Some Facts of American History
(The Declaration of Independence was handwritten and the original
document was capitalized, as follows):
In CONGRESS July 4, 1776, The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen
united States of America,
(The last paragraph reads):
“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.”
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, July 9, 1778
“Article I: The Stile (name) of this Confederacy shall be ‘The
United States of America’.
“Article II: Each State retains its Sovereignty, Freedom, and
Independence, and every Power, Jurisdiction, and Right, which is
not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States,
in Congress assembled.”
Paris Peace Treaty of 1783 (with Great Britain on September 3, 1783)
“Article I: His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the said United
States, viz.(namely), New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode
Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina and Georgia, to be Free, Sovereign and Independent States,
that he treats with them as such, and for himself, his heirs, and
successors, relinquishes all claims to the government, propriety, and
territorial rights of the same and every part thereof.”
Amendment 10 to the U.S. Constitution:
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the
States respectively, or to the people." (i.e., the power to leave the
union was reserved to the States).
In his Message To The Confederate States Congress, April 29, 1861,
President Jefferson Davis, explained:
“So utterly have the principles of the Constitution been corrupted
that Abraham Lincoln did not hesitate to liken the relations between a
State and the United States to those which exist between a county and
the State in which it is situated and by which it was created.
“This is the lamentable and fundamental error on which rests the
policy that has culminated in his declaration of war against these
Confederate States.
“An organization (voluntary Union) created by the States to secure
the blessings of liberty and independence against foreign aggression, has
been gradually perverted into a machine for their control.
“The creature (federal government) has been exalted above its
creators (the States).”