The Declaration of Independence - A Brief
History
By: Stanley L.
Klos
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION - Complete Text, Scans and Links - A Stan
Klos Company
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
Passed by Congress Nov. 15, 1777 - Ratified by the
States March 1, 1781
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.
I. The Stile of this Confederacy shall be "The United States
of America".
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 judgment 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.
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.
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.
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 marquee 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 judgment 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 judgment, which
shall in like manner be final and decisive, the judgment 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 judgment, 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
judgment, 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 cloth, arm and equip them in a
solid-like manner, at the expense of the United States; and the officers
and men so clothed, 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, clothed, 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 clothed, 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 marquee 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 judgment
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 & 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
SAMUEL ADAMS
ELBRIDGE GERRY
FRANCIS DANA
JAMES LOVELL
SAMUEL HOLTEN
On the part and behalf of the State of Rhode Island and
Providence Plantations
WILLIAM ELLERY
HENRY MARCHANT
JOHN COLLINS
On the part and behalf of the State of Connecticut
ROGER SHERMAN
SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
OLIVER WOLCOTT
TITUS HOSMER ANDREW ADAMS
On the Part and Behalf of the State of New York
JAMES DUANE
FRANCIS LEWIS
WM DUER
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
DANIEL ROBERDEAU
JOHN BAYARD SMITH.
WILLIAM CLINGAN
JOSEPH REED
22nd July 1778
On the part & 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
JOHN BANISTER
THOMAS ADAMS
JNo HARVIE
FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE
On the part and Behalf of the State of No Carolina
JOHN PENN
July 21st 1778
CORNs HARNETT
JNo WILLIAMS
On the part & behalf of the State of South Carolina
HENRY LAURENS
WILLIAM HENRY DRAYTON
JNo MATHEWS
RICHD HUTSON
THOs HEYWARD Junr
On the part & behalf of the State of Georgia JNo
WALTON
24th July 1778
EDWD TELFAIR
EDWD LANGWORTHY
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