TheDeclarationofIndependence
托馬斯·傑斐遜/ThomasJefferson
托馬斯·傑斐遜（1743—1826），生於美國弗吉尼亞州，1762年畢業於威廉與瑪麗學院，1767年取得律師資格。傑斐遜於1769年進入殖民地議會，成為反英運動領袖之一。1774年發表的小冊子《英屬北美權利概要》為傑斐遜的重要作品，文中指出英國國會無權為殖民地制定法律。1775年他隨弗吉尼亞代表團出席在費城舉行的第二次大陸會議，1776年因起草《獨立宣言》而名垂史冊。《獨立宣言》超越了一時一地的歷史特殊意義，成為人類追求自身價值的偉大文獻。
AceintheHole
Understandthesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
1.unalienableadj.(指權利等)不能讓與的，不能剝奪的
2.compliancen.服從，聽從，順從
3.mercenaryadj.僱用的，為錢的，唯利是圖的
4.consanguinityn.血親；同族；密切關係
WhenintheCourseofhumanevents,itbecomesnecessaryforonepeopletodissolvethepoliticalbandswhichhaveconnectedthemwithanother,andtoassumeamongthepowersoftheearth,theseparateandequalstationtowhichtheLawsofNatureandofNature』sGodentitlethem,adecentrespecttotheopinionsofmankindrequiresthattheyshoulddeclarethecauseswhichimpelthemtotheseparation.
Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienableRights,thatamongtheseareLife,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness.Thattosecuretheserights,GovernmentsareinstitutedamongMen,derivingtheirjustpowersfromtheconsentofthegoverned.ThatwheneveranyFormofGovernmentbecomesdestructiveoftheseends,itistheRightofthePeopletoalterortoabolishit,andtoinstitutenewGovernment,layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciplesandorganizingitspowersinsuchform,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirSafetyandHappiness.
Prudence,indeed,willdictatethatGovernmentslongestablishedshouldnotbechangedforlightandtransientcauses;andaccordinglyallexperiencehathshewn,thatmankindaremoredisposedtosuffer,whileevilsaresufferable,thantorightthemselvesbyabolishingtheformstowhichtheyareaccustomed.
Butwhenalongtrainofabusesandusurpations,pursuinginvariablythesameobjectevincesadesigntoreducethemunderabsoluteDespotism,itistheirright,itistheirduty,tothrowoffsuchGovernment,andtoprovidenewGuardsfortheirfuturesecurity.SuchhasbeenthepatientsufferanceoftheseColonies;andsuchisnowthenecessitywhichconstrainsthemtoaltertheirformerSystemsofGovernment.
ThehistoryofthepresentKingofGreatBritain(GeorgeIII)isahistoryofrepeatedinjuriesandusurpations,allhavingindirectobjecttheestablishmentofanabsoluteTyrannyovertheseStates.Toprovethis,letFactsbesubmittedtoacandidworld.
HehasrefusedhisAssenttoLaws,themostwholesomeandnecessaryforthepublicgood.
HehasforbiddenhisGovernorstopassLawsofimmediateandpressingimportance,unlesssuspendedintheiroperationtillhisAssentshouldbeobtained,andwhensosuspended,hehasutterlyneglectedtoattendtothem.
HehasrefusedtopassotherLawsfortheaccommodationoflargedistrictsofpeople,unlessthosepeoplewouldrelinquishtherightofRepresentationintheLegislature,arightinestimabletothemandformidabletotyrantsonly.
Hehascalledtogetherlegislativebodiesatplacesunusual,uncomfortableanddistantfromthedepositoryoftheirpublicRecords,forthesolepurposeoffatiguingthemintocompliancewithhismeasures.
HehasdissolvedRepresentativeHousesrepeatedly,foropposingwithmanlyfirmnesshisinvasionsontherightsofthepeople.
Hehasrefusedforalongtime,aftersuchdissolutions,tocauseotherstobeelected;wherebytheLegislativepowers,incapableofAnnihilation,havereturnedtothePeopleatlargefortheirexercise;theStateremaininginthemeantimeexposedtoallthedangersofinvasionfromwithout,andconvulsionswithin.
HehasendeavoredtopreventthepopulationoftheseStates;forthatpurposeobstructingtheLawsforNaturalizationofForeigners;refusingtopassotherstoencouragetheirmigrationshither,andraisingtheconditionsofnewAppropriationsofLands.
HehasobstructedtheAdministrationofJustice,byrefusinghisAssenttoLawsforestablishingJudiciarypowers.