the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, folemnly publish and declare, That thefe United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE and INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are abfolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great-Britain is, and ought to be, totally diffolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, eftablish commerce, and to 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. JOHN HANCOC K. NEW-HAMP- MASSACHUSETTS- JOSIAH BARTLETT, WILLIAM WHIPPLE, MATTHEW THORNTON, SAMUEL ADAMS, JOHN ADAMS, ROBERT TREAT PAINE, ELBRIDGE GERRY. RHODE. ARTICLES O F 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, GEORGIA. and ARTICLE I. HE ftile of this confederacy fhall be, "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." TH ARTICLE II. Each State retains its fovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurifdiction, and right, which is not by this confederation exprefsly delegated to the United States in Congrefs affembled. ARTICLE III. The faid States hereby feverally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defence, the fecurity of their liberties, and and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to affift each other against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, fovereignty, trade, or any other pretence whatever. ARTICLE IV. The better to fecure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourfe among the people of the different States in this union, the free inhabitants of each of thefe States, paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives from juftice excepted, fhall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the feveral States; and the people of each State fhall have free ingrefs and regrefs to and from any other State, and fhall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, fubject to the fame duties, impofitions, and restrictions, as the inhabitants thereof respectively, provided that such restrictions fhall not extend fo far as to prevent the removal of property imported into State to any other State of which the owner is an inhabitant; provided also that no imposition duties, or restriction, shall be laid by any State on the property of the United States, or either · of them. any If If any perfon guilty of or charged with treafon, felony, or other high misdemeanour in any State, fhall flee from juftice, and be found in any of the United States, he fhall, 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 offence. Full faith and credit fhall be given in each of thefe States to the records, acts, and judicial proceedings of the courts and magiftrates of every other State. ARTICLE V. For the more convenient management of the general interefts of the United States, delegates fhall be annually appointed in such manner as the legislature of each State fhall direct, to meet in Congress on the first Monday in November of every year, with a power reserved to each State to recal its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to fend others in their stead, for the remainder of the year. No State fhall be reprefented in Congress by lefs than two, nor more than feven, members; and no person shall be capable of being a dele gate |