PART III. ORIGIN AND CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. The colo- Benjamin Franklin submitted to their consideration the nial con gress at following sketch of articles for a confederation between "ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION and Perpetual union, proposed by the delegates of the several colonies of New Hampshire, &c., in general congress, met at Philadelphia, May 10th, 1775. Philadel- the colonies, viz.: "ARTICLE I. The name of this confederacy shall henceforth be The United Colonies of North America. "ARTICLE II. The said United Colonies hereby sever ally enter into a firm league of friendship with each Its objects. other, binding on themselves and their posterity, for their common defence against their enemies; for the security of their liberties and properties, the safety of their persons and families; and their mutual and general welfare. Privileges of the respective colonies. General congress. Its powers and duties. "ARTICLE III. That each colony shall enjoy and retain as much as it may think fit, of its own present laws, customs, rights, privileges, and peculiar jurisdiction, within its own limits; and may amend its own constitution as shall seem best to its own assembly or convention. "ARTICLE IV. That for the more convenient management of their general interests, delegates shall be annually elected in each colony, to meet in General Congress, at such time and place as shall be agreed on in the next preceding congress. Only where particular circumstances do not make a duration necessary, it is understood to be a rule, that each succeeding congress be held in a different colony, till the whole number be gone through; and so in perpetual rotation; and that accordingly the next congress after the present, shall be held at Annapolis, in Maryland. "ARTICLE V. That the power and duty of the congress shall extend to the determining on war and peace; the sending and receiving ambassadors, and entering into alliances, (the reconciliation with Great Britain) the settling all disputes and differences between colony THE COMMERCIAL SYSTEM OF TAXATION. PART III. nial congress at and colony, about limits or any other cause, if such The coloshould arise; and the planting of new colonies when proper. The congress shall also make such general Philadelphia, May ordinances as, though necessary to the general welfare, 10, 1775. particular assemblies cannot be competent to, viz.: Articles of confedera 21st. those that may relate to our general commerce, or gen-tion submitted by eral.currency; the establishment of posts; and the Dr. Frankregulation of our common forces. The congress shall lin, July also have the appointment of all general officers, civil and military, appertaining to the general confederacy, such as general treasurer, secretary, &c. "ARTICLE VI. All charges of wars, and all other General general expenses to be incurred for the common wel_charges. fare, shall be defrayed out of a common treasury, which is to be supplied by each colony in proportion to its number of male polls between sixteen and sixty years of age. The taxes for paying that proportion are to be laid and levied by the laws of each colony. to con "ARTICLE VII. The number of delegates to be elected Delegation and sent to congress by each colony, shall be regula-gress. ted, from time to time, by the number of such polls returned; so as that one delegate be allowed for every five thousand polls. And the delegates are to bring with them to every congress an authenticated return of the number of polls in the respective provinces, which is to be taken triennially, for the purposes above mentioned. "ARTICLE VIII. At every meeting of the congress, Quorum one-half of the members returned, exclusive of proxies, and vote. shall be necessary to make a quorum; and each delegate at the congress shall have a vote in all cases; and if necessarily absent, shall be allowed to appoint any other delegate from the same colony to be his proxy, who may vote for him. "ARTICLE IX. An executive council shall be appoint-Executive ed by the congress out of their own body, consisting of council, powers and twelve persons; of whom, in the first appointment, one- duties. third, viz.:-four shall be for one year, four for two PART III. ORIGIN AND CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. The colo- years, and four for three years; and as the said terms nial con gress at expire, the vacancies shall be filled by appointments for Philadel- three years; whereby one-third of the members will phia, May 10, 1775. be changed annually. This council, of whom twoArticles of thirds shall be a quorum, in the recess of congress, is tion sub- to execute what shall have been enjoined thereby; to mitted by Dr. Frank- manage the general continental business and interests; lin, July to receive applications from foreign countries; to pre confedera 21st. Offensive war. Relations with the Indians. How amended. pare matters for the consideration of the congress; to fill up, pro tempore, continental offices that fall vacant; and to draw on the general treasurer for such monies as may be necessary for general services, and appropriated by the congress to such services. "ARTICLE X. No colony shall engage in offensive war with any nation of Indians without the consent of the congress, or grand council above mentioned, who are first to consider the justice and necessity of such war. "ARTICLE XI. A perpetual alliance, offensive and defensive, is to be entered into as soon as may be with the Six Nations; their limits to be ascertained and secured to them; their land not to be encroached on, nor any private or colony purchases made of them hereafter to be held good; nor any contract for lands to be made, but between the great council of the Indians at Onondaga, and the general congress. The boundaries and lands of all the other Indians shall also be ascertained and secured to them in the same manner, and persons appointed to reside among them in proper districts, and shall take care to prevent injustice in the trade with them; and be enabled at our general expense, by occasional small supplies, to relieve their personal wants and distress. And all purchases from them shall be by the congress, for the general advantage and benefit of the United Colonies. "ARTICLE XII. As all new institutions may have imperfections, which only time and experience can discover, it is agreed that the general congress, from time THE COMMERCIAL SYSTEM OF TAXATION. PART III. nial con to time, shall propose such amendments of this consti-The colotution as may be found necessary; which being ap-gress at proved by a majority of the colony assemblies, shall be Philadelphia, May equally binding with the rest of the articles of this con-10, 1775. federation. colonies. "ARTICLE XIII. Any and every colony from Great Britain upon the continent of North America, not at present engaged in our association, may, upon applica- Admission tion and joining the said association, be received into of other the confederation, viz.:-Ireland, the West India Islands, Quebec, St. Johns, Nova-Scotia, Bermudas, and East and West Florida, and shall thereupon be entitled to all the advantages of our union, mutual assistance, and commerce." Upon the submission of these articles it was "Ordered, that they be proposed to the several pro-Order vincial assemblies or conventions to be by them consid-thereupon. ered; and if approved, they are advised to empower their delegates to agree to and ratify the same in the ensuing congress. After which the union thereby established is to continue firm, till the terms of reconciliation proposed in the petition of the last congress to the king are agreed to; till the acts since made, restraining the American commerce and fisheries, are repealed; till reparation is made for the injury done to Boston, by shutting up its port; for the burning of Charles Town; and for the expense of this unjust war; and till Duration all the British troops are withdrawn from America, union un of the der these On the arrival of these events the colonies will return articles. to their former connection and friendship with Britain; but on failure thereof, this Confederation is to be perpetual."* * 2. Am. Archives, p. 1889. The compact of Union embraced in and contem-The proplated by the foregoing articles, is exceedingly inter-posed coloesting and important as evinsive of the plan of empire federation, which foreshadowed itself to the thoughts of our revo-and extent. lutionary ancestors. In its comprehensive provisions its nature PART III. ORIGIN AND CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION. The colo- and aims it seems not unlike the prophetic historical nial con gress at records of the ancient people of God, having direct referPhiladel- ence to a more immediate and pressing necessity, while phia, May 10, 1775. yet it anticipates and provides for the development of a magnificent dominion to be possibly unfolded in the future. The fact that in the extension of our national domain and jurisdiction at the present day, we are but now approaching a period in our governmental annals which seems to promise the fulfillment of a project suggested, nay all but compelled, and yet not deliberately premeditated either in desire or design, by our forefathers, must present itself with singular and thrilling interest to the pride, the patriotism, and the hope, of every reflecting citizen of the United States of America. Surely we need not fear that the foundations which they have so wisely and so carefully laid, are insufficient to sustain even so vast a fabric as then rose before their enthusiastic vision. The proLook at the magnificent plan and suppose for one posed confederacy. moment its achievement to have been consummated in the days of the Revolution! The whole North American continent and the islands adjacent, comprehended in one great confederacy! No such powerful combination of people or of states could have been found elsewhere, or in any age, in the world's history. Do we mistake the decrees of the Almighty Ruler of the universe in supposing it may yet be our destiny as a nation? accommo dation proposed by parliament. The plan of On the thirty-first day of July, the congress, in committee of the whole, took into consideration the report of the committee on the resolve of the house of commons, called a plan of accommodation, and the same, being debated by paragraphs, was agreed to as follows, viz.: Report upon, July 31. "The several assemblies of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, having referred to the congress a |