Page images
PDF
EPUB

UNDER THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,

PART IV.

the Decla

ence upon

tion of the

of a new govern

the nations of the earth by proclaiming that they were Effect of free and independent states; that they were absolved ration of from all allegiance to the British crown; and that all Independpolitical connection between them and the state of the condiGreat Britain was totally dissolved, and that as free colonies, and independent states they had power to levy war; con-1776 clude peace; contract alliances; establish commerce; and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do; the necessity was originated for the adoption of some new system of government, as well to establish and define their relations with each other, as to regulate their intercourse and relations with foreign powers. The fabric of association under which they had hitherto united, was inadequate, in its nature and provisions, to their present position; inas-Necessity much as in its formation they had not contemplated a separation of themselves from all dependence upon the ment. British crown. Their confederation was the offspring of the peculiar circumstances by which they were surrounded, and, though not in its original objects or design, was yet in its spirit and its tendencies, of a revolutionary character, and may well be denominated a revolutionary government. It might have availed them as colonies for all the purposes of resisting the aggressions, or staying the oppressions of the parent state, while that was their only aim; while each admitted and felt the necessity of such resistance; and while the nature and extent of that resistance seemed limited and defined by the respected sense of allegiance. But when the sense of allegiance was itself eradicated, and the object of resistance was to establish their independence; when they had brought themselves to feel that they were no longer an infant community subject to the control of a parent power; that they had attained to the full stature, to the maturity, strength and position, of a gigantic Nation; they felt also that other and far higher interests depended on the issue of achieving and sustaining their independence. They felt, that what

PART IV.

The congress at

THE REVOLUTIONARY UNION OF THE COLONIES

ever the force of arms, nerved and wielded by the indigPhiladel- nant resistance of a people rising against their oppresphia, 1776. sors and resolved upon independence, might accomplish;

the security and respectability of the position which they had taken before the world, depended more upon a wisely-adapted and well-ordered frame of government.

It was with a deep and solemn sense of the importance of these considerations that the congress assem

Committee bled at Philadelphia, anticipating the necessity, appointed to draft a "Resolved, that a committee be appointed to prepare

form of confede

ration,

June 11th.

*7 Am.

and digest the form of a confederation to be entered into between these colonies."*

The members appointed upon this committee, pursuArchives. ant to the resolution, were, Mr. Bartlett, of New HampCommittee shire; Mr. S. Adams, of Massachusetts; Mr. Hopkins, federation. of Rhode Island; Mr. Sherman, of Connecticut; Mr.

on the con

First report of the

of

R. R. Livingston, of New York; Mr. -
New Jersey; Mr. Dickinson, of Pennsylvania; Mr. Mc-
Keane, of Delaware; Mr. Stone, of Maryland; Mr. Nel-
son, of Virginia; Mr. Hewes, of North Carolina; Mr.
Rutledge, of South Carolina; and Mr. Gwinnett, of
Georgia.

The committee, having taken the subject into considcommittee, eration, reported a draft of articles on the twelfth day July 12th. of July following; which being read before the congress

Ordered

in committee of the whole, it was

"Ordered, that eighty copies and no more, be printed printed. for the use of the members; the printer to be bound under oath to deliver all the copies which he should print, together with the copy sheet, to the secretary;

and not to disclose, either directly or indirectly, the Secrecy contents of the said confederation: That no member enjoined. furnish any person with his copy, or take any steps by which the said confederation may be re-printed; and that the secretary be under the like injunction."

The subject continued to be debated from time to time, or discussed among the members of the commit

UNDER THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

PART IV.

at

federation

tee, and seems to have been attended with a great The condeal of difficulty, which rendered it extremely doubtful Philadelwhether any confederated union of the colonies as inde-phia, 1776. pendent states could be satisfactorily established. Each began to feel as if it were severally independent, and to The conclaim a corresponding importance. There were, indeed, proposed by the questions of interesting and far-reaching magnitude committee. involved in the proposition, which were not, and could not have been, anticipated in their state of dependency upon the crown, but which now crowded upon their deliberations with a critical and urgent necessity and importance. "If a confederation should take place," Difficulties says John Adams, in a letter written from Philadelphia question. at this time, "one great question is, how we shall vote; July 29th. whether each colony shall count one, or whether each shall have a weight in proportion to its number, or wealth, or exports and imports, or a compound ratio of all? Another is, whether congress shall have authority to limit the dominions of each colony; to prevent those which claim, by charter, or proclamation, or commission, to the south sea, from growing too great and pow- Archives, erful, so as to be dangerous to the rest?"*

of the

*1 Am.

8th series.

On the twentieth of August, the congress being in Second report of the committee of the whole, Mr. Morton reported, that the committee, committee having under consideration the form of a Aug. 20th. confederation "had gone through the same, and agreed to sundry articles which he was ordered to submit to the congress." This report being read, it was "ordered, Ordered that eighty copies of the articles of confederation as reported from the committee of the whole, be printed under the same injunctions as the former articles were printed; and delivered to the members under the like instructions as formerly."

On the tenth of September, Mr. Josiah Bartlett, in congress, at Philadelphia, writes to Col. Whipple, at Boston, "nothing has since been done about the confederation, as the congress is pretty thin, and hurried

printed.

PART IV.

gress at

THE REVOLUTIONARY UNION OF THE COLONIES

The con- with other business." And again, on the fourteenth Philadel- of the same month, "the affair of the confederation phia, 1776. rests at present."

Delay of the confederation.

Thus the matter continued to linger in the considcration of congress, most generally being deferred on account of the more immediate necessity of legislation

with reference to the army and the war; and also beIts embar- cause of the difficulty of adjusting its various articles rassments. to the satisfaction of the several colonies. The provis

Articles

ions which gave rise to the most discussion, as they proceeded, related to the mode of voting; to the basis of representation in congress; to the apportionment of the general expenses among the states, and their territorial limits; to the powers of congress and of the states; and to the currency; all of which were matters of grave debate and tended to protract their deliberations. Thus the subject continued to be agitated until the fifteenth

day of November, when the committee reported the reported following articles, which were agreed to, and adopted and adopt-by the congress, viz.:

ed.

Its style.

State sovereignty.

The covenant.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND PERPETUAL UNION, BE-
TWEEN 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 and Georgia.

ART. 1. The style of this confederacy shall be, "THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA."

ART. 2. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States in congress assembled.

ART. 3. The said states hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defence, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to as

UNDER THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

PART IV.

sist each other against all force offered to, or attacks The conmade upon them, or any of them, on account of reli-gress at gion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretence what-phia, 1776.

Philadel

ever.

Articles of confedera

ART. 4. § 1. The better to secure and perpetuate mu-tion adopt

ed Nov.

course be

tual friendship and intercourse among the people of the 17th. different states in this union, the free inhabitants of each of these states, paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives from justice excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several states; and the people of each state shall have free ingress and egress to and from any other state, and shall enjoy Intertherein all the privileges of trade and commerce, sub-tween the ject to the same duties, impositions and restrictions, as states. the inhabitants thereof respectively; provided, that such restrictions shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any state, to any other state of which the owner is an inhabitant; provided also, that no impositions, duties, or restrictions shall be laid by any state on the property of the United States, or either of them.

tice.

§ 2. If any person guilty of, or charged with treason, Fugitives felony, or other high misdemeanor in any state, shall from jusflee from justice, and be found in any part of the United States, he shall, upon the 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.

records.

§ 3. Full faith and credit shall be given in each of State these states, to the records, acts, and judicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates of every other

state.

gress.

ART. 5. §1. For the more convenient management Delegates of the general interests of the United States, delegates to conshall be annually appointed in such manner as the legislature of each state shall direct, to meet in congress on the first Monday in November in every year, with a power reserved to each state to recall its delegates, or

« PreviousContinue »