Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE

CONSTITUTIONS

OF THE SEVERAL

INDEPENDENT STATES

OF

AMERICA;

THE

Declaration of Independence;

THE

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
BETWEEN THE SAID STATES;

THE

TREATIES between HIS MOST CHRISTIAN MAJESTY
and the UNITED STATES of AMERICA.

[blocks in formation]

ODER

LIBRARY

IN CONGRESS.

DECEMBER 29, 1780.

RESOLVED,

THAT a Committee of three be appointed to collect, and cause to be published, two hundred correct copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, the Alliances between thefe United States and his Moft Chriftian Majefty, with the Conftitutions or Forms of Government of the feveral States, to be bound together in boards. The members chofen, Mr. Bee, Mr. Witherspoon, and Mr. Wolcott.

Extract from the Minutes,

CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.

[ocr errors]

THE

EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT.

A

FTER the Colonies of North America had completely renounced their alle allegiance to the Mother-Country, by their folemn Declaration of Independence, in the month of July, 1776, each of the States into which they were then divided, adopted different forms of independent governments, befides entering into a general treaty of confederation and union. Thefe plans of new governments were completed at different times by the different States; a final fanction having been given fooner by fome to that form which they chose to adopt, and later by others: thus, the conftitution of the Colony of Maffachusetts was not finally fettled till the month of March, 1780. The fame difference in point of time alfo took place in regard to the respective acceffions of the new American States to the general treaty of confederation; the Colony of Maryland, for inftance, having only acceded to it in the fame month of March, 1780, that is, about four years after the Declaration of Independence. To thefe circumftances it is very probably owing, that no Collection containing the above new Conftitutions, together, with the general treaty between the United States of North America, was for a long time published. At last, on the 29th of December,

1780,

« PreviousContinue »