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the authority of the good people of thefe colonies, folemnly publish and declare, that thefe united colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States, and that they are abfolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection betwixt them and the state of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally diffolved; and that as free and independent ftates, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the fupport 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 facred honour.

Signed by order, and in behalf of Congress,

JOHN HANCOCK, Prefident. Atteft. Charles Thompson, Secretary. Articles of confederation and perpetual union between the States of New Hampshire, Maffachu-. fett's Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, the counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Suffex on Delaware river, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. N. B. Thefe articles of confederation, after having been long weighed, and difcuffed, line by line, in the congrefs, were at length refolved upon, and figned by all the delegates, the 4th of October, 1776, at Philadelphia, fuch as they are here fet forth; and in confequence were immediately fent to the other states, to be confirmed by them. Article I..

THE Thirteen States above-mentioned, confedederate themselves under the title of The United States of America.

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II.

They contract, each in their own name, by the prefent conftitution, a reciprocal treaty of alliance and friendship, for their common defence, for the maintenance of their liberties, and for their general and mutual advantage; obliging themselves to affist each other againft all violence that may threaten all or any one of them, and to repel in common all the attacks that may be levelled againft all or any one of them, on account of religion, fovereignty, commerce, or under any other pretext whatfoever.

III.

Each state referves to themselves alone the exclu five right of regulating their internal government, and of framing laws in all matters that are not included in the articles of the prefent confederation, and which cannot any way prejudice the fame.

IV.

No ftate in particular, fhall either fend or receive embaffies, begin any negociation, contract any engagements, form any alliances, conclude any treaties with any king, prince, or power whatsoever, without the confent of the United States, affembled in general congrefs.

No perfon, invefted with any poft whatever, under the authority of the United States, or any of them, whether he has appointments belonging to his em, ployment, or whether it be a commiffion purely confidential, fhall be allowed to occept any prefents, gra, tuities, emoluments, nor any offices or titles of any kind whatever, from any kings, princes, or foreign powers.

And the General Affembly of the United States, nor any State in particular, fhall not confer any title ●f nobility.

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V..

Two, nor feveral of the faid States fhall not have power to form aliances or confederatio: nor conclude any private treaty among themfelve, without the confent of the United States, affembled in General Congrefs, and without the aim and duration of that private convention be exactly specified in the confent.

VI.

No State fall lay on any impofts, nor establish any duties whatfoever, the effect of which might alter directly or indi.ectly, the claufes of the treaties to be concluded here.f.er by th A Tembly of the United States with any kings, princes, o power whatfoever. Vil.

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There h l not be kept by any of the fail States in particular, any vereis or fhips o war a ove the number judged neceifary by the Affembly of the United States, for the defence of that State and its commerce; and there fhall not be kept on foot in time of peace, by any of the faid States, any troops be the number determined by the Afembly of the Uaited States, to guard the ftrong places, or forts neceffary for the defence of that State; but each State fhall always keep up a well difciplined militia, fufficiently armed and equipped, and fhall be careful to procure, and keep in conftant readiness, in the public magazines, a fufficient number of field pieces and tents, with a proper quantity of ammunition and im plements of war.

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VIII.

When of the faid States fhall raife troops for the common defence, all the officers of the rank of colonel, and under, fhall be appointed by the legifla

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tive body of the State that fhall have raifed the troops, or in fuch manner as that State fhall have judged pro, per to regulate the nominations; and when any vacancy happens in thefe pofts, they fhall be filled up by the faid State.

IX.

All the expence of war, and all other difburfe ments, that fhall be made for the common defence or the general weal, and that shall be ordered by the Affembly of the United States, fhall be paid out of the funds of a common treafury.

That common treafury fhall be formed by the con tributions of each of the aforefaid States, in proportion to the number of inhabitants of every age, fex, or quality, except the Indians exempt from taxes in each State; and in order to fix the quota of the contribution, every three years the inhabitants fhall be white people fhall be destinguished, and that enumeration fhall be fent to the affembly of the United States.

The taxes appropriated to pay this quota fhall be laid and levied in the extent of each ftate by the authority and orders of its legislative body, within the time fixed by the affembly of the United States.

Each of the faid States shall submit to the decifions of the Affembly of the United States, in all matters or queftions referved to that Affembly by the prefent act of confederation.

XI.

No State fhall engage in war without the confent of the United States affembled in Congrefs, except in cafe of actual invafion of fome enemy, or from a cer

tain knowledge of a refolution taken by fome Indian nation to attack them, and in that cafe only, in which the danger is too urgent to allow them time to confult the other States.

No particular State fhall give any commiffion to veffels, or other fhips of war, nor any letters of marque or reprifals, till after a declaration of war made by the Affembly of the United States; and even in that cafe they fhall be granted only against the kingdom, or of the power against which war fhall have been fo declared; and fhall conform, refpecting thofe objects, to the regulations made by the Affembly of the United States.

XII.

In order to watch over the general intereft of the United States, and direct the general affairs, there fhall be nominated every year according to the form fettled by the legislative body of each State, a certain number of delegates, who fhall fit at Philadel phia until the General Affembly of the United States fhall have ordered otherwife; and the firft Monday in November of each year, fhall be the æra fixed for their meeting.

Each of the above-mentioned States fhall preferve the right and power to recall, at any time whatever of the year, their delegates or any one of them, and to fend others in the room of them for the remainder of the year; and each of the faid States fhall maintain their delegates during the time of the general Affembly, and alfo during the time they fhall be members of the Council of State, of which mention fhall be made hereafter.

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