The Education Master 1994 (4th Edition)/EDUCATIONS_MASTER_4TH_EDITION.bin/files/eductory/usconx1/usconx1.exe/USCON3.ZIP/ARTCONF.DAT

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             The Articles of Confederation (July 9, 1778)
                     Ratified in the year of 1781

  TO ALL TO WHOM these Presents shall come, we the undersigned
  Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting.
  Whereas the Delegates of the United States of America and
  Congress assembled did on the fifteenth day of November in the
  Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy seven,
  and in the Second Year of the Independance of America agree to
  certain 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 <« Stile »> 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 powerreserved 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 attendence 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 commited 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 presecribed 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 judeg 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
  adjoiningin 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
  pleged.

  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.