Teachings of Patriots and Statesmen

Page 27

42 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. for the exerci .. o of which, by tho Articles of Confederation, the voice of nine Slates in the Congress of the United Slates assembled is rcqui. itc. ARTICLE 11. Cana<.l<t, acceding to this confederation and joining in the measure:; of the United Stn,tes, .·hall ~c admitted into, and entitled to all the advantngcs of thts union ; but no other colony shall be admitted into the same, unless such n,dmission be agreed to by nine Slates. ARTICLE 12. 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 States and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged. ARTICLE 13. Every State shall abide by the deter­minations of the United States in Congress assembled, on a1l questions which by this confederation is submit.tcd to them. And the articles of this confederation shall be in­violably observed by every State, and the union shall bo 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 U nitcd States, and be afterward con­firmed by the legislatures of every State. And Whereas it hath pleased the Great Governor of the vVorld to incline tho hearts of the lcg·islaturcs 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 constitucn ts, fnlly and entirely ratify and confirm each and every of the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual union, anu all and singular the matters aud things therein contained : And we do further solemnly ARTICLES OF CONFEDEHATION. 43 plight and engage the faiLh of our respective constituents, that they shall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congress assembled, on all quc~tions, which by the said confederation arc snl.>miLLcd to them. And thn.t the articles thereof shall be inviolably observecl by the States we respectively repro. ent, and that the union shall be perpetual. In wi tness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Philaclelph ia, in the Slate of Pennsylvania, the 9th day of July, in the Y car of our Lord, 1778, and in the 3d year of the Inllependeuce of America.