[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Before the nation was established as a Democratic Republic? Perhaps you don't recall, but representatives from each State were sent to Philadelphia to vote on the question of Independence.

The Revolution had been going on for over a year at that point. We had fought at Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, had captured Fort Ticonderoga and invaded Canada. Was all of that illegal up until that point when the magic words were invoked?

[DiogenesLamp]

The Revolution had been going on for over a year at that point.

So? Till we established a Democratic Republic, we had yet to recognize this "consent of the governed" principle.

Once we adopted this principle, then we could insist on following it. Suggesting we should follow a principle before we had accepted it is just nuts.