Dear Mr. Morriss.—You will find in one of the papers, written in cipher, the names of all my associates, who are each entitled to an equal part of our treasure, and opposite to the names of each one will be found the names and residences of the relatives and others, to whom they devise their respective portions. From this you will be enabled to carry out the wishes of all by distributing the portion of each to the parties designated. This will not be difficult, as their residences are given, and they can easily be found.
The two letters given above were all the box contained that were intelligible; the others, consisted of papers closely covered with figures, which were, of course, unmeaning until they could be deciphered. To do this was the task to which I now devoted myself, and with but partial success.
To enable my readers to understand the paper numbered “2,” the Declaration of Independence is given, by the assistance of which its hidden meaning was made plain:
1 When,2 in3 the4 course5 of6 human7 events8 it9 becomes10 necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have (20) connected them with another, and to assume among the powers (30) of the earth, the separate and equal station to which (40) the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, (50) a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that (60) they should declare the causes which impel them to the (70) separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that (80) all men are created equal; that they are endowed by (90) their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are (100) life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure (110) their rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just (120) powers from the consent of the governed; that when any (130) form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is (140) the right of the people to alter or to abolish (150) it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation (160) on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, (170) as to them shall seem most likely to effect their (180) safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long (190) established, should not be changed for light and transient causes; (200) and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are now (210) disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right (220) themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. (230) But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing (240) invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under (250) absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, (260) to throw off such government, and to provide new guards (270) for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance (280) of these colonies, and such is now the necessity which (290) constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The (300) history of the present King of
