the chief towns of the colonies, and was received by the people cordially and heartily, but without excitement. There was no reason why it should have called forth much feeling, for it merely embodied public opinion already made up, and was expected by the loyalist minority. Yet despite its general acceptance, which showed its political strength, it was a great and memorable document. From that day to this it has been listened to with reverence by a people who have grown to be a great nation, and equally from that day to this it has been the subject of severe criticism. The reverence is right, the criticism misplaced and founded on misunderstanding. HENRY CABOT LODGE, American Revolution. I. 499. CHAPTER XV THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION SUGGESTIONS FROM July 4th, 1776, the United States of America were governed by a Continental or General Congress until March 1, 1781, when the States adopted a constitution, called the " Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the States." The " Articles " had been made by the States only: Congress continued to govern or pretended to govern by these "Articles" until March 4th, 1789 but in the meanwhile the constitution had no given power to execute the laws or to pass judgment upon the acts of the government. The document is supposed to have been drafted by John Dickinson of Delaware, but as the work of the committee was done in secret and has never been reported the point cannot be determined. The inadequacy of this frame of government proved to be most unsatisfactory. Five years of construction, six years of struggling existence, mark the life of the Articles, but they died only to give birth to a greatly improved constitutional document. For Outlines and Material, see Appendix A. American DOCUMENT Articles of Confederation (1776-1778) Nov. 15, 1777. ARTICLES AGREED TO BY CONGRESS A copy of the Confederation being made out and sundry amendments made in the diction without altering the sense the same was agreed to & is from original as follows: Leaflets No. 20 (verified manu scripts). Reported 1776. Ratified March 1st 1781. JULY 9, 1778. - ARTICLES OF CONFEDERA- To all to Whom these Presents shall come, we the undersigned Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting. Whereas the Delegates of the United States of America in Congress assembled did on the fifteenth day of November in the Year of Our Lord One thousand seven Hundred and Seventyseven, and in the second Year of the Independence of America agree to certain articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the States of Newhampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhodeisland and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia in the Words following, viz. "ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION and perpetual Union between the States of Newhampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhodeisland and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia." ARTICLE I. THE Stile of this confederacy shall be "THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." ARTICLE II. EACH state retains its sovereignty, Idea of freedom and independence, and every Power, Juris statehood thus put diction and right, which is not by this confederation foremost. expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled. Preamble. ARTICLE III. THE said states hereby severally See Constituenter into a firm league of friendship with each tion; other, for their common defence, the security of their Liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretence whatever. ARTICLE IV. THE better to secure and perpetuate Notwithmutual friendship and intercourse among the people standing this clause, variof the different states in this union, the free in- ous states habitants of each of these states, paupers, vaga- disagreed bonds, and fugitives from Justice excepted, shall and Navigabe entitled to all privileges and immunities of free tion Laws. over trade citizens in the several states; and the people of each state shall have free ingress and regress to and from any other state, and shall enjoy therein See Constitu- all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject tion, Art. i. to the same duties, impositions and restrictions as 10 (2) the inhabitants thereof respectively, provided that such restriction 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 imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid by any state, on the property of the united states, or either of them. Constitution, IF any Person be guilty of, or charged with Art. iv. 2. (2) treason, felony, or other high misdemeanour in any state, shall flee from Justice, and be found in any of the united states, he shall upon 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. Constitution, Since there was no separate execu tive or judi- the sole re- Art i. 2 (1, 2, 3) FULL faith and credit shall be given in each of these states to the records, acts and judicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates of every other state. ARTICLE V. FOR the more convenient management of the general interest of the united states, delegates shall 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 recal its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead, for the remainder of the Year. No state shall be represented in Congress by Constitution less than two, nor by more than seven Members; and no person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of six years; nor shall any person, being a delegate, be capable of holding any office under the united states, for which he, or another for his benefit, receives any salary, fees or emolument of any kind. EACH state shall maintain its own delegates in a meeting of the states, and while they act as members of the committee of the states. In determining questions in the united states, in Congress assembled, each state shall have one vote. FREEDOM of speech and debate in congress shall Constitution, not be impeached or questioned in any Court, or Art. i. 6 (1) place out of Congress, and the members of Congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests and imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from, and attendance on congress, except for treason, felony, or breach of the peace. ARTICLE VI. No state without the Consent of Constitution, the united states in congress assembled, shall send Art. i. 10. any embassy to, or receive any embassy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance or treaty with any King, prince, or state; nor shall any person holding any office of profit or trust under the united states, or any of them, accept of any present, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever from any king, prince, or foreign state; nor shall the united states in congress assembled, or any of them, grant any title of nobility. No two or more states shall enter into any treaty, Notwithconfederation or alliance whatever between them, standing this clause, a without the consent of the united states in congress compact was assembled, specifying accurately the purpose for made bewhich the same is to be entered into and how long land and tween Maryit shall continue. Virginia. This crippled the treatymaking No state shall lay any imposts or duties, which may interfere with any stipulations in treaties, entered into by the united states in congress assem- power. bled, with any king, prince, or state, in pursuance of any treaties already proposed by congress, to the courts of France and Spain. No vessels of war shall be kept up in time of peace by any state, except such number only, as |