al, but the punctuation of them is
not always the same; neither do the names of the States appear in the
fac-simile of the original. The names of the signers of each State are
grouped together in the fac-simile of the original, except the name of
Matthew Thornton, which follows that of Oliver Wolcott."

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION -- 1777.

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, freedom and
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 whatever.

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,