of Independence of the United States.

It's always a good thing to review these words from time to time, just to keep them fresh in one's mind. OldSouth offers them in the hope that they will be read slowly and deliberately. Thomas Jefferson did not mince words, each one was carefully chosen. In Jefferson's world, words were serious things, and each had meaning.

It was an announcement, to be sure, but also as an explanation, an appeal to reason, a plea for support from the rest of the world. The signers knew that they were in uncharted waters, committing treason against the Crown, so a careful explanation was in order.

(OS has taken the liberty of formatting the copy for ease of reading.)

It's the opening of the second paragraph that sings through history:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and 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 to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing 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 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 right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Words have meaning. Well-crafted words, crafted to be read in public, have a peculiar power.

If you have ever been in a crowd of people on July 4, and heard these words decalimed verbatim, you probably have sensed that collective sense of awe that so often asserts itself on the occasion. Some twenty-two years ago, on one hot July 4, OldSouth, a much younger man, stood in a crowd, heard these words, sensed that a whole lot more was possible in his life than he had perhaps suspected. He decided to take action to live out those possibilities, because it was just not going to be possible for the present state of affairs to continue. It had become a matter of life-or-death, change-or-die in 1988, just like in 1776. The details don't matter, but the decision led a war of sorts in his world, and a new life built out of the ashes. It wasn't pleasant, it wasn't pretty, but all OS now has and is flows from that decision. He owes Mr. Jefferson a real debt.

The final paragraph has a power of its own. It is the definition of freedom itself.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, 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;

that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved;

and that as Free and Independent States, they 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.

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 Honor.


A most happy Fourth of July, wherever you are in the world.