Download Articles of Confederation: Rules for Interstate Relations and Military Defense and more Exercises Voice in PDF only on Docsity!
[1231]
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND While the Declaration of Independence was under consideration in the Continental Congress, and before it was finally agreed upon, meas- ures were taken for the establishment of a constitutional form of govern- ment; and on the 11th of June, 1776, it was ââ Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare and digest the form of a confederation to be entered into between these Coloniesââ; which committee was appointed the next day, June 12, and consisted of a member from each Colony, namely: Mr. Bartlett, Mr. S. Adams, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Sherman, Mr. R. R. Livingston, Mr. Dickinson, Mr. McKean, Mr. Stone, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Hewes, Mr. E. Rutledge, and Mr. Gwinnett. On the 12th of July, 1776, the committee reported a draft of the Articles of Confederation, which was printed for the use of the members under the strictest injunc- tions of secrecy. This report underwent a thorough discussion in Congress, from time to time, until the 15th of November, 1777; on which day, ââArticles of Confederation and Perpetual Unionââ were finally agreed to in form, and they were directed to be proposed to the legislatures of all the United States, and if approved by them, they were advised to authorize their delegates to ratify the same in the Congress of the United States; and in that event they were to become conclusive. On the 17th of Novem- ber, 1777, the Congress agreed upon the form of a circular letter to accompany the Articles of Confederation, which concluded with a rec- ommendation to each of the several legislatures ââto invest its delegates with competent powers, ultimately, and in the name and behalf of the State, to subscribe articles of confederation and perpetual union of the United States, and to attend Congress for that purpose on or before the 10th day of March next.ââ This letter was signed by the President of Congress and sent, with a copy of the articles, to each State legisla- ture. On the 26th of June, 1778, Congress agreed upon the form of a ratification of the Articles of Confederation, and directed a copy of the articles and the ratification to be engrossed on parchment; which, on the 9th of July, 1778, having been examined and the blanks filled, was signed by the delegates of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, Penn- sylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina. Congress then directed that a circular letter be addressed to the States whose delegates were not present, or being present, conceived they were not authorized to sign the ratification, informing them how many and what States had ratified the Articles of Confederation, and desiring them, with all convenient dispatch, to authorize their delegates to ratify the same. Of these States,
ø 1231 ¿ ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
North Carolina ratified on the 21st and Georgia on the 24th of July, 1778; New Jersey on the 26th of November following; Delaware on the 5th of May, 1779; Maryland on the 1st of March, 1781; and on the 2d of March, 1781, Congress assembled under the new form of government.
ø 1231.4 ¿ ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
1231.4 ARTICLE III. The said states hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their com- mon 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, sov- ereignty, trade, or any other pretence whatever. 1231.5 ARTICLE IV. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the dif- ferent 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. 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 re- moved to the state having jurisdiction of his offence. 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. 1231.6 ARTICLE V. For the more convenient management of the general interest 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. No state shall be represented in Congress by less than two, nor by 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,
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION ø 1231.7 ¿
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 meet- ing of the states, and while they act as members of the committee of the states. In determining questions in the united states, in Con- gress 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 pro- tected in their persons from arrests and 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 1231. 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 of 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, con- federation 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 of 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 pro- posed by congress to the courts of France and Spain. 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 united states in congress assembled, for the defence 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 garri- son the forts necessary for the defence of such state; but every state shall always keep up a well regulated and
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION ø 1231.10 ¿
ARTICLE IX. The united states in congress assembled, 1231. shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of deter- mining on peace and war, except in the cases mentioned in the sixth articleâof sending and receiving embassadorsâentering into treaties and alliances, pro- vided that no treaty of commerce shall be made whereby the legislative power of the respective states shall be re- strained from imposing such imposts and duties on for- eigners, as their own people are subjected to, or from prohibiting the exportation or importation of any species of goods or commodities whatsoeverâof 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 appropriatedâof granting letters of marque and reprisal in times of peaceâappointing courts for the trial of piracies and felonies committed on the high seas and establishing courts for receiving and determining fi- nally 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 cause whatever, which authority shall always be exercised in the manner following. Whenever the legisla- tive 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 con- gress to the legislative or executive authority of the other state in controversy, and a day assigned for the appear- ance 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 deter- mining 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
ø 1231.10 ¿ ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
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 judg- ment 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 pro- nounce 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 commis- sioner, 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, ââwell and truly to hear and determine the matter in question, according to the best of his judgment without favour, affection or hope of rewardââ: 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 jurisdiction 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 pre- scribed for deciding disputes respecting territorial jurisdic- tion 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 statesâfixing the standard of weights and measures throughout the united statesâ
ø 1231.11 ¿ ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
a greater 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 such state, unless the legislature of such state shall judge that such extra number cannot be safely spared out of 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 and reprisal in time of peace, nor enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate the value thereof, nor ascer- tain the sums and expences necessary for the defence 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 com- mander-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 deter- mined, unless by the votes of a 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 month- ly, except such parts thereof relating to treaties, alliances or military operations as in their judgment require se- crecy; 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 delegate; and the 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 legisla- tures of the several states. 1231.11 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 nine
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION ø 1231.15 ¿
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 is requisite.
ARTICLE XI. Canada acceding to this confederation, and 1231. joining 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 1231. and debts contracted by, or under the authority of con- gress, before the assembling of the united states, in pursu- ance of the present confederation, shall be deemed and considered as a charge against the united states, for pay- ment and satisfaction whereof the said united states, and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged.
ARTICLE XIII. Every state shall abide by the determina- 1231. tions 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 invio- lably 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 afterward confirmed by the legislatures of every state.
AND WHEREAS it has pleased the Great Governor of 1231. 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 sub- mitted to them. And that the articles thereof shall be
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION ø 1231.16 ¿
On the part and behalf of the State of Virginia.
RICHARD HENRY LEE, J OHN BANISTER, T HOMAS ADAMS ,
J NO HARVIE , F RANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE.
On the part and behalf of the State of North Carolina.
J OHN PENN, JULY 21, 1778, C ORNS. HARNETT,
J NO WILLIAMS.
On the part and behalf of the State of South Carolina.
H ENRY LAURENS, W ILLIAM HENRY DRAYTON, JNO MATHEWS,
R ICHARD HUTSON, T HOS. HEYWARD , JUNR.
On the part and behalf of the State of Georgia.
JNO WALTON, 24th JULY 1778, EDWD TELFAIR,
E DWD. LANGWORTHY.
