Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, 1774-1789
In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America.
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776.
THE UNANIMOUS
DECLARATION
OF THE
THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
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| Documents from the Continental Congress |
人間らしい波乱の成り行きに操られて、一方の国民にとって、もう一方の国民と彼らを繋いで来た政治的箍（たが）を外す事が、又、世界の強国の間（はざま）で、分離平等の停車駅を装う事が、不可避の様相を呈する時、自然の女神の、自然の男神の原理に則って、人の思う所に対する然るべき敬意が、独立を促す大義を宣言すベきである、と請い願う権利を彼らに与える。
23:59 2016/06/19日
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. 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.
私達は、全ての人が平等を齎されるという、又私達の創造主によって生存、自由、そして幸福の追求を含む、確かな従わざるを得ない公正さを授けられているという、これらの真理に自明であるが故にしがみ付いた。--これらの公正さを確実にする為に、政府は人々の間に設けられ、統治の同意から彼らの権限そのものを引き出している。
21:50 2016/06/20月
どのような政府の形態であろうとその終局に向け破滅的様相を呈す度にそれを改めようとするか或いは廃止しようとするか、又新政府を設けようとするかは国民の公正さに基ずく。
このような原則を拠り所とすると、又このような形態にその力を結集すると、彼らにしてみればおそらく彼らの安全や幸福を齎すかのように思える。思慮分別が、実際には、長く定着した政府は些細な一過性の理由の為に変えられるべきではないと決定するであろう。
21:20 2016/06/21火
従って、悪行が許容出来る間は、慣れている形態を廃止して自身を正す事より、人は更に痛手を被ろうとする傾向があるという事をあらゆる経験が証明して来た。何れにせよ何時も同じ目標を追うだけの、虐待と侵害の長い列車が、絶対的独裁体制下、彼らを減らす計画を明示する時、このような政府を追い払う事、又彼らの未来の安全の為に新しい番人を供給する事、それは彼らの公正さに基ずき、それが彼らの義務である。
21:01 2016/06/22水
このような事はこれら植民地の忍耐強い黙許に基ずくのが常であった。又このような事は今や嘗ての政治体制を改めざるを得ない必然的な事項である。残っている大ブりタン島の国王の歴史は再三に渡る侵害と略奪の歴史である。これらの国家を支配する絶対専制政治の権力機構を完全に嫌悪されながらの。これを証明するには現実が公平な世の中に押し切られるが侭にせよ。
22:35 2016/06/23木
HE has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public Good.
彼は公共の利益にとって最も有益で必須の法律に対する彼の同意を拒否して来た。
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.
彼の同意が得られるまで彼らの作業中に一時中断しなければ、彼は彼の統治者が身近で緊急な重要性のある法律を通す事を禁じて来た。そしてそこで一時中断すると、彼は彼らに全く耳を傾けようとしなかった。
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 Tyranny only.
そうした国民が立法機関に於いて申し立てる、彼には正（まさ）しく計り知れない、暴君にとっても手に負えない権利を放棄しようとしなければ、彼は国民の広範囲に亘る管轄区域の宿泊施設の為のもう一方の法律を通す事を禁じた。
21:55 2016/06/24金曜日
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.
彼は普通ではない、居心地の悪い、そして議事録の保管場所から遠い所に立法府の一団と一緒に召集した。。彼の物差しを使った服従の中で彼らを疲れさせる事を唯一の目的として。
HE has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly Firmness his Invasions on the Rights of the People.
彼は、国民の権利に関する彼の侵害に強い堅固さを持って向き合う為に、再三再四州議会議院を解散した。
21:41 2016/06/26日
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 mean Time, exposed to all the Dangers of Invasion from without, and Convulsions within.
彼は長期に亘って拒絶した。選任されようとして他の事を惹き起こし兼ねないこの様な放縦の後、立法権によって、打倒不能な場合は、その行使という名目で全国民に報復して来た。その間も、存続せざるを得ない国家は、外部からのあらゆる侵略の脅威、又国内の動乱へと向かっって行った。
HE has endeavoured to prevent the Population of these States; for that Purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their Migrations hither, and raising the Conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
彼はこれらの国家の住民を妨げようと努めて来た。外国人の市民権獲得の為の法律を遮断しようとして、又ここへの彼らの移住を奨励するような他の法律を通す事を拒絶しようとして、又国土の新たな私物化の環境を育てようとする、そうした目的で。
21:59 2016/06/25土
HE has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
彼は裁判官の権限を確立しようとする為の法律に対する彼の同意を拒否する事によって、司法執行を妨害して来た。
HE has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the Tenure of their Offices, and the Amount and Payment of their Salaries.
彼は彼らの在職期間、彼らの俸給の総額と支払いの為に、彼の意志のみに依存して裁判官を決定して来た。
HE has erected a Multitude of new Offices, and sent hither Swarms of Officers to harrass our People, and eat out their Substance.
彼は私達の国民を弱体化する為に、数々の新たなオフィスを創設し、大勢の官職をここへ送った。
21:49 2016/06/27月
HE has kept among us, in Times of Peace, Standing Armies, without the Consent of our Legislatures.
彼は私達の州議会の許可無しで、平和な時世でも、軍隊を立たせ続けた。
HE has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
彼は報復目的で独自の市民の力を上回る軍を好んで使った。
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:
彼は私達を私達の憲法裁判権に服従させるために他の者達と結び付いた。彼らの偽りの立法機関の法令に同意を伝え私達の法律によって承認されなかった。（未定）
23:04 2016/06/28火
FOR quartering large Bodies of Armed Troops among us:
私達の間に武装した軍隊の大規模な一団を宿営させようとして：
FOR protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
これらの国家の住民を犯す殺人刑から、偽りの裁判によって、彼らを守ろうとして。
FOR cutting off our Trade with all Parts of the World:
世界のあらゆる地域との私達の貿昜を遮ろうとして。
FOR imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
私達の同意もないまま私達に税を押し付けようとして。
FOR depriving us, in many Cases, of the Benefits of Trial by Jury:
陪審によって裁判の恩恵を、多くの事例に於いて、剥奪しようとして：
FOR transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended Offences:
偽りの犯罪で裁判にかけられる為に海の向こうに私達を輸送しようとして。
21:39 2016/06/29水
FOR abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring 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 into these Colonies:
それを直ちに変えて、これらの植民地に於ける同様の絶対的統治を導入しようとする機関に相応しいものとするように、
隣接している州に於ける英国の法律の自由な管理体制を廃止し、そこに専制的な政府を定着させ、その境界を広げようとして。
FOR taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
私達の政府の形態を根本的に手直しし、私達の憲章を奪い、私達の最も貴重な法律を廃止しようとして。
21:46 2016/06/30木
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, burnt 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 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 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 Attentions 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 Connexions and Correspondence. They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of Consanguinity. 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 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 Connexion 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 Honour.
John Hancock.
GEORGIA, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, Geo. Walton.
NORTH-CAROLINA, Wm. Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn.
SOUTH-CAROLINA, Edward Rutledge, Thos Heyward, junr. Thomas Lynch, junr. Arthur Middleton.
MARYLAND, Samuel Chase, Wm. Paca, Thos. Stone, Charles Carroll, of Carrollton.
VIRGINIA, George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Ths. Jefferson, Benja. Harrison, Thos. Nelson, jr. Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton.
PENNSYLVANIA, Robt. Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benja. Franklin, John Morton, Geo. Clymer, Jas. Smith, Geo. Taylor, James Wilson, Geo. Ross.
DELAWARE, Caesar Rodney, Geo. Read.
NEW-YORK, Wm. Floyd, Phil. Livingston, Frank Lewis, Lewis Morris.
NEW-JERSEY, Richd. Stockton, Jno. Witherspoon, Fras. Hopkinson, John Hart, Abra. Clark.
NEW-HAMPSHIRE, Josiah Bartlett, Wm. Whipple, Matthew Thornton.
MASSACHUSETTS-BAY, Saml. Adams, John Adams, Robt. Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry.
RHODE-ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE, &c. Step. Hopkins, William Ellery.
CONNECTICUT, Roger Sherman, Saml. Huntington, Wm. Williams, Oliver Wolcott.
IN CONGRESS, JANUARY 18, 1777.
ORDERED,
THAT an authenticated Copy of the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCY, with the Names of the MEMBERS of CONGRESS, subscribing the same, be sent to each of the UNITED STATES, and that they be desired to have the same put on RECORD.
By Order of CONGRESS,
JOHN HANCOCK, President.
BALTIMORE, in MARYLAND: Printed by MARY KATHARINE GODDARD.
