RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.

By His Excellency, Nicholas Cook, Esquire, Governour, Captain General and Commander in Chief in and over the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

Be it known that Henry Ward, esquire, who hath under his hand certified that the annexed copy purporting an act of the general assembly of the state aforesaid, empowering the delegates of the said state in Congress to accede to and sign the articles of confederation and perpetual union between the thirteen United States, is a true copy, is Secretary of the said state, duly elected and engaged according to law: Wherefore unto his certificate of that matter full faith and absolute credit is and ought to be universally rendered.

Given under my hand, and the seal of the said state, at Providence, this eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight.

[L. S.]

NICHOLAS COOKE.

By His Excellency's Command.

HENRY WARD, Secretary.

At the general assembly of the governour and company of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, begun and holden by adjournment at East

Greenwich, within and for the state aforesaid, on the second Monday in February, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight.

This assembly having taken into consideration the articles of confederation and perpetual union between the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, transmitted by Congress to this state; and having had them repeatedly read; and having maturely weighed, and most seriously deliberated upon them, as their importance to this and the other states and to posterity deserves; and considering also the pressing necessity of completing the union as a measure essential to the preservation of the independence and safety of the said states

Do vote and resolve, and it is voted and resolved, That the honourable Stephen Hopkins, esquire, William Ellery, esquire, and Henry Marchant, esquire, the delegates to represent this state in Congress, or any one of them, be, and they are hereby fully authorized and empowered, on the part and behalf of this state, to accede to and sign the said articles of confederation and perpetual union, in such solemn form and manner as Congress shall think best adapted to a transaction so important to the present and future generations : Provided that the same be acceded to by eight of the other states. And in case any alterations in, or additions to, the said articles of confederation and perpetual union shall be made by nine of the said states in Congress assembled, that the said delegates, or any

one of them, be, and they are hereby authorized and empowered, in like manner to accede to and sign the said articles of confederation and perpetual union, with the alterations and additions that shall be so made.

It is further voted and resolved, That this assembly will and do hereby, in behalf of the said state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in the most solemn manner, pledge the faith of the said state to hold and consider the acts of the said delegates, or any one of them, in so acceding to and signing the said articles of confederation and perpetual union, as valid and binding upon the said state in all future time.

And it is further voted and resolved, That a fair copy of this act be made and authenticated under the publick seal of this state, with the signature of his excellency the governour, and be transmitted to the delegates; and that the same shall be sufficient warrant and authority to the said delegates, or any one of them, for the purposes aforesaid.

Witness.

A true copy duly examined.

HENRY WARD, Secretary.

CONNECTICUT.

At a general assembly of the governour and compa

ny

of the state of Connecticut, holden at Hartford,

by adjournment, on the twelfth day of February,

1778.

The articles of confederation and perpetual union proposed by Congress to be entered into by the thirteen United States of America, being laid before this assembly by his excellency the governour, were read and mutually considered: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the delegates of this state, who shall be present in Congress, be, and they are hereby fully authorized and empowered, in behalf of this state, to agree to, and ratify the said articles of confederation with such amendments, if any be, as by them, in conjunction of the delegates of the other states in Congress shall be thought proper.

A true copy of record.

Examined by

GEORGE WYLLYS, Secretary.

NEW YORK.

The people of the State of New York, one of the United States of America, by the grace of God free and independent, to their brethren of the other of the said States in Congress assembled, and to all others who shall see these our letters patent, send Greeting:

KNOW YE, That among the acts of our senate and assembly of our said state we have inspected a certain

act of the said senate and assembly, the tenor whereof is as follows, to wit:

"An act of accession to and approbation of certain "proposed articles of confederation and perpetual "union between the United States of America, and to "authorize the delegates of the state of New York to "ratify the same on the part and behalf of this state in "the Congress of the said United States.

"Whereas the freedom, sovereignty and indepen"dence of the said states, which with a magnanimity, "fortitude, constancy and love of liberty, hitherto un"paralleled, they have asserted and maintained against "their cruel and unrelenting enemies, the king and "parliament of the realm of Great Britian, will, for "their lasting and unshaken security in a great measure depend, under God, on a wise and well concert"ed, intimate and equal confederation of the United "States :

66

"And whereas the honourable the Congress of the "said United States have transmitted, for the consi"deration of the legislature of this state, and for rati"fication, in case they should approve of the same, "the following articles of confederation, to wit: [Here the articles are recited verbatim.]

"And whereas the senate and assembly of this state "of New York in legislature convened, have separately "taken the said articles of confederation into their re"spective, most deliberate, and mature consideration, "and by their several and respective resolutions, de"liberately made and entered into for the purpose, "have fully and entirely approved of the same. "order, therefore, that such approval may be pub

In