Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking up Arms

Avalon Project ^ | 6 July 1775 | Thomas Jefferson and John Dickinson

[neverdem]

Gun control mainly about the control

This article cited it as: "Thomas Jefferson, 'Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking up Arms,' 6 July 1775."

[Kartographer]

Is it time yet?

[2ndDivisionVet]

Related thread:

What Good Can a Handgun Do Against an Army.....?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/2312894/posts

[Oldpuppymax]

It is very difficult and more than a little dangerous to enslave an armed people. Hence, the left’s perpetual attempts to confiscate weapons from the American public.

[Vaquero]

[ctdonath2]

Hence the Left’s need to obfuscate everything they do (a la “you can keep your health plan, but we won’t tell you how easily you can lose it”). They need to talk you into voluntary compliance, lest their goals plainly stated induce immediate revolt.

[samadams2000]

A thing of beauty that.

[Overtaxed Patriot]

bttt

[Vor Lady]

FYI

[stockpirate]

"A people unwilling to use extreme vioent force to preserve or obtain their liberty deserves the tyrants that rule them." T. Jefferson

[CPT Clay]

Bump.

[neverdem]

Thanks for the link!

[HKMk23]

Mr. President, and Members of Congress Assembled,

We, the People, by your own deplorable Acts, now find ourselves in the dire position of contemplating the choice between unconditional submission to the tyranny of unbounded Federal Government, or resistance by force. — Know that, should your present malfeasance not abate, should you actualise that which you have, heretofore, merely debated, the latter shall be our choice. — We have, against the prospect of such a time as this, counted the cost of this contest, and find nothing so dreadful as voluntary slavery. — Honour, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt of resigning succeeding generations to that wretchedness which inevitably awaits them, if we basely entail hereditary bondage upon them.

Our cause is just. Our union is perfect. Our internal resources are great, our national military, and local police, being comprised of like-minded volunteers, shall doubtless stand with us, and, if necessary, foreign assistance is undoubtedly attainable. — We gratefully acknowledge, as signal instances of the Divine favour towards us, that his Providence would not permit us to be called into this severe controversy, until we were grown up to our present strength, had been previously exercised in warlike operation, and had not yet been stripped of the means of defending ourselves. With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, declare, that, exerting the utmost energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath graciously bestowed upon us, the arms we are being compelled by our enemies to assume, we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverence, employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live slaves.

In our own native land, in defence of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till these impending violations of it — for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, at the point of violence actually offered against liberty, we shall take up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before.

With an humble confidence in the mercies of the supreme and impartial Judge and Ruler of the Universe, we most devoutly implore his divine goodness to restore sanity to the minds of our President, and our Legislators, or, failing that, to protect us happily through the ensuing conflict, to dispose our adversaries to reconciliation on reasonable terms amenable to free men disposed to liberty, and thereby to relieve the Republic from the dire calamities of civil war.

Signed:
HKMk23, one man, Free or Dead

[FlyingEagle]

What is fascinating about Jefferson’s missive is that it recites the circumstances existing to justify taking up arms against the state within the context of Christian doctrine (and which circumstances may be considered by some to exist even now), being:

1. Certain, grave and prolonged violation of human rights
2. All other means of redress are exhausted
3. Armed resistance will not provoke worse disorder
4. There is well founded hope of success, and
5. It is impossible to reasonably forsee a better solution

So, I guess the USA was founded on the principles as a Christian nation after all, contrary to the belief of some resident.

[neverdem]

Don’t miss the, “Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress,” that’s linked from the text.

[fanfan]

THAT, was a GREAT post, HKMk23.

Thanks for the ping.

Ping.

[Darksheare]

Excellent.
And, seconded.

[fanfan]

We fight not for glory or for conquest. We exhibit to mankind the remarkable spectacle of a people attacked by unprovoked enemies, without any imputation or even suspicion of offence. They boast of their privileges and civilization, and yet proffer no milder conditions than servitude or death.

Here, Here!!!

[Jet Jaguar]

BTTT

[CPT Clay]

Bump Thank you so much!!!