of nature and of nations, only when that form of
government "becomes destructive of these ends," that is, when a
government, instead of securing the unalienable rights of the
individuals governed, attempts to destroy these rights. Moreover, it
is declared that when the people alter or abolish one form of
government, their right of establishing a new government is not
absolute, but is limited, according to the law of nature and of
nations, so that in establishing a new form of government they are
obliged to "lay its foundation on such principles and organize its
powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their
safety and happiness,"--that is, to secure the unalienable rights of
the individual to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This
limitation upon the powers of even the whole people of a state
necessarily results from the fact that the law of nature and of
nations is universal and governs so completely every human act and
relationship that no act can be done and no relationship formed which
violates the unalienable rights of any individual. How the law of
nature and of nations is to be enforced, the Declaration does not say.
Apparently the obligation to enforce it rests upon every individual,
every community, every body corporate, every state and every nation,
and the ultimate force which compels its application is the just
public sentiment of the world, or, as Rivier called it, "the common
juridical conscience."

The declaration of the universal right of free statehood is not only
made in the statement that "to secure these rights, governments are
instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of
the governed." It is asserted with much more clearness in the
concluding part of the Declaration, which reads:

"We, therefore,... declare that these United Colonies are,
and of right ought to be, free and independent states,...
and that all political connection between them and the State
of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

In the first draft of the concluding part of the Declaration,
Jefferson wrote:

"We, therefore,... utterly dissolve and break off all
political connection which may have heretofore subsisted
between us and the people or Parliament of Great Britain,
and finally we do assert and declare these Colonies to be
free and independent states."

The resolution of the Virginia Convention of Ma