"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, 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, 2nd para.
"Jefferson's original draft of this phrase in the Declaration of Independence was written: "We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable; that all men are created equal and independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent and
inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Members of the Declaration committee of the Continental Congress that had been selected to write the document included Benjamin Franklin and John Adams who had different beliefs.
The word "inalienable" was changed to "unalienable" and read: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."
The above two paragraphs come from Mary Mostert in an article she wrote on January 11, 2006
"Unalienable vs. inalienable rights". She explains the change; as Thomas Jefferson reflected a Deist philosophy and did not believe in a loving and caring Heavenly Father vs. the 18th century version of "intelligent design" reflected by Franklin and Adams.
"Unalienable: incapable of being alienated, that is, sold and transferred."
Black's Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition, pg. 1523
"You cannot surrender, sell or transfer unalienable rights, they are a gift from the creator to the individual and cannot under any circumstances be surrendered or taken. All individual's have unalienable rights"
"Inalienable rights: Rights which are not capable of being surrendered or transferred without the consent of the one possessing such rights." Morrison v. State, Mo. App. 252 S.W. 2d 97, 101
"You can surrender, sell or transfer inalienable rights if you consent either actually or constructively. Inalienable rights are not inherent in man and can be alienated by government. Persons have inalienable rights.
Most state constitutions recognize only inalienable rights."
"It has been well said, by one of the ablest judges of the age, that a
"constitution is not to receive a technical construction, like a common law instrument or a stature. It is to be interpreted so as to carry out the great principles of the government, not to defeat them." Per Gibson, C.J. in Commonwealth v. Clark, 7 Watts & S. (Pa.), 133. Butler V. Com. of Pennsylvania, 51 U.S. 402 (1850)
"The very highest duty of the States, when they entered into the Union under the Constitution, was to protect all persons within their boundaries in the enjoyment of these "unalienable rights with which they were endowed by their Creator.", U.S. v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542 (1875)
"....
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, adopted as they were soon after the adoption of the Constitution, are in the nature of a bill of rights, and were adopted in order to quiet the apprehension of many, that without some such declaration of rights the government would assume, and might be held to possess, the power to trespass upon those rights of persons and property which by the Declaration of Independence were affirmed to be unalienable rights. United States v. Twin City Power Co., 350 U.S. 222 (1956)"
Above quotes from
Unalienable Rights vs Inalienable Rights
Unalienable Rights New
