treaties, alliances, or military operations, as in their judgement require fecrecy; and the yeas and nays of the delegates of each ftate on any question fhall be entered on the journal, when it is defired by any delegate; and the delegates of a state, or any of them, at his or their request shall be furnished with a tranfcript. of the faid journal, except fuch parts as are above excepted, to lay before the legiflatures of the feveral ftates.

Art. X. The committee of the ftates, or any nine of them, fhall be authorised to execute, in the recefs of congrefs, fuch of the powers of congrefs as the united ftates in congrefs affembled, by the confent of nine ftates, fhall from time to time think expedient to veft them with; provided that no power be delegated to the faid committee, for the exercife of which, by the articles of confederation, the voice of nine ftates, in the congrefs of the united ftates affembled, is requifite.

Art. XI. Canada acceding to this confederation, and joining in the measures of the united ftates, fhall be admitted into, and entitled to all the advantages of this union: But no other colony fhall be admited into the fame, unless fuch admiffion be agreed to by nine ftates.

Art. XII. All bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed, and debts contracted by, or under the authority of congrefs, before the affembling of the united ftates, in purfuance of the prefent confederation, fhall be deemed and confidered as a charge against the united states, for payment and fatisfaction whereof the faid united ftates and the public faith are hereby folemnly pledged.

Art. XIII. Every ftate fhall abide by the determinations of the united states in congrefs affembled, on all questions which by this confederation are fubmitted to them. And the articles of this confederation fhall be inviolably obferved by every ftate, and the union fhall be perpetual; nor fhall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them; unless fuch alteration be agreed to in a congrefs 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 legiflatures we refpectively reprefent in congrefs, to approve of, and to authorife us to ratify the faid articles of confederation and perpetual union: KNOW YE, that we, the underfigned delegates, by virtue of the power and authority to us given for that purpofe, do, by thefe prefents, in the name and behalf of our refpective conftituents, fully and entirely ratify and confirm each and every of the faid articles of confederation and perpetual union, and all and fingular the matters and things therein contained. And we do further folemnly plight and engage the faith of our re

spective

Spective conftituents, that they fhall abide by the determinations of the united states in congrefs affembled, on all questions which by the faid confederation are fubmitted to them; and that the articles thereof fhall be inviolably obferved by the ftates we refpectively reprefent; and that the union fhall be perpetual. IN WITNESS whereof, we have hereunto set our hands in congrefs.

DONE at Philadelphia, in the fate of Pennfylvania, the 9th day of July, in the year of our Lord, 1778, and in the third year of the independence of America.

The aforefaid articles of confederation were finally ratified on the first day of March 1781; the ftate of Maryland having, by their members in congrefs, on that day acceded thereto, and compleated the fame.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE,

MASSACHUSETTS-BAY,

RHODE ISLAND, &c.

CONNECTICUT,

Jofiah Bartlett,
John Wentworth, jun.

John Hancock,
Samuel Adams,
Elbridge Gerry,
Francis Dana,
James Lovell,
Samuel Holten.

William Ellery,
Henry Merchan',

John Collins.

Roger Sherman,
Samuel Huntington,
Oliver Wakott,
Titus Hofmer,
Andrew Adams.

In CONGRESS, at EXETER, Jan. 5, 1776.

VE, the members of the congrefs of the colony of New

WE Hampshire, chosen and appointed by the free fuffrages of

the people of faid colony, and authorifed and impowered by them to meet together, and ufe fuch means, and purfue fuch measures, as we fhall judge beft for the public good; and in particular to establish fome form of government, provided that measure fhould be recommended by the Continental Congrefs; and a recommendation to that purpose having been tranfmitted to us from the faid Congrefs; have taken into our ferious confideration the unhappy circumstances into which this colony is involved, by means of many grievous and oppreffive acts of the British Parliament, depriving us of our native and conftitutional rights and privileges; to enforce obedience to which acts, a powerful fleet and army have been fent into this country, by the miniftry of Great Britain, who have exercised a wanton and cruel abuse of their power, in destroying the lives and properties of the colonists, in many places, with fire and fword, taking the fhips and lading from many of the honeft and induftrious inhabitants of this colony, employed in commerce, agreeable to the laws and cuftoms a long time ufed here:

The

The fudden and abrupt departure of his excellency John Wentworth, efq. our late governor, and several of the council, leaving us deftitute of legiflation; and no executive courts being open to punish criminal offenders, whereby the lives and properties of the honeft people of this colony are liable to the machinations and evil defigns of wicked men :

Therefore, for the prefervation of peace and good order, and for the fecurity of the lives and properties of the inhabitants of this colony, we conceive ourselves reduced to the neceffity of eftablishing a Form of Government, to continue during the prefent unhappy and unnatural conteft with Great-Britain; protesting and declaring, that we never fought to throw off our dependence upon Great-Britain, but felt ourselves happy under her protection, while we could enjoy our conftitutional rights and privilegesand that we shall rejoice, if fuch a reconciliation between us and our parent state can be effected as shall be approved by the Continental Congrefs, in whofe prudence and wisdom we confide.

Accordingly, purfuant to the truft repofed in us, we do Refolve, that this congrefs affume the name, power, and authority of a House of Representatives or Affembly, for the colony of NewHampshire and that faid houfe then proceed to choose twelve perfons, being reputable freeholders, and inhabitants within this colony, in the following manner, viz. five in the county of Rockingham, two in the county of Strafford, two in the county of Hillsborough, two in the county of Chefhire, and one in the county of Grafton, to be a distinct and separate branch of the legislature, by the name of a council for this colony, to continue as fuch until the third Wednesday in December next; any feven of whom to Be a quorum to do business.

That fuch council appoint their Prefident; and in his abfence, that the fenior councillor prefide.

That a Secretary be appointed by both branches, who may be councillor, or otherwife, as they fhall choofe.

That no act or refolve be valid, and put into execution, unless agreed to and paffed by both branches of the legislature.

That all public officers for the faid colony, and each county, for the current year, be appointed by the council and affembly, except the feveral clerks of the executive courts, who shall be pointed by the Juftices of the respective courts.

ap

That all bills, refolves, or votes for raifing, levying and collecting money, originate in the houfe of reprefentatives.

That at any feffions of the council and affembly, neither branch. fhall adjourn for any longer time than from Saturday till the next Monday, without confent of the other.

And it is further Refolved, That if the prefent unhappy difpute with Great-Britain fhould continue longer than this prefent year, and the Continental Congrefs give no inftructions or

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directions