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Show Declaration of Independeney; and after this, (37) 'proceeds to fay, " The antient Government to u of this Colony being thus totally diflolned, and the PeoPIe driven into a State of Nature, ct it becomes their indifpenfible duty, and what u u u u u u (r u u (l ct (( u u u u (c u u (‘ felf-prefervation requires, to declare themfelves independent: of Great-Britain, and to eflablifh {uch a Conflitution and Form of (C vernment ; gratefully acknowledging the goodnefs of the fupreme Governor of all, in " permitting us peaceably, and 5y common conflirt, deliberately to form fuch rules, as we (C {hall judge bell: adapted for governing this (t 1‘ Commonwealth in juf'tice and righteouihefs; (I and being fully convinced that it is our in- 3‘ difpenfible duty to ef'rablifh, to the utmofl; of our power, fuch originalprinciples of civil civil Government, as to them appears bell: calculated to promote their greatef't pofiible (( happinefsf' " And whereas it is abfolutely (t Government, as will belt promote the gene- neceifary for the welfare and fafety of the (1: ral happinefs of the People, do, by virtue of inhabitants of this Commonwealth, that a (K the authority veiled in us by our Conflituents, H declare, enafi, and efiablifh the following Conflitution, and Form of civil Government, for this Commonwealth, to be and remain juft and permanent Conf'titution and Form of civil Government fhould be ef'rablifhed as (K foon as potiible, derived from and founded on ‘C the authority of the People only, in whom is the origin of all governmental Power, and (C in full force therein, from and after the fe- (( cond Wednefday in ~--, and forever thereafter to remain unaltered, except in fuch who have at all times a right, by common (I confinz‘ (whenever the great end of Govern- Q‘ ment, the general good is not obtained) to alter and change their Conf'citution and Form of Government, in fuch manner as may beft (C C‘ articles as {hall hereafter, on new circum- f'rances arifing, or on experience, be found to require alteration; and which (hall, a} the t like authority of the People, convened for that promote the latiety and happinefs of the ‘ fo/e purprfl, be altered, for the more effectual whole." ‘ ( " ‘vVe, therefore, the Reprefentatives of the ‘ obtaining and fecuring the great end and defign of all good Government, tbe Good if toe People." Freemen of Mafiachuietts, in general Con- vention met, for the exprrfr purpofe of framing fuch a Conflitution and Form of Go" vernment, " Be it therefore declared and enaé‘ted bv the general Convention of this Common; wealth, affembled for the fole par‘ooje of deC 3 " claring |