▁prepared ▁before hand ▁was ▁a ▁" S ole mn ▁act ▁of ▁the ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Independ ence " ▁there ▁they ▁wrote : ▁“ The ▁Spanish ▁government ▁has ▁given ▁us ▁the ▁most ▁for cible ▁proofs ▁of ▁its ▁ty ran ny , ▁its ▁bad ▁faith , ▁and ▁of ▁its ▁in cap acity ▁to ▁protect ▁and ▁to ▁govern ▁us ”. ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁document ▁they ▁held ▁the ▁Spanish ▁king ▁responsible ▁for ▁tre ating : ▁“ us ▁a ▁subjects , ▁as ▁slaves ; ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁de af ▁to ▁our ▁just ▁and ▁law ful ▁rem on st ran ces ,” ▁and ▁later ▁writing ▁that ▁“ F ul ly ▁im pressed ▁with ▁these ▁truth s , ▁we ▁declare ▁solemn ly ▁before ▁the ▁Al m ight y ▁God , ▁before ▁the ▁whole ▁Un iverse , ▁that ▁we ▁are ▁resolved ▁to ▁suffer ▁a ▁similar ▁ty ran ny ▁no ▁longer . ▁A ▁free , ▁independent , ▁and ▁wise ▁Government ▁will ▁give ▁us ▁happiness , ▁strength , ▁and ▁consist ency ”. ▁Later ▁on ▁the ▁declaration ▁appoint s ▁the ▁general - in - ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁expedition ▁( D uc oud ray - Hol stein ) ▁as ▁president ▁and ▁prov is ional ▁civil , ▁political , ▁and ▁military ▁chief ▁until ▁a ▁National ▁Congress ▁could ▁be ▁assemble d ▁to ▁discuss ▁the ▁project ▁of ▁a ▁constitution ▁and ▁the ▁installation ▁of ▁legisl ative , ▁jud icial , ▁and ▁executive ▁powers . ▁ ▁Another ▁document ▁of ▁Duc oud ray - Hol stein ▁compr ised ▁orders ▁to ▁the ▁officers ▁of ▁the ▁expedition . ▁It ▁informed ▁them ▁“