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five right and power of regulating the alloy and value of coin ftruck by their own authority, or by that of the respective states---fixing the standard of weights and measures throughout the United States---regulating the trade and managing all affairs with the Indians, not members of any of the ftates, provided that the legislative right of any state within its own limits be not infringed or violated---establishing and regulating post-offices from one ftate to another, throughout all the United States, and exacting fuch poftage on the papers paffing through the fame as may be requifite to defray the expences of the faid office---appointing all officers of the land forces, in the fervice of the United States, excepting regimental officers---appointing all the officers of the naval forces, and commiffioning all officers whatever in the fervice of the United States.--making rules for the government and regulation of the faid land and naval forces, and directing their operations.

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THE United States in Congress affembled fhall have authority to appoint a committee, to fit in the recefs of Congrefs, to be denominated, "A Committee of the States," and to confift of one delegate from each ftate and to appoint fuch other committees and civil officers as may be neceffary for managing the general affairs of the United States under their direction--to appoint one of their number to prefide, provided that no perfon be allowed to ferve in the of fice of prefident more than one year in any term of three years; to afcertain the neceffary fums of money to be raised for the fervice of the United States, and to appropriate and apply the fame tor defraying the public expences---to borrow money, or emit bills on the credit of the United States, tranfmitting every half year to the respective states an account of the fums of money fo borrowed or emitted---to build and equip a navy---to agree upon the number of land forces, and to make requifitions from each ftate for its quota, in proportion to the number of white inhabitants in fuch state; which requifition fhall be binding, and thereupon the legislature of each ftate fhall appoint the regimental officers, raife the men, and cloath, arm and equip them in a foldier-like manner, at the expence of the United States, and the officers and men fo cloathed, armed and equipped fhall march to the place appointed, and within the time agreed on by the United States in Congress affembled; But if the United States in Congrefs affembled fhall, on confideration of circumstances judge proper that any ftate fhould not raife men, or should raise a smaller number than its quota, and that any other state should raise a gre ter number of men than the quota thereof, fuch extra number shall be raised, officered, cloathed, armed and equipped in the fame manner as the quota of such ftate, uniefs the legislature of fuch ftate fhall judge that fuch extra number cannot be safely spared out of the fame, in which cafe they shall raise, officer, cloath, arm and equip as many of fuch extra number as they judge can be fafely fpared. And the officers and men fo cloathed, armed and equipped, shall march to the place appointed and within the time agreed on by the United States in Congress affembled.

THE United States in Congrefs affembled fhall never engage in a war, nor grant letters of marque and reprifal, in time of peace, nor enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate the value thereof, nor afcertain the fums and expences neceffary for the defence and welfare of the United States, or any of them, nor emit bills, nor borrow money on the credit of the United States, nor appropriate money, nor agree upon the number of veffels of war, to be built or purchased, or the number of land or fea forces to be raised, nor appoint a commander in chief of the army or navy, unless nine states affent to the fame: nor fhall a queftion on any other point, except for adjourning from day to day be determined, unless by the votes of a majority of the United States in Congrefs affembled.

THE Congrefs of the United States fhall have power to adjourn to any time within the year, and to any place within the United States, fo that no period of adjournment be for a longer duration than the space of fix months, and fhall publish the journal of their proceedings monthly, except fuch parts thereof relating to treaties, alliances or military operations, as in their judgment require fecrefy; and the yeas and nays of the delegates of each ftate on any

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aeftion fhall be entered on the journal, when it is defired by any delegate; and
the delegates of a fate, or any of them, at his or their request shall be furnished
with a tranfcrip: of the faid journal, except fuch parts as are above excepted,
to lay before the legiflatures of the feveral states.

the United States in Congrefs affembled, by the confentowers of Congrefs as

Committee of the States

ART. X. THE Committee of the ftates, or any nine of them, fhall be au- & its powers. thosifed to execute, in the recefs of Congrefs, fuch of the powers of Congrefs as nine fhall from time to time think expedient to veft them with; provided that no power be delegated to the said committee, for the exercife of which, by the articles of confederation, the voice of nine ftates in the Congress of the United States affembled is requifite.

ART. XI. CANADA acceeding to this confederation, and joining in the measures of the United Sates, fhall be admitted into, and entitled to all the advantages of this union: but no other colony fhall be admitted into the fame, uniefs fuch admiffion be agreed to by nine ftates.

Admiffion of Canada, and other States to the Union.

Public Faith

the States to

pledged for
ART. XII. ALL bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed and debts con- past Engage-
tracted by, or under the authority of Congrefs, before the affembling of the ments of
United States, in pursuance of the prefent confederation, shall be deemed and Congress.
confidered as a charge against the United ftates, for payment and fatisfaction,
whereof the faid United States, and the public faith are hereby folemly pledged. Obligationof
ART. XIII. EVERY ftate thall abide by the determinations of the United abide by the
States in Congress affembled, on all queftions which by this confederation determinati-
are fubmitted to them. And the Articles of this confederation fhall on of Con-
be inviolably obferved by every flate, and the union fhall be perpetual; nor gress, &c.
fhall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them; unless fuch
alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards
confirmed by the legislatures of every state.

THESE Articles shall be proposed to the legislatures of all the United States,
to be confidered, and if approved of by them, they are advised to authorize
their delegates, to ratify the fame in the Congress of the United States ;
which being done, the fame fhall become conclufive.

By order of Congress,

HENRY LAURENS, PRESIDENT.

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TREATY OF PEACE AND AMITY between the United States of "America and his Britannic Majefty, concluded at Paris on the 23d day of September 1783, and ratified by the United States in Congrefs affembled, on the 14th day of January A. D. 1784.

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"In the name of the most holy and undivided Trinity.

T having pleafed the Divine Providence to difpofe the hearts of the most ferene and moft potent Prince George the third, by the grace of God, king of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, duke of Brunswick and Lunenburgh, arch-trea furer and prince elector of the holy Roman empire. &c. and of the United States of America, to forget all paft mifunderstandings and differences that have unhappily interrupted the good correspondence and friendship which they mutually wish to restore; and to eftablith fuch a beneficial and fatisfactory intercourfe between the two countries, upon the ground of reciprocal advantages and mutual convenience, as may promote and fecure to both perpetual peace and harmony; and having for this defirable end, already laid the foundation of peace and reconciliation, by the provifional articles, figned at Paris on the 30th of November 1782, by the commiffioners empowered on each part, which articles were agreed to be inferted in and to conftitute the treaty of peace proposed to be concluded between the crown of Great-Britain and the faid United States, but which treaty was not to be concluded until terms of peace fhould be agreed upon between Great-Britain and France, and his Britannic Majefty fhould be ready to conclude fuch treaty accordingly; and the treaty between Great-Britain and France having fince been concluded, his Britannic Majefty and the United States of America, in order to carry into full effect the provifional articles abovementioned, according to the tenor thereof, have conftituted and appointed, that is to fay, his Britannic Majefty on his part, David Hartley, Efq. member of the parliament of GreatBritain; and the faid United States on their part, John Adams Efq. late a commiffioner of the United States of America, at the court of Verfalies late delegate in Congrefs from he ftate of Maffachusetts, and chief juftice of the faid ftate, and minifter plenipotentiary from the faid United States to their High Mightineffes the States General of the United Netherlands ; Benjamin Franklin, Efq. late delegate in Congrefs from the ftate of Pennsylvania, prefident of the convention of the faid state, and minifter Plenipotentiary from the United States of America at the court of Verfailles; John Jay, Efq. late prefident of Congrefs, and chief juftice of the ftate of New-York, and minifter plenipotentiary from the faid United States at their court of Madrid, to be the plenipotentiaries for the concluding and figning the prefent definitive treaty: who after having reciprocally communicated their refpective full powers, have agreed upon and confirmed the following articles.

"ARTICLE Ift. His Britannic Majefty acknowledges the faid United States, viz. New-Hampshire. Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jerfey, Pennfylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina South-Carolina and Georgia, to be free, fovereign and independent ftates: that he treats with them as fuch, and for himself, his heirs and fucceffors, relinquishes all claims to the government, propriety and territorial rights of the fame, and every part thereof:

"ARTICLE 2d. And that all difputes which might arife in future on the subject of the boundaries of the faid United States may be prevented, it is hereby agreed and declared, that the following are and fhall be their boundaries, viz. from the north weft angle of NovaScotia, viz. that angle which is formed by a line drawn due north from the fource of SaintCroix river to the Highlands; along the faid Highlands which divide thofe rivers that empty themselves into the river Saint Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, to the north-westernmoft head of Connecticut river, thence down along the middle of that river to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude; from thence by a line due weft on faid latitude, until it ftrikes the river Iroquois or Cataraquy; thence along the middle of faid river into lake Ontario, through the middle of faid lake until it ftrikes the communication by water between that lake and lake Erie; thence along the middle of faid communication into la ke Erie, through the middle of said lake until it arrives at the water communication be

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tween that lake and Jake Huron; thence along the middle of faid water communication into the lake Huron; thence through the middle offaid lake to the water communication between that lake and lake Superior; thence through lake Superior northward of the ifles, Royal and Philippeaux, to the long lake; thence through the middle of faid long lake and the water communication between it and the lake of the Woods, to the faid lake of the Woods; thence, through the faid lake to the most north western point thereof, and from thence on a due weft courfe to the river Miffifippi; thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of the faid river Miffippi, until it shall interfect the northernmost part of the thirty first degree of north latitude: South by a line to be drawn due eaft from the determination of the line laft mentioned, in the latitude of thirty-one degrees north of the equator, to the middle of the river Apalachicola or Catahouche; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flinc river; thence ftraight to the head of Saint Mary's river; and thence down along the miadie of Saint Mary's river to the Atlantic Ocean: Eaft by a line to be drawn along the mid. dle of the river Saint Croix, from its mouth in the bay of Fundy to its fource, and from its fource, directly north to the aforefaid Highlands which divide the rivers that fall intothe Atlantic Ocean from thefe which fall into the river Saint Lawrence; comprehending t iflands within twenty leagues of any part of the fhores of the United States, and laying br tween lines to be drawn due east from the points where the aforefaid boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part, and Eaft Florida on the other, fhall respectively touch the b ef Fundy, and the Atlantic Ocean excepting fuch iflands as now are or heretofore have Been within the limits of the faid province of Nova Scotia.

ARTICLE 3d. It is agreed that the people of the United States fhall continue to enjoy. unmolested the right to take fifh of every kind on the Grand Bank, and on all the other banks of Newfoundland, alfo in the gulph of Saint Lawrence, and at all other, places in the fea, where the inhabitants of both countries ufed at any time heretofore to fish and alio that the inhabitants of the United States fhall have liberty to take fifh of every kind on fuch part of the coaft of Newfoundland as British fishermen fhal! ufe: (but not to dry or cure the fame on that Iland) and also on the coafts, bays and creeks of all other of his Britar nis Majefty's dominions in America; and that the American fishermen fhall have liberty to dry and cure fish in any of the unfettled bays, harbours and creeks of Nova-Scotia, Magdalen islands, and Labradore, fo long as the fame fhall remain unfettled, but fo foon as the fame or either of them fhall be fettled, it fall not be lawful for the faid fishermen to dry or cure fish at fuch fettlement, without a previous agreement for that purpose with the inhabitants, proprietors or poffeflors of the ground.

ARTICLE 4th. It is agreed that creditors on either fide, fhall meet with no lawful impediment to the recovery of the full value in sterling money, of all bona-fide debts here:fore contracted.

ARTICLE 5th. It is agreed that the Congrefs fhall earnestly recommend it to the legiflatures of the respective ftates, to provide for the reflitution of all eftates, rights and properties, which have been confifcated, belonging to the real British fubjects, and alfo of the eftates, rights and properties of perfons refident in diftricts in the poffeffion of his Majefty's arms, and who have not borne arms against the faid United States. And that perfons of any other description fhall have free liberty to go to any part or parts of any of the Thirteen United States, and therein to remain twelve months unmolefted in their endeavours to ob. tain the restitution of fuch of their eftates, rights and properties, as may have been confil cated; and that Congrefs fhall alfo earneftly recommend to the feveral states a reconfidera tion and revifion of all acts or laws regarding the premises, fo as to render the faid laws or acts perfectly confiftent, not only with juftice and equity, but with that spirit of conciliation, which on the return of the bleffings of peace fhould univerfally prevail. And that Congress shall also earnestly recommend to the several states, that the eftates, rights and properties of fuch laft mentioned perfons fhall be restored to them; they refunding to any per fons who may be now in poffeffion the bona fide price (where any has been given) which fuch perfons may have paid on purchafing any of the faid lands, rights or properties fince the confifcation. And it is agreed that all perfons who have any intereft in confifcated lands, either by debts, marriage fettlements, or otherwife, fhall meet with no lawful impediment in the profecution of their just rights.

"ARTICLE 6th. That there fhall be no future confifcations made, nor any profecutions commenced against any person or perfons for or by reafon of the part which he or they

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may have taken in the prefent war; and that no perfon shall on that account, fuffer any future lofs or damage, either in his perfon, liberty or property, and that those who may be in confinement on fuch charges, at the time of the ratification of the treaty in America, fhall be immediately fet at liberty, and the profecutions fo commenced be discontinued.

ARTICLE 7th. There fhall be a firm and perpetual peace between his Britannic Majesty and the faid ftates, and between the fubjects of the one, and the citizens of the other, wherefore all hoftilities both by fea and land, shall from henceforth ceafe; all prifoners on both fides fhall be fet at liberty, and his Britannic Majefty fhall with all convenient speed, without caufing any deftruction, or carrying away any negroes or other property of the American inhabitants, withdraw all his armies, garrifons and fleets from the faid United States, and from every poft, place and harbour within the fame, leaving in all fortifications the American artillery that may be therein; and shall alfo order and caufe all archives, records. deeds and papers, belonging to any of the faid ftates, or their citizens, which in the courfe of the war may have fallen into the hands of his officers, to be forthwith restored and deli vered to the proper ftates and perfons to whom they belong.

ARTICLE 8th. The navigation of the river Miffifippi, from its fource to the oceans fall forever remain free and open to the fubjects of Great-Britain, and the citizens of the United States.

ARTICLE 9th. In cafe it fhould fo happen, that any place or territory belonging to Great-Britain or to the United States, thould have been conquered by the arms of either from the other, before the arrival of the faid provifional articles in America, it is agreed that the fame shall be restored without difficulty, and without requiring any compenfation. "ARTICLE 10th. The folemn ratifications of the prefent treaty, expedited in good and due form, fhall be exchanged between the contracting parties in the fpace of fix months, or fooner if poffible, to be computed from the day of the fignature of the prefent treaty. In witnefs whereof, we the underfigned, their minifters plenipotentiary, have in their name, and in virtue of our full powers, figned with our hands the prefent definitive treaty, and caused the feals of our arms to be affixed thereto.

*DONE at Paris, this third day of September, in the year of our Lord, one thou fand feven hundred and eighty-three.

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