of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connexions and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind-enemies in war, in peace friends. We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in general congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world, for the rectitude. of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connexion between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that, as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour. NEW HAMPSHIRE. Josiah Bartlett, MASSACHUSETTS BAY. Samuel Adams, CONNECTICUT. Roger Sherman, NEW YORK. William Floyd, NEW JERSEY. Richard Stockton, PENNSYLVANIA. Robert Morris, JOHN HANCOCK. James Smith, George Taylor, DELAWARE. Cæsar Rodney, MARYLAND. Samuel Chase, C. Carroll, of Carrolton. VIRGINIA. George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, jr. NORTH CAROLINA. William Hooper, SOUTH CAROLINA. Edward Rutledge, GEORGIA. Button Gwinnett, ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. IN CONGRESS, JULY 8, 1778. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND PERPETUAL UNION Between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Article 1. The style of this confederacy shall be, "The United Style of the confederacy. States retain Art. 2. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this sovereignty. confederation expressly delegated to the United States in congress assembled. Art. 3. The said states hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defence, 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 pretence whatever. Art. 4. 1. 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 have 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. 2. 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 the 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 offence. 3. 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. The States enter into a league for common defence. The inhabitants of each entitled to all the privileges of free citizens in the several States. No duties to be laid on the property of the U. States or either of them. Fugitives from justice to be delivered up. Full faith &c. to be given to the records &c. of every State. Delegates to be annually appointed to meet in congress. No state to have less than two nor more than seven; not to serve more than 3 years out of 6: while such not to hold office under U States. Art. 5. § 1. For the more convenient management of the general interests of the United States, delegates shall be annually appointed in such manner as the legislature 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. § 2. 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 any other for his benefit, receives any salary, fees, or emolument, of any kind. 3. Each state shall maintain its own delegates in a meeting of Each state to the states, and while they act as members of the committee of these own delegates. states. maintain its Each state to have one vote. 4. In determining questions in the United States in congress assembled, each state shall have one vote. 5. Freedom of speech and debate in congress shall not be imFreedom of peached or questioned in any court or place out of congress, and the speech, &c. not to be impeach members of congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests ed, & members and imprisonments during the time of their going to and from, and of Congress attendance on congress, except for treason, felony, or breach of the protected from peace. arrest. send or receive Art. 6. § 1. No state, without the consent of the United States in No state to congress assembled, shall send any embassy to, or receive any any embassy, embassy froin, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance, or &c. or enter treaty, with any king, prince, or state, nor shall any person, holding into any treaty: no person hold- any office of profit or trust under the United States, or any of ing office to ac- them, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind cept of present from any king, whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state; nor shall the United &c.: no title of States, in congress assembled, or any of them, grant any title of nobility to be granted. nobility. No two states to enter into treaty or alli § 2. No two or more states shall enter into any treaty, confederation, or alliance whatever, between them, without the consent of the United ance with each States in congress assembled, specifying accurately the purposes for other without which the same is to be entered into, and how long it shall continue. 3. No state shall lay any imposts or duties which interfere may No state to lay with any stipulations in treaties, entered into by the United States in duties, &c. to congress assembled, with any king, prince, or state, in pursuance of interfere with treaties already proposed by congress to the courts of France and consent of congress. treaties congress. by Vessels of any Spain. 4. No vessels of war shall be kept up in time of peace by any state, except such number only as shall be deemed necessary by the kept by states, United States in congress assembled, for the defence of such state, war not to be except such as congress may deem necessary for its defence, nor any body of except for same pur pose; but militia to be kept disciplined. No state to engage in war without consent of congress unless actually in vaded or the danger immi nent, nor grant any letters of 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 defence of such state; but every state shall always keep up a well regulated and disciplined militia, forces sufficiently armed and accoutred, and shall provide and constantly have ready for use, in public stores, a due number of field pieces and tents, and a proper quantity of arms, ammunition and camp equipage. 5. 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 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 remarque 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. Art. 7. When land forces are raised by any state for the common defence, 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 ed for common appointment. prisal except in certain cases. Officers under rank of colonel to be appointed by the states when forces are rais defence. Charges of war to be defrayed out of a common treas Art. 8. All charges of war, and all other expenses that shall be incurred for the common defence 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 ury. proportion to the value of all land within each state, granted to 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. The taxes for paying each states' proportion to be levied by the states. Powers of Art. 9. 1. The United States in congress assembled shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and congress. war, except in the cases mentioned in the sixth article, of sending and receiving ambassadors; entering into treaties and alliances, |