have given the last stab to agonizing affection, and manly spirit bids us to renounce forever these unfeeling brethren. We must endeavor to forget our former love for them, and hold them as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends. We might have been a free and a great people together; but a communication of grandeur and of freedom, it seems, is below their dignity. Be it so, since they will have it. The road to happiness and to glory is open to us too. We will tread it apart from them, and_] [We must therefore] acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our [_eternal_] separation [ ]! [and hold them as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.] We therefore the representatives We, therefore, the of the United States of representatives of the United America in General Congress States of America in General assembled, do in the name, and Congress assembled, appealing to by the authority of the good the supreme judge of the world people of these [_states reject for the rectitude of our and renounce all allegiance and intentions, do in the name, and subjection to the kings of Great by the authority of the good Britain and all others who may people of these colonies, hereafter claim by, through or solemnly publish and declare, under them; we utterly dissolve that these united colonies are, all political connection which and of right ought to be free may heretofore have subsisted and independent states; that between us and the people or they are absolved from all parliament of Great Britain: allegiance to the British crown, and finally we do assert and and that all political declare these colonies to be connection between them and the free and independent states_,] state of Great Britain is, and and that as free and independent ought to be, totally dissolved, states, they have full power to and that as free and independent levy war, conclude peace, states, they have full power to contract alliances, establish levy war, conclude peace, commerce, and to do all other contract alliances, establish acts and things which commerce, and to do all other independent states may of right acts and things which do. independent states may of right do.