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 legislatures 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, monies 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 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 legislatures 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 gievn 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 9th Day of July in the Year of our Lord, 1778, and in the 3d year of the Independence of America. On the part and behalf of the state of New Hampshire, Josiah Bartlett, August 8th, 1778. On the part and behalf of the state of Massachusetts-Bay, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, Samuel Holten. On the part and behalf of the state of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, William Ellery, Henry Marchant, John Collins. On the part and behalf of the state of Connecticut, Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, Oliver Wolcott, Titus Hosmer, Andrew Adam. 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 26th, 1778, Jn Witherspoon, On the part and behalf of the state of Pennsylvania, Robt Morris, Daniel Roberdeau, Jon 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, John Dickinson, May 5, 1779, Nicholas Van Dyke. On the part and behalf of the state of Maryland, John Hanson, March 1st, 1781, Daniel Carroll, March 1st, 1781. On the part and behalf of the state of Virginia, Richard Henry Lee, John Banister, Thomas Adams, Jn° Harvie, Francis Lightfoot Lee. On the part and behalf of the state of North-Carolina, John Penn, July 21st, 1778. Corns Harnett, Jn Williams. On the part and behalf of the state of South-Carolina, Henry Laurens, William Henry Drayton, Jno Matthews, Richd Hutson. Thos. Heyward, jun. On the part and behalf of the state of Georgia, Jn° Walton, 24th July, 1778, Edwd Telfair, Edwd Langworthy. 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 326 |