We Have No Government Armed With Power

The American Continents, By The Free And Independent Condition That They Have Assumed And Maintain, Are Henceforth Not To Be Considered As Subjects For Future Colonisation Byany European Powers? In The Wars Of The Europeanpowers Inmattersrelating To Ourselves, We Have Never Taken Any Part; Nor Does It Comport With Our Policy To Do So.

The Inconsistency Of The Institution Of Domestic Slavery With The Principles Of The Declaration Of Independence Was Seen And Lamented . . . No Insincerity Or Hypocrisy Can Be Fairly Laid To Their Charge. Never From Their Lips Was Heard One Syllable Of Attempt To Justify The Institution Of Slavery. They Universally Considered It As A Reproach Fastened Upon Them By The Unnatural Step-mother Country And They Saw That Before The Principles Of The Declaration Of Independence Slavery, In Common With Every Other Mode Of Oppression, Was Destined Sooner Or Later To Be Banished From The Earth.

From The Experience Of The Past We Derive Instructive Lessons For The Future.

Our Political Way Of Life Is By The Laws Of Nature And Of Nature's God, And Of Course Presupposes The Existence Of God, The Moral Ruler Of The Universe, And A Rule Of Right And Wrong, Of Just And Unjust, Binding Upon Man, Preceding All Institutions Of Human Society And Government.

There Is Such Seduction In A Library Of Good Books That I Cannot Resist The Temptation To Luxuriate In Reading.