"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."

We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization.

We hold these truths to be self-evident:
That all men are created equal.
That they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,
that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men, we...
solemnly publish and declare, that these colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states...
and for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of devine providence, we mutually pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour.

"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain even under the regiment of their barbarous ancestors."