To all to whom these presents shall come, we the undersigned delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting.
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.
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.
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 emoulment 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.
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 keep up a
well-regulated and disciplined militia, sufficiently armed and
accoutered, and shall provide and constantly have reaady for use, in
public stores, a due number of field 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 by acually invaded by
enemies, or shall have received certain advice of a resolution being
formed by a 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 up so long as the danger shall
continue, or until the United States in Congress assembled shall
determine otherwise.
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.
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:
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 prescribed
for deciding disputes respecting territorial jursidiction between
different States.
The United States in Congress assembled shall also have the sole and
exclusive right and power of
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
The United States in Congress assembled shall never engage in 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 on 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 the power to adjourn to
any time within the year, and to any place within the United States, so
that no period of adjounment 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 aly before the
legislatures of the several States.
Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII
Article VIII
Article IX
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 nad 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 alternatively 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 negelect 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 its 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.
Article X
Article XI
Article XII