The Land of the Free - Conservative Politics Web Site

References to the Right to Life, Liberty and pursuit of happiness (including property) and the inability to be deprived of such without due process of law can be found in:

Declaration of Independence “that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”

Declaration of Independence “He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people” *This passage while not explicitly stating a right ot such things is relevant because it shows that the colonists believed that such things were not allowed in just society and violated these rights.

Declaration of Independence “He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation” *This passage while not explicitly stating a right ot such things is relevant because it shows that the colonists believed that such things were not allowed in just society and violated these rights.

Declaration of Independence “He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions” *This passage while not explicitly stating a right ot such things is relevant because it shows that the colonists believed that such things were not allowed in just society and violated these rights.

Declaration of Independence “He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands” *This passage while not explicitly stating a right ot such things is relevant because it shows that the colonists believed that such things were not allowed in just society and violated these rights.

Declaration of Independence “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.” *This passage while not explicitly stating a right ot such things is relevant because it shows that the colonists believed that such things were not allowed in just society and violated these rights.

14th Amendment to the United States Constitution “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”

Virginia Declaration of Rights, Section I, “That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety”

Massachusetts Body of Liberties Section I, “No mans life shall be taken away, no mans honour or good name shall be stayned, no mans person shall be arested, restrayened, banished, dismembered, nor any wayes punished, no man shall be deprived of his wife or children, no mans goods or estaite shall be taken away from him, nor any way indammaged under colour of law or Countenance of Authoritie, unlesse it be by vertue or equitie of some expresse law of the Country waranting the same, established by a generall Court and sufficiently published, or in case of the defect of a law in any parteculer case by the word of God. And in Capitall cases, or in cases concerning dismembring or banishment according to that word to be judged by the Generall Court”

Massachusetts Body of Liberties Section XVII, “Every man of or within this Jurisdiction shall have free libertie, notwithstanding any Civill power remove both himselfe, and his familie at their pleasure out of the same, provided there be no legall impediment to the contrarie”

Pennsylvania Charter of Privilege, “But because the Happiness of Mankind depends so much upon the Enjoying of Liberty of their Consciences as aforesaid, I do hereby solemnly declare, promise and grant, for me, my Heirs and Assigns, That the First Article of this Charter relating to Liberty of Conscience, and every Part and Clause therein, according to the true Intent and Meaning thereof, shall be kept and remain, without any Alteration, inviolably for ever”

James Madison’s Introduction to the Bill of Rights “That Government is instituted and ought to be exercised for the benefit of the people; which consists in the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the right of acquiring and using property, and generally of pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety”

Pennsylvania Declaration of Rights and Constitution, Section I: “That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, amongst which are, the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety”

Pennsylvania Declaration of Rights and Constitution Section VIII “That every member of society hath a right to be protected in the enjoyment of life, liberty and property”

Pennsylvania Declaration of Rights and Constitution Section XV, “That all men have a natural inherent right to emigrate from one state to another that will receive them, or to form a new state in vacant countries, or in such countries as they can purchase, whenever they think that thereby they may promote their own happiness”

Federalist Paper #2 "That they were individually interested in the public liberty and prosperity, and therefore that it was not less their inclination than their duty to recommend only such measures as, after the most mature deliberation, they really thought prudent and advisable."

Federalist Paper #5 (Quoting Queen Anne 1706) "An entire and perfect union will be the solid foundation of lasting peace: It will secure your religion, liberty, and property"

The Declaration of Arms, "Honour, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us."

The Declatration of Arms, "in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverence, employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live slaves."

The Declaration of Arms, " In our own native land, in defence of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it -- for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our fore-fathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms."

Federalist Paper #41 "Every man who loves peace, every man who loves his country, every man who loves liberty, ought to have it ever before his eyes, that he may cherish in his heart a due attachment to the Union of America, and be able to set a due value on the means of preserving it."

Fairfax County Resolves "13. Resolved that our most sincere and cordial Thanks be given to the Patrons and Friends of Liberty in Great Britain, for their spirited and patriotick Conduct in Support of our constitutional Rights and Privledges, and their generous Efforts to prevent the present Distress and Calamity of America."

Fairfax County Resolves "22. Resolved that shou'd the Town of Boston be forced to submit to the late cruel and oppressive Measures of Government, that we shall not hold the same to be binding upon us, but will, notwithstanding, religiously maintain, and inviolably adhere to such Measures as shall be concerted by the general Congress, for the preservation of our Lives, Liberties and Fortunes."

The Rights of the Colonists By Samuel Adams "Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these: First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can"

The Rights of the Colonists by Samuel Adams "The natural liberty of man, by entering into society, is abridged or restrained, so far only as is necessary for the great end of society, the best good of the whole."

The Rights of the Colonists by Samuel Adams "In the state of nature men may, as the patriarchs did, employ hired servants for the defence of their lives, liberties, and property"

The Rights of the Colonists by Samuel Adams "In short, it is the greatest absurdity to suppose it in the power of one, or any number of men, at the entering into society, to renounce their essential natural rights, or the means of preserving those rights; when the grand end of civil government, from the very nature of its institution, is for the support, protection, and defence of those very rights; the principal of which, as is before observed, are Life, Liberty, and Property. If men, through fear, fraud, or mistake, should in terms renounce or give up any essential natural right, the eternal law of reason and the grand end of society would absolutely vacate such renunciation."

The Rights of the Colonists by Samuel Adams "The absolute rights of Englishmen and all freemen, in or out of civil society, are principally personal security, personal liberty, and private property.

Rights of British Colonies, James Otis, "The end of government being the good of mankind, points out its great duties: it is above all things to provide for the security, the quiet, and happy enjoyment of life, liberty, and property."

English Bill of Rights "Having therefore an entire Confidence, That his said Highness the Prince of Orange will perfect the Deliverance so far advanced by him, and will still preserve them from the Violation of their Rights, which they have here asserted, and from all other Attempts upon their Religion, Rights, and Liberties."

Ratification of the Constitution by the State of North Carolina November 21, 1789 "That there are certain natural rights of which men, when they form a social compact, cannot deprive or divest their posterity, among which are the enjoyment of life, and liberty, with the means of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety."