must,
therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our
separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies
in war, in peace friends.

"We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of
America, in general Congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme
Judge of the World for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the
name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies,
solemnly publish and declare that these united colonies are, and of
right ought to be free and independent states; that they are
absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all
political connection between them and the state of Great Britain
is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that, as free and
independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude
peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other
acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for
the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the
protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other
our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

[Illustration: LIBERTY BELL.]

It was almost two o'clock in the afternoon when the final decision was
announced by Secretary Thomson, to the assembled Congress in
Independence Hall. It was a moment of solemn interest; and when the
secretary sat down, a deep silence pervaded that august assembly.
Tradition says that it was first broken by Dr. Franklin, who remarked,
"Gentlemen, we must now all hang together, or we shall surely hang
separately." Thousands of anxious citizens had gathered in the streets
of Philadelphia, for it was known that the final vote would be taken on
that day. From the hour when Congress convened in the morning, the old
bell-man had been in the steeple. He had placed a boy at the door below,
to give him notice when the announcement should be made. As hour
succeeded hour, the graybeard shook his head, and said, "They will never
do it! they will never do it!" Suddenly a loud shout came up from below,
and there stood the little blue-eyed boy clapping his hands, and
shouting, "Ring! Ring!" Grasping the iron tongue of the old bell,
backward and forward he hurled it a hundred times, its loud voice
proclaiming "Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants
thereof."[2] The excited multitude in the streets responded with