We therefore the representatives We, therefore, the of the United States of representatives of the United America in General Congress States of America in General assembled, do in the name, and Congress assembled, appealing to by the authority of the good the supreme judge of the world people of these [_states reject for the rectitude of our and renounce all allegiance and intentions, do in the name, and subjection to the kings of Great by the authority of the good Britain and all others who may people of these colonies, hereafter claim by, through or solemnly publish and declare, under them; we utterly dissolve that these united colonies are, all political connection which and of right ought to be free may heretofore have subsisted and independent states; that between us and the people or they are absolved from all parliament of Great Britain: allegiance to the British crown, and finally we do assert and and that all political declare these colonies to be connection between them and the free and independent states_,] state of Great Britain is, and and that as free and independent ought to be, totally dissolved, states, they have full power to and that as free and independent levy war, conclude peace, states, they have full power to contract alliances, establish levy war, conclude peace, commerce, and to do all other contract alliances, establish acts and things which commerce, and to do all other independent states may of right acts and things which do. independent states may of right do.
And for the support of this And for the support of this declaration, we mutually pledge declaration, with a firm to each other our lives, our reliance on the protection of fortunes, and our sacred honor. divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.
The Declaration thus signed on the 4th, on paper, was engrossed on parchment, and signed again on the 2d of August.
[Some erroneous statements of the proceedings on the Declaration of Independence having got before the public in latter times, Mr. Samuel A. Wells asked explanations of me, which are given in my letter to him of May 12, '19, before and now again referred to.[11] I took notes in my place while these things were going on, and at their close wrote them out in form and with correctness, and from 1 to 7 of the two preceding sheets, are the originals then written; as the two following are of the earlier debates on the Confederation, which I took in like manner.[12]]