By: Kurt Feigel – Chairman

Campbell County Republican Committee

When most families realizes they are taking in less than they are sending out, they must step back and ask “What Now?” This seems to be an impossibility for most government officials. Those that are tasked with representing the people of their district, can quickly forget that and begin to see the people’s money as their own.

It’s happening in D.C. so why not here too? Well for one thing we don’t have a printing press. Campbell county can’t just make more money out of thin air.

So the solution? Well, if you are the majority of the County Supervisors( Pendelton(R), Falwell(R), Goldsmith(R), Puckett(R),Gunter(I), & Shockley(I) ) it is to institute a meals and occupancy tax. Effectively increasing your taxes to 9% when getting that cup of coffee, McDonald’s breakfast, or whatever else you might buy when eating out.

In a recent News and Advance article they stated that:

The funding gap is expected to grow to $7.5 million in fiscal 2013-2014.

The decline in state revenue for public education is going to be so significant,” said County Administrator David Laurrell, “that without a significant source of additional revenue, public education is going to suffer.

There it is folks. The old standy plea “IT’S FOR THE CHILDREN”. The “we need the money” approach was rejected by 75% of the voters, so now that the schools and the state got addicted to federal stimulus money they can’t conceive of cutting programs across the board and certainly not in the schools.

There have been months when our family could barely pay the rent. There was no choice but to STOP SPENDING. We had to cut all the fun out of our budget for a time to make things work. We didn’t get to go to Chic-Fil-A or Starbucks and all trips were canceled. Our solution wasn’t to knock on our neighbors door and put a gun to their head. I could have said to my neighbor “hey it’s for the children” but would that really have mattered? Theft, and certainly armed theft, is still theft.

Make no mistake. If the meals tax is instituted, it will NEVER go away. It will likely increase. Take the City of Lynchburg for example with their 11.5% meals tax, the highest in the nation. It was sold as a plan “for the children” and “for the roads” and what do we hear constantly from the City of Lynchburg? That they need more! Drive around the city and see if they’ve used the money for the roads. Or the schools for that matter.

You are being lied to and you know it!

This is why elections have consequences. It’s a shame that the Eddie Gunter and Steve Shockley, the so called “Independent Conservatives” who left the Republican Party have within only 2 months become tax and spend liberals.

It’s equally shameful that the candidates who still carry the Republican mantle. Who swore to uphold the Republican creed that contains this; “That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government” Can’t uphold that creed.

I condemn the Campbell County Supervisory board for this latest attempt to fleece the citizens of the county. It won’t be the people “passing through” as they claim. But, will in fact, be all of us paying this bill.

There is a simple solution. It is painful. It is a reality that every family in Campbell County is facing right now. CUT spending!

The next meeting of the BOS is Tuesday February 7, 2012 at 4 P.M. You need to make your voice heard.

http://www.co.campbell.va.us/bos/Pages/agendas_minutes.aspx

This past Tuesday his father died.

On behalf of the LTP I want to extend our heartfelt condolences and prayers for Tom and his Family.

I’m acutely aware of the impact a father has on a son and Tom’s solid character are a good indication of the kind of man his Father was.

Kurt Feigel

LTP President

Thomas Alexander Garrett, Sr., 67, of Scottsville, VA, joined his heavenly Father on Tuesday, December 13, 2011. Tom was born January 14, 1944, in Williamsburg, Virginia to Thomas Clarke Garrett and Mary Carolyn Harris Garrett.
Tom earned a degree from the E. Claiborne Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond in 1966, where he was also a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He joined the National Guard, trained at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and served during the Vietnam War. Tom was a lifelong supporter of athletics at the University of Richmond and was an avid Spider fan. He had a great love for the outdoors. Tom enjoyed bird and fowl hunting and was an accomplished dog trainer and lover. He faithfully walked miles, with his dogs by his side, every morning for more than twenty years. He was an active member of the Louisa Rotary Club.
Tom was a man of great character, which made him successful in several lines of business. He enjoyed a career with Bethlehem Steel Corporation, while living in Atlanta, Georgia and Signal Mountain, Tennessee. After retiring from Bethlehem Steel, he and his family returned to Louisa County, Virginia where he enjoyed a second career, specializing in rural properties of Central Virginia.
Members of Louisa United Methodist Church, the Garretts regularly attended Gilboa Christian Church and Scottsville United Methodist Church, as well.
Tom is survived by his devoted wife Lois T. Garrett, his daughter Paige Garrett Delbridge and her husband Dudley Delbridge, his son Senator-elect Thomas Alexander Garrett, Jr., and Dana Garrett, his brother Frank C. Garrett and his wife Georgia Garrett, and his grandchildren Carolyn Garrett, Abigail Delbridge, Emma Delbridge, Laura Garrett, Rett Delbridge, Ian Delbridge and Luke Delbridge. He is also survived by his nephews Dr. Clarke Garrett, Randy Troutman, and Chris Troutman, and nieces Suzanne G. Ryder, and Dr. Linda T. Zellows and many in his extended family.
Visitation with his family will be held on Friday, December 16, 3pm to 6pm, at Louisa United Methodist Church, in the Town of Louisa. A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, December 17, at the Louisa United Methodist Church, at 11 am. Interment will be at Hillside Cemetery, west of the Town of Louisa.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Tom’s honor to Louisa Young Life, P. O. Box 1990 Louisa, VA 23093 or to Gilboa Christian Church, Rebuilding Fund, c/o Joe Leslie, 30 Ebenezer Road, Mineral VA 23117.

As a Tea Partier it has bothered me that we should jump through so many government mandated hoops to hold a protest. Should we allow them to place absurd conditions upon us with the potential and real possibility that we might not hold our protests? I know of at least 2 instances where we’ve canceled the idea of doing something because it was too expensive. At one event in Lynchburg we were required to pay more than $800 to hold an event. We had to pay for 2 portable toilets and hire off duty police (as if that was needed being that 1/3rd of our group was armed).

As of this writing the City of Richmond hasn’t charged the occupy protestors a dime. They didn’t ask permission to utilize their rights. Contrast that to the Richmond Tea Party who was charged over $10,000 for the privilege to protest.

Is something a right if you need permission to use it? It’s always irked me that we comply and get permits to hold a rally or protest. Notice that for the most part OWS gets a pass for over a week? It isn’t till the protestors make such a mess they become a health hazard or till crime and rape becomes a problem that they shut them down. Why? Cause the police and government KNOW that the 1st amendment gives them the right to peaceably assemble.

Those that might disagree with this would say: Does a protestor have the right to block a road,bridge, or impeded my travel? The answer to that is no. That person would be infringing on your Liberty. That’s not what I’m saying or advocating. But government, be it local,state, or federal has no right to dictate IF you can protest or the terms that will make it possible to protest (toilets,cops,etc). At some point a case could be made that a 2 week siege on a public park or damage from such a protracted protest to the park is infringing on my liberty to use that park. But all this gets into a broader topic of Liberty and it’s beyond the scope of this article.

When it comes to OWS there isn’t much I agree with them on. They are protesting what they think is capitalism. Try to educate them through their drunken, drug or public education induced stupor that they are wrong and you’d have better luck trying to have a conversation with a brick wall. However, we can agree that Crony Capitalism is bad. That bailouts are bad. That the FED (Federal Reserve) is a detriment to our economy. But they would rather we institute communist policies to counter these problems. I and others would institute free market policies to counter them.

But on this we can agree; you don’t need a permit to use a right given to you by God. Lets hope we remember this next time.

Kurt Feigel
Lynchburg Tea Party

28 October 2011

Open Letter to Mr. Bert Dodson:

Mr. Dodson, at the last recent debate between you and Mr. Tom Garrett at Lynchburg College, you stated in a rebuttal to Mr. Garrett, regarding his position that current and soon to be retirees on Social Security, who have contributed to the system for over 40 years, must continue to receive the promised SS checks for which they have contributed throughout their working career. However, the SS system is unsustainable as it is presently constituted and changes need to be made for future retirees who are currently contributing to the system. The problem is that more money is being paid out to SS recipients now than is being taken in from current workers.

You stated that the Tea Party Website has a posting that states the Tea Party is for destroying and closing down the Social Security System. This statement was intended to demolish Mr. Garrett who is supported by the Lynchburg Tea Party.

I, at age 76, have been receiving SS checks since my retirement in 2001, for which I have contributed at the maximum rate of FICA for over 44 years. I am a member of the Lynchburg Tea Party, along with probably another 25 to 30 % of the Lynchburg Tea Party who are also retirees receiving SS checks after contributing to the system for over 45 years. Therefore, I would like to know where in the Lynchburg Tea Party website this supposed posting is located. I consult the Website frequently, and am well aware of what the Lynchburg Tea Party stands for. Nowhere in the Web Site of the Lynchburg Tea Party is found any statement that we oppose the SS system and want to shut it down!

I would like to remind you that the Tea Party Movement is a Grass Roots movement of Patriots who believe in supporting the Constitution, limited government and, limited taxing to support those primary and defined functions of government at each level. Each local Tea Party group is an independent organization with its own rules, and basic tenets. All share the belief in the necessity of adhering to the Constitution as written by the Founding Fathers, and modified by Amendments through the legal process and approved by all or at least 2/3 of the States. That Constitution defines those powers that are delegated by the people and the states to the Federal Government, and reserves all others powers not so delegated, to the States and to the People of each state.

So, please tell me Mr. Dodson, and tell all who read this letter, where precisely, and which Tea Party you refer to, that you claim has posted as their goal closing down the Social Security System and leaving those of us on Social Security and receiving checks stranded.

I remind you that Social Security was originally established as a compulsory savings program to ensure that people unable or unwilling to plan and save for their eventual retirement would be forced to contribute funds by FICA that would be saved for them, draw interest to grow the principal, and then be paid out to them when they retire.

That was all changed by a Democrat controlled Congress and a Democrat President named Lyndon Johnson, who broke the promise, and stole all of the money from the Social Security Lock Box, and changed the FICA to a Tax that is paid into the General Fund to be spent at the discretion of Congress.

SS checks are now paid from the General Fund, and we are reaching the point that collections of FICA will be less than what is paid out to SS Recipients. The Lockbox is empty, containing nothing but IOU’s for the money stolen and spent by the Congress and Presidents both Democrat and Republican on anything but Social Security. And, the SS system has been turned into a welfare fund to support all sorts of freeloaders who have never contributed anything to the SS Program!

The Social Security system as presently constituted does in fact resemble in every respect a classic Ponzi scheme!

Respectfully,

Edward C. Olivares

USMA 1957

I’m writing to express my disgust at what took place at City Hall in Lynchburg on Tuesday night. Round 2 of the hearings to decide if the building inspectors should be given police powers ended with a 4 to 3 vote in favor of the idea. This in spite of the overwhelming opposition from residents. This was not a Tea Party issue, it was a constitutional rights issue. The Fourth Amendment is our God given right against “unreasonable” search and seizure. It is an issue that crosses all party lines. Or should. I’m grateful to H. Cary, Jeff Helgeson and Turner Perrow who voted against.

Overwhelmingly residents spoke in opposition to this proposal. Yet “Mommy Knows Best” Mayor Foster had other plans. Not only does Lynchburg have the highest (11.5%) tax in the nation on food when you eat out. They also have property taxes almost 3 times higher than surrounding counties.

Now to top it all off Mayor Foster and her gang of tyrants has decreed that hither swarms of officers may now eat out your sustenance.

This bad bill has been made worse. A building inspector can now drag you before a judge. It bypasses the civil court system. It wastes your time. It gives power where the city deserve and need none.

It wasn’t enough that in the 70′s the city stole millions of dollars in revenue generating land through annexation? Now all those residents that used to live outside of the reach of this nonsense must now submit to tyranny?

To that I say: Campbell, Bedford and the surrounding counties are open for business.

Lynchburg has some really nice neighborhoods and lots of history. It’s a shame that council members are more interested in their agendas than in representing the people. We are working to flip the Virginia Senate this year. Over the next few years it is time we flipped the Council! Joan Foster,Ceasor Johnson, Mike Gillette and Randy Nelson we look forward to removing you in the years ahead.

Kurt Feigel – President
Lynchburg Tea Party

Received from VCDL about this issue:

Joe Seiffert, a VCDL member and retired Lynchburg police chief (amongst many things), emailed me this email exchange with the current police chief of Lynchburg, Parks Snead. The exchange is about what appears to be a “policy” of seizing firearms during traffic stops and running the serial numbers to see if the guns are stolen. That policy, and the legality of it, were covered in item #21 in the 9/9/11 VCDL Update. The emails are in chronological order. Hat’s off to Chief Snead for acknowledging a problem and simply stepping up to fix it without a litany of excuses or trying to pass the buck.

–

From: jseif
To: Parks Snead
Subject: LPD traffic stops

Parks,

Here is another item that was in the email to the VCDL members. If the person
is legally carrying, this “policy” of further detention to check the serial # is
going to get the officer and the LPD in a legal log jam, I fear. The next
question iis…..why are the officers NOT checking the serial numbers of persons
wristwatches and so on?

Joe Seiffert

-

From: Parks Snead
To: Joe Seiffert
Subject: Re: LPD traffic stops

Joe — As you know, we train a lot on the need to have articulable and legally
supported cause for warrantless search or detention. It’s recently come to my
attention that we need to also ensure through training that all officers
understand that checking any property against wanted files can be construed as a
search, and the same articulable criteria requirement applies there as well.

In short, I see and agree with your point. Thanks.

Parks

Great to see the LPD stepping up and fixing this situation.

The Origianal Post:

I have had encounters with the Lynchburg Police Department while carrying my Glock 23 .40 Cal handgun openly. They have been professional and calm and never once was I made to un-holster my gun nor did they do so.

I would hope that these incidents are rare. I would give the the LPD the benefit of the doubt that they are complying with the law, both the letter and spirit of the law. While I think most officers on the street are understanding of citizens exercising their second amendment rights…sometimes the administrative side of law enforcement departments is not.

If you have had the experience below we would like to know about it.

If the LPD would like to comment on this they can either use the comment form OR send us an email and we will make sure that this post is updated with that comment.

Thank You,

Kurt Feigel
Lynchburg Tea Party – President
From a recent VCDL ALERT:

*************************************************
21. Police powers to seize weapons from citizens
*************************************************

Attorney and VCDL EM Mike Stollenwerk wrote this in response to an apparent policy of the Lynchburg Police to seize a person’s gun during a traffic stop and then run it for stolen (permit holders included):

–

Seizure of a firearm from a citizen by police generally requires a two prong justification under Terry:

1. Person is seized pursuant to reasonable suspicion of crime afoot.

and

2. Officer has reasonable belief that person is not just armed, but also is “presently dangerous.”

A custom or practice where all armed citizen’s guns are seized in traffic stops violates Terry, and thus the Fourth Amendment.

Police officer non-consensual touching and handling of personal property merely to look at serial numbers violates the Fourth Amendment. Arizona v. Hix. See summary at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_v._Hicks

Police misconduct in touching personal property in violation of the Fourth Amendment results in suppression of evidence; Lynchburg’s open ended gun seizure policy would allow criminals to escape prosecution under Hix, while law abiding citizens’ privacy remain violated and their routine traffic stops to become prolonged beyond that which is reasonably necessary to issue the summons for the traffic offense.

This action on the part of the colonists was the result of a resistance movement throughout the colonies against the Tea Act, which had been passed by the British Parliament in the same year. Colonists objected to the Tea Act for a variety of reasons, especially because they believed that it violated their right to be taxed only by their own elected representatives, thus the phrase “taxation without representation.”

Any American school child who ever studied this event in history undoubtedly hailed these early Americans as patriots and heroes for their actions. When, however, modern Americans seek to follow in their steps, minus the destruction of valuable goods, they are vilified.

The modern tea party movement has been called right wing extremists, terrorists, racists and hobbits. We, they say, are responsible for the downgrade of the United States’ credit rating. Isn’t that blaming the firefighters for the fire when they simply show up to put the fire out?

It has also been said that the tea party is a passing fad and that we should “go to hell.” Now, according to Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson of Florida, we are “Public Enemy No. 1.” At a town-hall in her Miami district, she told her constituents “Let us all remember who the real enemy is. The real enemy is the tea party!” Nancy Pelosi has given her Democratic puppets their marching orders: Slander the tea party at every turn.

I am a member of the Lynchburg Tea Party, and I am because we have people in our government that do not truly represent the people of our country but seem to want to tax, tax and then tax some more. If you will simply attend one of our meetings, you will find a group of calm, normal-looking and normal-speaking people who are simply trying to do what we can to return sanity to government. Google the LTP to find out when and where we meet.

RALPH W. GREEN II

Forest

It’s hard for most Americans to understand just what is happening in Washington D.C. most of us know what needs to be done. Some feel we need to raise “revenue” and that would be a code for “taxes”…if you haven’t been paying attention. Others say we need cuts. And still others think we need a combination of the 2…but they are lying to you as they really don’t want cuts…but it sounds good doesn’t it?

Recently I spoke with my Congressman, Robert Hurt. He was concerned about the House plan and wanted to know what I thought and what the Tea Party was thinking. He is very frustrated and said ” I didn’t come up here to cut $1 trillion over 10 years”. If you went to public school like me and were not properly educated and your math is bad that would be $100 billion per year. FYI: That doesn’t even service the interest on the national debt.

I respect my Congressman. He genuinely wants to do good things up in D.C. and he really hates that place. I’ve been in the room and heard him call it ” a cess pool” on more than one occasion. But the problem is that the Republicans have no leadership. They can’t market their ideas in the public square. Not at the party level and not from the Speaker of the House. It’s really sad.

The latest bill as I understand it would have cut 917 billion dollars immediately and would have setup a “committee” to cut an additional 1.8 trillion (over who knows how long). Anyone believe these cuts will happen? Me neither. It’s a joke anyway as no future legislators are bound by any previous legislators. Simply put. They can always rescind these cuts in the future.

Now you are thinking…HUH!?!?!?!

We don’t get to live our lives like this. We must live (to a degree) within our means. At some point our credit card is maxed out and we don’t get to dictate a limit increase.

Not so in D.C. Not only that but it’s your money and your future and your children’s future they are gambling with.

The concern is that we will have our credit rating downgraded. And…doesn’t that happen to average Americans every day? What does that do? It makes them stop spending outside their means. It makes them get responsible. Sometimes it makes them realize that they are insolvent…GASP! Yes we are insolvent. The United States can NEVER pay back +$14 Trillion dollars in debt. NEVER! They talk about the “Full faith and credit of the United States” and it’s a joke. There is no such thing anymore.

What has been taking place over the past several years is a controlled looting of our nations wealth. Where is it going? Your guess is as good as mine.

You might make the case that some deficit spending is a good thing. But for 10 years or more? At what point does “some” become irresponsible?

Default is coming. The question is how bad of a default. I have no intention of paying for this nonsense. I never voted for or authorized my “representatives” to go up to D.C. and ENSLAVE us all and neither did the Constitution.

If you want to see the canary in the coal mine then watch the price of Gold and Silver. Watch closely. It’s going to get bad folks. Get ready!

I understand what the GOP thinks it’s doing. Trying to paint Reid and Obama into a corner. But on a good day they don’t understand the rope-a-dope (boxing term) that is being played on them…this is not a good day.

One day soon Americans may figure out that this “nation of laws” really doesn’t abide by a single one. Look out D.C. when that happens.

Media Release

Media Contacts:
Lynchburg Tea Party – Kurt Feigel
Garrett For Senate – Rusty McGuire – www.votetom.net – 804-874-1461

Lynchburg Tea Party Endorses Tom Garrett for Virginia’s 22nd Senate Race.

The 22nd district in 2008 voted overwhelmingly Republican: 64% McDonald – 64% Cuccinelli – 53% McCain. Our goal is to elect a strong Constitutional conservative in a conservative district and we look forward to working for Tom Garrett as we believe he is the candidate most closely aligned to our principles of Constitutionally limited government, freedom to pursue prosperity through unhindered markets and liberty tempered by virtue.

“Tom Garrett emerged the winner based on the deciding factor of his absolute willingness to engage the federal government at the state level in defense of the Constitution, the 9th and 10th Amendments, God-given inalienable rights and a return to Federalism…this is a candidate that we can be energized to vote for and we that believe many others will be as well.” Said Mike Troxel LTP Vice President.

Everyone was impressed by all the candidates performance last night at the Lynchburg Tea Party debate. They are all good candidates each having their own unique strengths. We are very thankful to Liberty University Law School for the use of the Supreme Court room and to the moderator Dean Mathew Staver.

Prior to the debate on Friday the LTP Steering Committee met with each of the candidates for over an hour and questioned them on a variety of topics to ascertain their stance on issues that are important to the Tea Party. This information was integrated into the debate questions as well as presented to the LTP membership after the debate. The debate was designed to give them an opportunity to face extremely tough questions and reveal their strength and character as individuals and candidates. We believe they did an exemplary job and we are proud of each of them.

The membership of the Lynchburg Tea Party had the opportunity to endorse any candidate or no candidate at all. The vote to endorse Tom Garrett was overwhelming.

Kurt Feigel President of the Lynchburg Tea Party said ” We’ve met with all of the Republican candidates for Virginia Senate and we feel that Tom Garrett epitomizes what we as an organization believe in, not just as platitudes, but at his core. ”

” We are honored to have secured the LTP endorsement, there are candidates that suggest that this senate seat belongs to one locality or another, the truth is that the 22nd is not a local seat but a conservative senate seat. ” Said Tom Garrett “The Lynchburg Tea Party understands that it’s more important where you stand on an issue than where you sleep in the district”

Mike Troxel – LTP Vice President said ” We had a good discussion with our membership and have thought long and hard about doing an endorsement, in the end they decided that Tom was the candidate we should get behind “

Tom Garrett is a solid champion of the U.S. Constitution and understands the Federal abuse of States Rights that have plagued us for too long. Tom will fight in Richmond to secure a future for all Virginians. A future that should not include high taxes and run away spending.

“As the Commonwealth’s Attorney [prosecutor] for Louisa County, Tom has seen first hand the benefits of strong laws that protect our citizens” said Kurt Feigel “Tom’s record is nothing short of amazing”

The Lynchburg Tea Party is currently organizing a phone and door to door campaign in support of Tom following this endorsement.

“Tom has done a fantastic job of making the grass roots connections across the 22nd district and getting the team in place to succeed in November against Bert Dodson” said Kurt Feigel “Garrett has raised over $100,000 and is on track to win the primary in August and the general election in November.”

Tom Garrett understands the issues facing our state and nation. It is important that he understands the national issues from a Constitutional standpoint because those impact us every day. Bad Washington D.C. policy hurts our national economy and that hurts our commonwealth. We need principled leaders that will go to Richmond and fight back against an over reaching federal government.

“You don’t win races by just sending out mailers and running adds. You win them at the water cooler and the kitchen table. That is how we plan to win this race for Tom Garrett.” said Kurt Feigel

To Learn more about the Lynchburg Tea Party please visit www.lynchburgteaparty.com

As a Tea Party leader I’ll choose the former. I love Liberty better than Wealth. The animated contest of freedom, better than the tranquility of servitude. I’ll not go home and crouch before any man or government official.

The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and 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 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 to 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 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 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. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested 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, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

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 brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

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 the 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 levey 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.