A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents | Page 3

attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.--
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.--And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
JOHN HANCOCK
JOSIAH BARTLETT W'M WHIPPLE SAM'L. ADAMS JOHN ADAMS ROB'T. TREAT PAINE ELBRIDGE GERRY STEP. HOPKINS WILLIAM ELLERY ROGER SHERMAN SAM'EL HUNTINGTON W'M WILLIAMS OLIVER WOLCOTT MATTHEW THORNTON W'M FLOYD PHIL. LIVINGSTON FRAN'S LEWIS LEWIS MORRIS RICH'D STOCKTON JN'O. WITHERSPOON FRA'S. HOPKINSON JOHN HART ABRA CLARK ROB'T. MORRIS BENJAMIN RUSH BENJ'A. FRANKLIN JOHN MORTON GEO CLYMER JA'S. SMITH. GEO. TAYLOR JAMES WILSON GEO. ROSS CAESAR RODNEY GEO READ THO M'KEAN SAMUEL CHASE W'M. PACA THO'S. STONE CHARLES CARROLL of Carrollton GEORGE WYTHE RICHARD HENRY LEE. TH. JEFFERSON BENJ'A. HARRISON THO'S. NELSON jr. FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE CARTER BRAXTON W'M. HOOPER JOSEPH HEWES. JOHN PENN EDWARD RUTLEDGE. THO'S. HEYWARD Jun'r. THOMAS LYNCH Jun'r. ARTHUR MIDDLETON BUTTON GWINNETT LYMAN HALL GEO WALTON.
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Articles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation
NOTE.--The original is indorsed: Act of Confederation of The United States of America.
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 Seventy seven, 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, freedom an independence, and every Power, Jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled.
Article III. 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 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 whatsoever.
Article IV. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the 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 regress to and from any other state, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions and restrictions as 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.
If any Person guilty of, or charged with treason, felony, or other high misdemeanor in any state, shall flee from Justice, and be found in any of the united states,