ARTICLES O F Confederation and Perpetual Union, BETWEEN THE STATES OF New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island and ARTICLE I. HE ftile of this confederacy shall be, “THE UNI- 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 said states hereby feverally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defence, the fecurity of their liberties, 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 friendfhip and intercourfe among the people of the different ftates in this union, the free inhabitants of each of these ftates, paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives from justice excepted, fhall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several states; and the and the peo ple of each ftate fhall have free ingrefs and regrefs to and from any other state, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, fubject to the same duties, impofitions and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof refpectively, provided that fuch restrictions fhall not extend fo far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any ftate, to any other state of which the owner is an inhabitant; provided alfo, that no impofitions, duties or restrictions shall be laid by any state, on the property of the United States, or either of them. If any perfon guilty of, or charged with treafon, felony, or other high mifdemeanor in any ftate, fhall flee from justice, 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 ftate having jurisdiction of his offence. Full faith and credit fhall be given in each of these 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 interests of the United States, delegates, fhall be annually appointed in fuch manner as the legislature of each ftate fhall direct, to meet in Congrefs on the first Monday in November, in every year, with a power referved to each ftate, to recal its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead, for the remainder of the year. No ftate fhall be reprefented in Congress by less than two nor more than feven members; and no person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of fix years; nor fhall any perfon, being a delegate, be capable of holding any office under the United States, for which he, or any other for his benefit, receives any falary, fees or emolument of any kind. Each state fhall maintain its own delegates in a meeting of the states, and while they act as members of the committee of the ftates.' In determining queftions in the United States in Congrefs affembled, each state fhall have one vote. Freedom of fpeech and debate in Congress fhall not be impeached or queftioned in any court or place out of Congrefs; and the members of Congrefs fhall be protected in their perfons from arrefts and imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from and attendance on Congrefs, except for treafon, felony or breach of the peace. ARTICLE VI. No state, without the consent of the United States in Congress affembled, fhall fend any embaffy to, or receive any embaffy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance, or treaty, with any king, prince, or state; nor fhall any perfon holding any office of profit or truft under the United States, or any of them, accept of any prefent emolument, office or title of any kind whatever from any king, prince or foreign ftate; nor fhall the United States in Congrefs affembled, or any of them, grant any title of nobility. 'No two or more ftates fhall enter into any treaty, confederation or alliance whatever between them, without the confent of the United States in Congrefs affembled, fpecifying accurately the purposes for which the fame is to be entered into, and how long it shall continue. No state shall lay any impofts or duties, which may interfere with any ftipulations in treaties entered into by the United States in Congrefs affembled, with any king, prince or state, in pursuance of any treaties already propofed by Congrefs, to the courts of France and Spain. No veffels of war fhall be kept up in time of peace by any state, except fuch number only as fhall be deemed neceffary by the United States in Congress affembled, for the defence of fuch ftate, or its trade; nor fhall any body of forces be kept up by any state, in time of peace, except fuch number only, as in the judgment of the United States, in Congrefs affembled, fhall be deemed requifite to garrifon the forts neceffary for the defence of fuch ftate; but every ftate fhall always keep up a well-regulated and difciplined militia, fufficiently armed and accoutred, and shall provide and constantly have ready for ufe, in public stores, a due number of field pieces and tents, and a proper quantity of arms, ammunition, and camp equipage. No ftate fhall engage in any war without the confent of the United States, in congrefs affembled, unless fuch ftate be actually invaded by enemies,or fhall have received certain advice of a refolution being formed by fome nation of Indians to invade fuch ftate, and the danger is fo imminent as not to admit of a delay till the United States in Congress affembled can be confulted; nor shall any state grant commiffions to any fhips or veffels of war, nor letters of marque or reprisal, except it be after a declaration of war by the United States in Congress affembled, and then only against the kingdom or state, and the fubjects thereof, against which, war has been fo declared, and under fuch regulations, as fhall be established by the United States in Congrefs affembled, unless fuch state be infested by pirates, in which cafe, veffels of war may be fitted out for that occafion, and kept so long as the danger fhall continue, or, until the United States in Congress affembled, fhall determine otherwise. ARTICLE VII. When land forces are raised by any ftate, for the common defence, all officers of, or under the rank of colonel, fhall be appointed by the legislature of each state respectively, by whom fuch forces fhall be raised, or in fuch manner as fuch ftate fhall direct: And all vacancies shall be filled up by the state which first made the appointment. |