Virginia Constitution Preamble, 29 June 1776

Transcription

[29 June 1776]

In a General Convention.

Begun and holden at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday the sixth day of May, one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, and continued, by adjournments to the day of June following:

a constitution, or form of government,

agreed to and resolved upon by the Delegates and Representatives of the several Counties and Corporations of Virginia.

Whereas George the Third, King of Great Britain and Ireland, and Elector of Hanover, heretofore intrusted with the exercise of the Kingly Office in this Government, hath endeavoured to pervert the same into a detestable and insupportable Tyranny; by putting his negative on laws the most wholesome and necessary for the publick good;

by denying his Governours permission to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation for his assent, and, when so suspended, neglecting to attend to them for many Years; by refusing to pass certain other laws, unless the persons to be benefited by them would relinquish the inestimable right of representation in the legislature; by dissolving legislative assemblies repeatedly and continually, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions of the rights of the people;

when dissolved, by refusing to call others for a long space of time, thereby leaving the political system without any legislative head;

by endeavouring to prevent the population of our Country, and, for that purpose, obstructing the laws for the naturalization of foreigners;1

by keeping among us, in times of peace, standing Armies and Ships of War;

by affecting to render the Military independent of, and superiour to, the civil power;

by combining with others to subject us to a foreign Jurisdiction, giving his assent to their pretended Acts of Legislation;

for quartering large bodies of armed troops among us;

for cutting off our Trade with all parts of the World;

for imposing Taxes on us without our Consent;

for depriving us of the Benefits of Trial by Jury;

for transporting us beyond Seas, to be tried for pretended Offences;for suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all Cases whatsoever;

by plundering our Seas, ravaging our Coasts, burning our Towns, and destroying the lives of our People;

by inciting insurrections of our fellow Subjects, with the allurements of forfeiture and confiscation;

by prompting our Negroes to rise in Arms among us, those very negroes whom, by an inhuman use of his negative, he hath refused us permission to exclude by Law;

by endeavouring 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 of Existance;

by transporting, at this time, a large Army of foreign Mercenaries, to compleat the Works of Death, desolation, and Tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and Perfidy unworthy the head of a civilized Nation;

by answering our repeated Petitions for Redress with a Repetition of Injuries;

and finally, by abandoning the Helm of Government, and declaring us out of his Allegiance and Protection;

[{"insert":"\t[29 June 1776]"},{"attributes":{"align":"right"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"In a General Convention.\n\tBegun and holden at the Capitol, in the City of Williamsburg, on Monday the sixth day of May, one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, and continued, by adjournments to the day of June following:\na constitution, or form of government,"},{"attributes":{"align":"center"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"agreed to and resolved upon by the Delegates and Representatives of the several Counties and Corporations of Virginia.\n\tWhereas George the Third, King of Great Britain and Ireland, and Elector of Hanover, heretofore intrusted with the exercise of the Kingly Office in this Government, hath endeavoured to pervert the same into a detestable and insupportable Tyranny; by putting his negative on laws the most wholesome and necessary for the publick good;\n\tby denying his Governours permission to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation for his assent, and, when so suspended, neglecting to attend to them for many Years; by refusing to pass certain other laws, unless the persons to be benefited by them would relinquish the inestimable right of representation in the legislature; by dissolving legislative assemblies repeatedly and continually, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions of the rights of the people;\n\twhen dissolved, by refusing to call others for a long space of time, thereby leaving the political system without any legislative head;\n\tby endeavouring to prevent the population of our Country, and, for that purpose, obstructing the laws for the naturalization of foreigners;"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-01-02-0161-0008#TSJN-01-01-0171-fn-0001"},"insert":"1"},{"insert":"\n\tby keeping among us, in times of peace, standing Armies and Ships of War;\n\tby affecting to render the Military independent of, and superiour to, the civil power;\n\tby combining with others to subject us to a foreign Jurisdiction, giving his assent to their pretended Acts of Legislation;\n\tfor quartering large bodies of armed troops among us;\n\tfor cutting off our Trade with all parts of the World;\n\tfor imposing Taxes on us without our Consent;\n\tfor depriving us of the Benefits of Trial by Jury;\n\tfor transporting us beyond Seas, to be tried for pretended Offences;for suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all Cases whatsoever;\n\tby plundering our Seas, ravaging our Coasts, burning our Towns, and destroying the lives of our People;\n\tby inciting insurrections of our fellow Subjects, with the allurements of forfeiture and confiscation;\n\tby prompting our Negroes to rise in Arms among us, those very negroes whom, by an inhuman use of his negative, he hath refused us permission to exclude by Law;\n\tby endeavouring 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 of Existance;\n\tby transporting, at this time, a large Army of foreign Mercenaries, to compleat the Works of Death, desolation, and Tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and Perfidy unworthy the head of a civilized Nation;\n\tby answering our repeated Petitions for Redress with a Repetition of Injuries;\n\tand finally, by abandoning the Helm of Government, and declaring us out of his Allegiance and Protection;\n\n"}]

American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence

Jump To

Search Results

Appendix A: State and Local Declarations of Independence

States

Massachusetts

Counties

Appendix B: Local Resolutions on Independence: Some Examples

New York

Grand Jury Presentments

Appendix C: The Declaration of Independence: The Jefferson Draft with Congress's Editorial Changes

Private and Quasi-Public Groups

Towns

Virginia Constitution Preamble, 29 June 1776

American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence

States

Related People

Related Organisations