Slike strani
PDF
ePub

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 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 cannot 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 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 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.

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 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 legis latures 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 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.

ARTICLE XI.

Canada acceding to this confederation, and 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, moneys 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 Slates, and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged.

ARTICLE XIII.

Every state shall abide by the determinations of the United States in congress assembled, on all questions which by this confederation is 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 legislature 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 1778, and in the third year of the Independence of America.

On the part and behalf of the state of New Hampshire : Josiah Bartlett,

John Wentworth, Jun.,
Aug. 8, 1778.

On the part and behalf of the state of Massachusetts Bay:

[blocks in formation]

On the part and behalf of the state of Rhode Island and Pro

vidence Plantations :

William Ellery,

John Collins.

Henry Marchant,

On the part and behalf of the state of Connecticut :

Roger Sherman,

Samuel Huntington,
Oliver Wolcott,

Titus Hosmer,

Andrew Adams.

On the part and behalf of the state of New York :

Jas. Duane,

Fras. Lewis,

William Duer,

Gouvr. Morris.

On the part and behalf of the state of New Jersey, November

26, 1778:

Jno. Witherspoon,

Nathl. Scudder.

On the part and behalf of the state of Pennsylvania:

Robt. Morris,

Daniel Roberdeau,

Jona. Bayard Smith,

William Clingan,

Joseph Reed,

22d July, 1778.

On the part and behalf of the state of Delaware :

Tho. M'Kean, Feb. 12, 1779,

Nicholas Van Dyke.

John Dickinson, May 5, 1779.

On the part and behalf of the state of Maryland:

John Hanson,

March 1, 1781.

Daniel Carroll,

March 1, 1781.

On the part and behalf of the state of Virginia :

Richard Henry Lee,

John Banister,

Thomas Adams,

Jno. Harvie,

Francis Lightfoot Lee.

On the part and behalf of the state of North Carolina:

John Penn,

July 21, 1778.

Corns. Harnett,

Jno. Williams.

On the part and behalf of the state of South Carolina :

Henry Laurens,

William Henry Drayton,

Jno. Mathews,

Richd. Hutson,

Thos. Hayward, Jun.

On the part and behalf of the state of Georgia:

Jno. Walton,

24th July, 1778.

Edwd. Telfair,

Edwd. Langworthy.

APPENDIX X.

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.

WE, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

ARTICLE I.

SECTION 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a congress of the United States, which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives.

SECTION 2. The house of representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature.

No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, threefifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each

« PrejšnjaNaprej »