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appoint a

of the states.

powers of

merated.

Congress to The United States in congress assembled shall have authority to committee of 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 Additional each state, and to appoint such other committees and civil officers congress enu- as may be necessary for managing the general affairs of the United States, under their direction: to appoint one of their number 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 clothe, arm, and equip them in a soldier-like manner, at the expense of the United States; and the officers and men so clothed, 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 than its

Congress not to exercise

ers unless by

nine states.

quota, and that any other state should raise a greater number of men than the quota thereof, such extra number shall be raised, officered, clothed, 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 can not be safely spared out of the same; in which case they shall raise, officer, clothe, arm, and equip, as many of such extra number as they judge can be safely spared. And the officers and men so clothed, 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 · certain pow- war, nor grant letters of marque and reprisal in time of peace, nor enter the votes of into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate the value thereof, nor ascertain the sums and expenses 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 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 a majority of the United States in congress assembled.

Questions

how decided.

ment, and

ceedings, of

The congress of the United States shall have power to adjourn to Adjournany time within the year, and to any place within the United States, other proso that no period of adjournment be for a longer duration than the congress. 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 judgment 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 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 legislatures of the several states.

the states

ed with cer

ART. 10. The committee of the states, or any nine of them, shall Committee of be authorised to execute in the recess of congress, such of the powers may be vestof congress as the United States in congress assembled, by the consent tain powers. of 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 is requisite.

be admitted

federacy.

ART. 11. Canada, acceding to this confederation, and joining in Canada may the measures of the United States, shall be admitted into, and entitled into the conto, 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.

debts assum

ART. 12. All bills of credit emitted, moneys borrowed, and debts Payment of contracted, by or under the authority of congress, before the assem- ed. bling 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 pledged.

imposed by

ration.

ART. 13. Every state shall abide by the determination of the Unit- Obligations ed States in congress assembled, on all questions which, by this con- the confedefederation, are submitted to them. And the articles of this confederation shall be inviolably observed by every state, and the union shall Union perbe 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 legislature of every

state.

And whereas it has pleased the Great Governor of the world to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in congress, to approve of and to authorise 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

petual, &c.

Ratification.

Signatures to

the act of confedera

tion.

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.

On the part and behalf of the state of New-Hampshire.
Josiah Bartlet,

John Wentworth, jun. August 8, 1778.
On the part and behalf of the state of Massachusetts Bay.

John Hancock,

Samuel Adams,

Elbridge Gerry,

Francis Dana,

James Lovell,

Samuel Holten.

On the part and in behalf of the state of Rhode-Island and Providence

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On the part and behalf of the state of Delaware.
Nicholas Van Dyke.

Tho. M'Kean, Feb. 13, 1779.

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Signatures to

the act of

confedera

tion.

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.

On the part and behalf of the state of New-Hampshire.
Josiah Bartlet,

John Wentworth, jun. August 8, 1778.
On the part and behalf of the state of Massachusetts Bay.

John Hancock,

Samuel Adams,

Francis Dana,

James Lovell,

Samuel Holten.

Elbridge Gerry,

On the part and in behalf of the state of Rhode-Island and Providence

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On the part and behalf of the state of Delaware.
Nicholas Van Dyke.

Tho. M'Kean, Feb. 13, 1779.

John Dickinson, May 5th, 1779.

On the part and behalf of the state of Maryland.

Daniel Carroll,

do.

On the part and behalf of the state of Virginia.

John Hanson, March 1, 1781.

Richard Henry Lee,

John Banister,

Thomas Adams,

Jno. Harvie,

Francis Lightfoot Lee.

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