Declaration of Rebellion

The Declaration of Rebellion was crafted by Mon Mothma, addressed directly to Emperor Palpatine and ratified by the resistance representatives at the Cornellian System Meetings. To counteract the Galactic Empire's propaganda that labeled rebel fighters as terrorists, pirates and thieves, the newly formed Alliance distributed quadtrillions of copies of the declaration. In the declaration, the principles and grievances of the Alliance are laid out and it concludes with an open vow to overthrow Palpatine's regime.

The Declaration was released several months prior to the Battle of Yavin, and was the main cause for Emperor Palpatine's dissolution of the Imperial Senate.

=Full Text=

''We, the beings of the Rebel Alliance, do this day send forth this Declaration to His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of the Universe, Emperor Palpatine, and to all sentient beings in this Gracious Known Universe, to make clear to all the Purposes and Goals of this Rebellion. We firmly acknowledge the importance and necessity of the institution of Universal Interstellar Government. We accept that all must subjugate themselves to that Government, giving up certain rights and freedoms, in return for peace, prosperity and happiness for all.

We believe that the Universal Government derives its power and right to rule from the consent of the governed. We believe that, should the rights of free beings be willfully and malignantly usurped, it is the unalienable right of said beings to alter or abolish said Government.

We believe that the Galactic Empire has willfully and malignantly usurped the rights of the free beings of the Universe and therefore, it is our unalienable right to abolish it from the Universe, forever and all time!

We do not take this course lightly. Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes, but when a Government displays a history of usurpation, abuse and moral atrocity, displaying a clear design to subjugate totally and absolutely beings born free under the auspices of nature, it is our right—our duty—to depose of that Government.

The history of the present Galactic Empire is of repeated injuries upon its members, with the direct objective of establishing you, Galactic Emperor Palpatine, as absolute tyrant over the Universe:

You have disbanded the Senate, the voice of the people;

You have instituted a policy of blatant racism and genocide against the nonhuman peoples of the Universe; You have overthrown the chosen leaders of planets, replacing them with Moffs and Regional Governors of your choice; You have raised taxes without the consent of those taxed;

You have murdered and imprisoned hepdrillions without benefit of trial;

You have unlawfully taken land and property;

You have expanded the military far beyond what is necessary and prudent, for the sole purpose of oppressing your subjects. We, the Rebel Alliance, do therefore in the name—and by the authority—of the free beings of the Universe, solemnly publish and declare our intentions:

To fight and oppose you and your forces, by any and all means at our disposal;

To refuse any Imperial law contrary to the rights of free beings;

To bring about your destruction and the destruction of the Galactic Empire; To make forever free all beings in the Universe.

To these ends, we pledge our property, our honor, and our lives. WE WANT PEACE, JUSTICE, FREEDOM, SECURITY, AND PRESEVERATION FROM YOUR PETTY EMPIRE!''