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To
all to whom
these Presents shall come, we the undersigned
Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting.
Articles of Confederation and perpetual
Union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode Island
and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
Article
I.
The title of this Confederacy
shall be "The United States of America."
Article
II.
Each state retains its
sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction,
and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the
United States, in Congress assembled.
Article
III.
The said States hereby
severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their
common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general
welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered
to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion,
sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.
Article
IV.
The better to secure and
perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different
States in this Union, the free inhabitants of each of these States, paupers,
vagabonds, and fugitives from justice excepted, shall be entitled to all
privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several States; and the
people of each State shall free ingress and regress to and from any other
State, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce,
subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions as the inhabitants
thereof respectively, provided that such restrictions shall not extend
so far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any State, to
any other State, of which the owner is an inhabitant; provided also that
no imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid by any State, on the
property of the United States, or either of them.
If any person guilty of, or charged
with, treason, felony, or other high misdemeanor in any State, shall flee
from justice, and be found in any of the United States, he shall, upon
demand of the Governor or executive power of the State from which he fled,
be delivered up and removed to the State having jurisdiction of his offense.
Full faith and credit shall be given
in each of these States to the records, acts, and judicial proceedings
of the courts and magistrates of every other State.
Article
V.
For the most convenient management
of the general interests of the United States, delegates shall be annually
appointed in such manner as the legislatures of each State shall direct,
to meet in Congress on the first Monday in November, in every year, with
a power reserved to each State to recall its delegates, or any of them,
at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead for the
remainder of the year.
No State shall be represented in
Congress by less than two, nor more than seven members; and no person shall
be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of
six years; nor shall any person, being a delegate, be capable of holding
any office under the United States, for which he, or another for his benefit,
receives any salary, fees or emolument of any kind.
Each State shall maintain its own
delegates in a meeting of the States, and while they act as members of
the committee of the States.
In determining questions in the United
States in Congress assembled, each State shall have one vote.
Freedom of speech and debate in Congress
shall not be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Congress,
and the members of Congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests
or imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from, and attendance
on Congress, except for treason, felony, or breach of the peace.
Article
VI.
No State, without the consent
of the United States in Congress assembled, shall send any embassy to,
or receive any embassy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance
or treaty with any King, Prince or State; nor shall any person holding
any office of profit or trust under the United States, or any of them,
accept any present, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever from
any King, Prince or foreign State; nor shall the United States in Congress
assembled, or any of them, grant any title of nobility.
No two or more States shall enter
into any treaty, confederation or alliance whatever between them, without
the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, specifying accurately
the purposes for which the same is to be entered into, and how long it
shall continue.
No State shall lay any imposts or
duties, which may interfere with any stipulations in treaties, entered
into by the United States in Congress assembled, with any King, Prince
or State, in pursuance of any treaties already proposed by Congress, to
the courts of France and Spain.
No vessel of war shall be kept up
in time of peace by any State, except such number only, as shall be deemed
necessary by the United States in Congress assembled, for the defense of
such State, or its trade; nor shall any body of forces be kept up by any
State in time of peace, except such number only, as in the judgement of
the United States in Congress assembled, shall be deemed requisite to garrison
the forts necessary for the defense of such State; but every State shall
always keep up a well-regulated and disciplined militia, sufficiently armed
and accoutered, and shall provide and constantly have ready for use, in
public stores, a due number of filed pieces and tents, and a proper quantity
of arms, ammunition and camp equipage.
No State shall engage in any war
without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, unless
such State be actually invaded by enemies, or shall have received certain
advice of a resolution being formed by some nation of Indians to invade
such State, and the danger is so imminent as not to admit of a delay till
the United States in Congress assembled can be consulted; nor shall any
State grant commissions to any ships or vessels of war, nor letters of
marque or reprisal, except it be after a declaration of war by the United
States in Congress assembled, and then only against the Kingdom or State
and the subjects thereof, against which war has been so declared, and under
such regulations as shall be established by the United States in Congress
assembled, unless such State be infested by pirates, in which case vessels
of war may be fitted out for that occasion, and kept so long as the danger
shall continue, or until the United States in Congress assembled shall
determine otherwise.
Article
VII.
When land forces are raised
by any State for the common defense, all officers of or under the rank
of colonel, shall be appointed by the legislature of each State respectively,
by whom such forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such State shall
direct, and all vacancies shall be filled up by the State which first made
the appointment.
Article
VIII.
All charges of war, and all
other expenses that shall be incurred for the common defense or general
welfare, and allowed by the United States in Congress assembled, shall
be defrayed out of a common treasury, which shall be supplied by the several
States in proportion to the value of all land within each State, granted
or surveyed for any person, as such land and the buildings and improvements
thereon shall be estimated according to such mode as the United States
in Congress assembled, shall from time to time direct and appoint.
The taxes for paying that proportion
shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures
of the several States within the time agreed upon by the United States
in Congress assembled.
Article
IX.
The United States in Congress
assembled, shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining
on peace and war, except in the cases mentioned in the sixth article --
of sending and receiving ambassadors -- entering into treaties and alliances,
provided that no treaty of commerce shall be made whereby the legislative
power of the respective States shall be restrained from imposing such imposts
and duties on foreigners, as their own people are subjected to, or from
prohibiting the exportation or importation of any species of goods or commodities
whatsoever -- of establishing rules for deciding in all cases, what captures
on land or water shall be legal, and in what manner prizes taken by land
or naval forces in the service of the United States shall be divided or
appropriated -- of granting letters of marque and reprisal in times of
peace -- appointing courts for the trial of piracies and felonies committed
on the high seas and establishing courts for receiving and determining
finally appeals in all cases of captures, provided that no member of Congress
shall be appointed a judge of any of the said courts.
The United States in Congress assembled
shall also be the last resort on appeal in all disputes and differences
now subsisting or that hereafter may arise between two or more States concerning
boundary, jurisdiction or any other causes whatever; which authority shall
always be exercised in the manner following. Whenever the legislative or
executive authority or lawful agent of any State in controversy with another
shall present a petition to Congress stating the matter in question and
praying for a hearing, notice thereof shall be given by order of Congress
to the legislative or executive authority of the other State in controversy,
and a day assigned for the appearance of the parties by their lawful agents,
who shall then be directed to appoint by joint consent, commissioners or
judges to constitute a court for hearing and determining the matter in
question: but if they cannot agree, Congress shall name three persons out
of each of the United States, and from the list of such persons each party
shall alternately strike out one, the petitioners beginning, until the
number shall be reduced to thirteen; and from that number not less than
seven, nor more than nine names as Congress shall direct, shall in the
presence of Congress be drawn out by lot, and the persons whose names shall
be so drawn or any five of them, shall be commissioners or judges, to hear
and finally determine the controversy, so always as a major part of the
judges who shall hear the cause shall agree in the determination: and if
either party shall neglect to attend at the day appointed, without showing
reasons, which Congress shall judge sufficient, or being present shall
refuse to strike, the Congress shall proceed to nominate three persons
out of each State, and the secretary of Congress shall strike in behalf
of such party absent or refusing; and the judgement and sentence of the
court to be appointed, in the manner before prescribed, shall be final
and conclusive; and if any of the parties shall refuse to submit to the
authority of such court, or to appear or defend their claim or cause, the
court shall nevertheless proceed to pronounce sentence, or judgement, which
shall in like manner be final and decisive, the judgement or sentence and
other proceedings being in either case transmitted to Congress, and lodged
among the acts of Congress for the security of the parties concerned: provided
that every commissioner, before he sits in judgement, shall take an oath
to be administered by one of the judges of the supreme or superior court
of the State, where the cause shall be tried, 'well and truly to hear and
determine the matter in question, according to the best of his judgement,
without favor, affection or hope of reward': provided also, that no State
shall be deprived of territory for the benefit of the United States.
All controversies concerning the
private right of soil claimed under different grants of two or more States,
whose jurisdictions as they may respect such lands, and the States which
passed such grants are adjusted, the said grants or either of them being
at the same time claimed to have originated antecedent to such settlement
of jurisdiction, shall on the petition of either party to the Congress
of the United States, be finally determined as near as may be in the same
manner as is before prescribed for deciding disputes respecting territorial
jurisdiction between different States.
The United States in Congress assembled
shall also have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating the
alloy and value of coin struck by their own authority, or by that of the
respective States -- fixing the standards of weights and measures throughout
the United States -- regulating the trade and managing all affairs with
the Indians, not members of any of the States, provided that the legislative
right of any State within its own limits be not infringed or violated --
establishing or regulating post offices from one State to another, throughout
all the United States, and exacting such postage on the papers passing
through the same as may be requisite to defray the expenses of the said
office -- appointing all officers of the land forces, in the service of
the United States, excepting regimental officers -- appointing all the
officers of the naval forces, and commissioning all officers whatever in
the service of the United States -- making rules for the government and
regulation of the said land and naval forces, and directing their operations.
The United States in Congress assembled
shall have authority to appoint a committee, to sit in the recess of Congress,
to be denominated 'A Committee of the States', and to consist of one delegate
from each State; and to appoint such other committees and civil officers
as may be necessary for managing the general affairs of the United States
under their direction -- to appoint one of their members to preside, provided
that no person be allowed to serve in the office of president more than
one year in any term of three years; to ascertain the necessary sums of
money to be raised for the service of the United States, and to appropriate
and apply the same for defraying the public expenses -- to borrow money,
or emit bills on the credit of the United States, transmitting every half-year
to the respective States an account of the sums of money so borrowed or
emitted -- to build and equip a navy -- to agree upon the number of land
forces, and to make requisitions from each State for its quota, in proportion
to the number of white inhabitants in such State; which requisition shall
be binding, and thereupon the legislature of each State shall appoint the
regimental officers, raise the men and cloath, arm and equip them in a
solid- like manner, at the expense of the United States; and the officers
and men so cloathed, armed and equipped shall march to the place appointed,
and within the time agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled.
But if the United States in Congress assembled shall, on consideration
of circumstances judge proper that any State should not raise men, or should
raise a smaller number of men than the quota thereof, such extra number
shall be raised, officered, cloathed, armed and equipped in the same manner
as the quota of each State, unless the legislature of such State shall
judge that such extra number cannot be safely spread out in the same, in
which case they shall raise, officer, cloath, arm and equip as many of
such extra number as they judge can be safely spared. And the officers
and men so cloathed, armed, and equipped, shall march to the place appointed,
and within the time agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled.
The United States in Congress assembled
shall never engage in a war, nor grant letters of marque or reprisal in
time of peace, nor enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money,
nor regulate the value thereof, nor ascertain the sums and expenses necessary
for the defense and welfare of the United States, or any of them, nor emit
bills, nor borrow money on the credit of the United States, nor appropriate
money, nor agree upon the number of vessels of war, to be built or purchased,
or the number of land or sea forces to be raised, nor appoint a commander
in chief of the army or navy, unless nine States assent to the same: nor
shall a question on any other point, except for adjourning from day to
day be determined, unless by the votes of the majority of the United States
in Congress assembled.
The Congress of the United States
shall have power to adjourn to any time within the year, and to any place
within the United States, so that no period of adjournment be for a longer
duration than the space of six months, and shall publish the journal of
their proceedings monthly, except such parts thereof relating to treaties,
alliances or military operations, as in their judgement require secrecy;
and the yeas and nays of the delegates of each State on any question shall
be entered on the journal, when it is desired by any delegates of a State,
or any of them, at his or their request shall be furnished with a transcript
of the said journal, except such parts as are above excepted, to lay before
the legislatures of the several States.
Article
X.
The Committee of the States,
or any nine of them, shall be authorized to execute, in the recess of Congress,
such of the powers of Congress as the United States in Congress assembled,
by the consent of the nine States, shall from time to time think expedient
to vest them with; provided that no power be delegated to the said Committee,
for the exercise of which, by the Articles of Confederation, the voice
of nine States in the Congress of the United States assembled be requisite.
Article
XI.
Canada acceding to this confederation,
and adjoining in the measures of the United States, shall be admitted into,
and entitled to all the advantages of this Union; but no other colony shall
be admitted into the same, unless such admission be agreed to by nine States.
Article
XII.
All bills of credit emitted,
monies borrowed, and debts contracted by, or under the authority of Congress,
before the assembling of the United States, in pursuance of the present
confederation, shall be deemed and considered as a charge against the United
States, for payment and satisfaction whereof the said United States, and
the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged.
Article
XIII.
Every State shall abide by
the determination of the United States in Congress assembled, on all questions
which by this confederation are submitted to them. And the Articles of
this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the
Union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter
be made in any of them; unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress
of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of
every State.
And Whereas it
hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the
legislatures we respectively represent in Congress, to approve of, and
to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual
Union. Know Ye that we the undersigned delegates, by virtue of the power
and authority to us given for that purpose, do by these presents, in the
name and in behalf of our respective constituents, fully and entirely ratify
and confirm each and every of the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual
Union, and all and singular the matters and things therein contained: And
we do further solemnly plight and engage the faith of our respective constituents,
that they shall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congress
assembled, on all questions, which by the said Confederation are submitted
to them. And that the Articles thereof shall be inviolably observed by
the States we respectively represent, and that the Union shall be perpetual.
In Witness whereof
we have hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Philadelphia
in the State of Pennsylvania the ninth day of July in the Year of our Lord
One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eight, and in the Third Year of
the independence of America.
On the part and behalf of the State
of New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
John Wentworth Junr.
August 8th 1778
On the part and behalf of The State
of Massachusetts Bay:
John Hancock
Francis Dana
Samuel Adams
James Lovell
Elbridge Gerry
Samuel Holten
On the part and behalf of the State
of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations:
William Ellery
John Collins
Henry Marchant
On the part and behalf of the State
of Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Titus Hosmer
Samuel Huntington
Andrew Adams
Oliver Wolcott
On the Part and Behalf of the State
of New York:
James Duane
Wm Duer
Francis Lewis
Gouv Morris
On the Part and in Behalf of the
State of New Jersey, November 26, 1778.
Jno Witherspoon
Nathaniel Scudder
On the part and behalf of the State
of Pennsylvania:
Robt Morris
William Clingan
Daniel Roberdeau
Joseph Reed
John Bayard Smith
22nd July 1778
On the part and behalf of the State
of Delaware:
Tho Mckean
February 12, 1779
John Dickinson
May 5th 1779
Nicholas Van Dyke
On the part and behalf of the State
of Maryland:
John Hanson
March 1 1781
Daniel Carroll
Do
On the Part and Behalf of the State
of Virginia:
Richard Henry Lee
Jno Harvie
John Banister
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Thomas Adams
On the part and Behalf of the State
of No Carolina:
John Penn
July 21st 1778
Corns Harnett
Jno Williams
On the part and behalf of the State
of South Carolina:
Henry Laurens
Richd Hutson
William Henry Drayton
Thos Heyward Junr
Jno Mathews
On the part and behalf of the State
of Georgia:
Jno Walton
24th July 1778
Edwd Telfair
Edwd Langworthy |
