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grefs, to approve of, and to authorise us to ratify the said 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 purpose, do, by thefe prefents, in the name and behalf of our refpective constituents, 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 respective constituents, that they shall abide by the determinations of the United States in Congress affembled, on all queftions which by the faid confederation are fubmitted to them; and that the articles thereof shall be inviolably obferved by the States we respectively reprefent; and that the union fhall be perpetual. In witnefs whereof, we have hereunto fet cur hands in Congrefs.

DONE at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, the 9th day of July, in the year of our Lord 1778, and in the third year of the Independence of America.

The

The aforefaid articles of confederation were finally ratified on the first day of March 1781; the State of Maryland having, by their Members in Congrefs, on that day acceded thereto, and completed the fame.

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[ROGER SHERMAN,

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON,

CONNECTICUT, OLIVER WALCOTT,

NEW-YORK,

NEW-JERSEY,

TITUS OSMER,

LANDREW ADAMS.

JAMES DUANE,
FRANCIS LEWIS,
WILLIAM DUER,

GOVERNEUR MORRIS.

S JOHN WITHERSPOON,
NATHANIEL SCUDDER.

ROBERT MORRIS,

DANIEL ROBERDEAU,

PENNSYLVANIA, JONATHAN BAYARD SMITH

DELAWARE,

MARYLAND,

WILLIAM CLINGAM,

JOSEPH REED.

THOMAS M'KEAN,

JOHN DICKENSON,
NICHOLAS VANDYKE,

JOHN HANSON,
DANIEL CARROLL.

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A

COLLECTION

OF THE

CONSTITUTIONS

OF THE

THIRTEEN

UNITED STATES, &c.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE.

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

E, the Members of the Congress of the

WE

colony of New-Hampshire, chofen and appointed by the free fuffrages of the people of faid colony, and authorized and impowered by them to meet together, and ufe fuch means, and pursue fuch measures, as we fhall judge best for the public good; and. in particular to establish fome form of government, provided that measure should be recommended by the Continental Congress; and a recommendation to that purpose having been transmitted to us

from

from the faid Congrefs; have taken into our serious confideration the unhappy circumstances in 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 have been sent into this country by army the Ministry of Great-Britain, who have exercifed a wanton and cruel abufe of their power, in destroying the lives and properties of the colonists, in many places, with fire and fword, taking the ships and lading from many of the honeft and induftrious inhabitants of this colony, employed in commerce, agreeable to the laws and customs a long time used here :

The fudden and abrupt departure of his Excellency JOHN WENTWORTH, Efq. our late Governor, and feveral of the Council, leaving us destitute of legislation; and no executive courts being open to punish criminal offenders, whereby the lives and properties of the honest people of this colony are liable to the machinations. and evil defigns of wicked men :

Therefore, for the preservation of peace and

good

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