These principles are absolutely critical in understanding the principles of the Constitution. These two great documents set the proper course for the People to understand and maintain liberty and thus enjoy the fruits of freedom. These principles are codified into law which laws ought to be honored to ensure a civil society and one at peace. This principles when adhered to will result in moral law and hence loss of conflict. The deviation from such laws will render the People subject to the rule of man which is never secure.
Dissolution of Government: There are times when government becomes corrupted and when laws are created that diminish, limit or deprive man of his natural rights. When such occurs man has the duty to replace such government and reinstitute a governments that respects man’s inalienable rights to Life, Liberty and Property. Governments have no right to exist they are simply given a privilege to exist by man. Just as freely man created government man can dissolve or abolish such government.
Declaration of the causes of dissolution of government: It is only proper that governments be given an opportunity to have grievances and petitions to communicated to such government to give them an opportunity to rectify listed grievances.
Equality in enjoyment of inalienable rights: No individual is to be denied any rights endowed by God. All have the same rights and the same protection of inalienable rights. No-one, including government, has a rightful claim in any degree to your property. Government is NOT authorized to violate your rights and any such action is illegal and immoral. This is to be resisted at all times.
Not all rights are enumerated: There are three inalienable rights that are enumerated in the Declaration of Independence however the words “.. That among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” clearly states that there are other rights beyond just the three enumerated rights. This is not an exhaustive list but are other key rights for man.
Right of conscience
Right of association
Right to free speech
Right to self defense
Right to contract with others
Right of conscience
Right of association
Right to free speech
Right to self defense
Right to contract with others
Governments are formed for protection of rights & are not granters of any rights: The only reason governments are created is to secure these rights. Government has NO other role or authority period. Governments cannot create contracts or laws that force non voluntary acceptances i.e. that which forces one or both parties to act in a fashion that they would not act by when given free choice. This would be wrongful liberty as defined by Jefferson or legal plunder, which are both immoral.
Governments derives their power from the consent of man: Man delegates power to the government and without such delegated power government has no authority. By definition that delegated authority limits government as people cannot delegate power they do not have. In other words government cannot steal from one to give to another, regardless of the motivation. The passage of such laws are immediately immoral and must be ignored and ensured that they are unenforceable.
Governments should never be abolished for frivolous reasons or reasons that are of short duration: Instituting a new government for reasons that are of short duration is unwise as the issue by the time a new government is instituted is no longer an issue hence making the effort unprofitable. Should governments stay within the bounds defined by man then there should never be a frivolous cause of abolishment.
There is a limit to abuses by government: The nature of man is to live in peace and avoid conflict but when a continuous reign of abuse and usurpation of power makes government intolerable to live under man has a right AND a duty to remove such tyranny and abuse. The duty we have is to ensure liberty for ourselves and for our children so that the principle of judgment for our actions in this life
Government must be reduced to the lowest level possible: Man ought to delegate authority to the lowest level possible. The more removed man is from decision making the greater the capacity and potential for tyranny and corruption.
Representative Government: Representative government requires that representatives are accountable and act in strict accordance with those they represent. Further it requires that we always have representatives in office. Unfortunately today we have representatives far removed (geographically and ideologically) from their constituents and are passing bill into law that they have not read. Representatives have also been sold their ideology for money and therefore we no longer have a strict representative form of government.
No standing armies: There should never be a standing army. Such armies must be gathered only in time of war and then disbanded. A standing army (permanent army) will always be called upon to fight some war. Since the sacrifice is made by the standing army people have a tendency to support unnecessary wars. If our children all paid the price to fight wars we would be less inclined to approve the declaration of war.
Quartering of troops: The quartering of troops in the homes of the citizenry is a total breach of privacy and enables tyranny on a individual level in our homes. At no time should individuals ever be forced to feed and provide accommodation for troops.
Taxation by consent: Forcing people to pay taxes for doctrine and programs they do not support and beyond the enumerated powers is tyranny and theft. Since it is the people who create governments they cannot be forced to do that which they have not given government authority to do.
Local trial by Jury: The best way to execute justice is to have those people who understand the characteristics and live under the conditions of the community to pass judgment.
Tyrants are unfit to rule: The actions of tyrants diminish freedom and increase oppression and suffering. People who lack character and who seek dominion over others will expedite the loss of liberty. Such people are to be immediately removed and by force when necessary. It is better that one man die than a nation lose its liberty.
Rights are not secure: Rights do not maintain themselves. They are retained by constant and vigilant effort on our part to maintain them. There are always men who seek unrighteous and immoral dominion over others and they must be stopped. The earlier we act the less sacrifice needed to retain such rights.
Sacrifice is needed to preserve liberty: The founding fathers understood that sacrifice was fundamental to opposing tyranny. They pledged all that they had (wealth, honor and lives) to be free from tyranny. The price is great for liberty but is necessary and as a free people we must be willing to pay the same price or tyrants will never face opposition to their dominion and tyranny over mankind.
Reliance on Divine Providence: Our rights come from God and he will come to our aid to preserve liberty as long as we honor Him.
Citizen’s duty to honor contracts: Those who consent to be governed have a duty to sustain and honor such governments whilst such governments protect the rights of the People. Such citizens ought to act in a fashion that respects the rights of others so secure peace amongst man. The citizen must never steal or covet the wealth of another through supporting such laws which confiscate wealth from another.
Rights are NOT products of law: Rights supersede all laws. If rights are products of law then they are not property rights but mere concessions to claims that individuals make and the state recognizes. Rights therefore can never be withdrawn at any time by any government.
Freedom from unjust compulsion is not the same as freedom from illegal compulsion: Freedom from illegal compulsion is simply the freedom to act in a manner which the state does not forbid. Unjust compulsion is any compulsion that is not voluntary and not in accordance with moral law. In other words such acts may be legal but immoral. When governments act in such a manner then societal outcomes become the purpose of government rather than what is their duty i.e. securing of natural rights. Government abridges rights by limiting our choices: By restricting contracts we enter into willingly government is violating the right of freedom of association and to contract.
Government must never be a monopoly: Governments destroy competition, causes misallocation of capital and investment which infringes on the right of contracts. Healthcare is an example and we see the chaos on the free market and on individual choice.
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