Houston, William C., as a New Jersey Delegate to the Continental Congress

Autograph document signed ("Wm Churchill Houston"), 3 pages (9 1/2 x 7 3/4 in.; 241 x 197 mm) on a bifolium (watermarked vga), "In Congress" [Philadelphia], 6 September 1780, being an extract from the Journals of Congress. Half purple morocco folding-case, red morocco spine labels.

Removing "the only Obstacle to a final Ratification of the Articles of Confederation." The Articles of Confederation—essentially the first Constitution of the United States—were engrossed on 9 July 1778 and signed by the congressional delegates of eight states that same day. By 22 February 1779, four further delegations had added their names. However, the Confederation would not be fully adopted until all thirteen states had subscribed, and Maryland refused to do so.

"A small State cut off from expansion to the West of the territory of Virginia and Pennsylvania, Maryland was apprehensive about joining a confederation in which some States claimed lands entending to the Mississippi River, or even to the Pacific" (The Formation of the Union, National Archives, 1970, p. 34). New York took the initiative in forging a compromise by ceding her claims to western lands to the United States, and several others followed that example. The present Congressional resolve, recorded here by William Houston, was directed at the three remaining holdouts: Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. The pressure worked, and on 2 January 1781, Virginia became the last state to yield its western land claims to the federal government. Maryland signed the Articles, and the Continental Congress became the Congress of the Confederation.

"Congress took into Consideration the Report of the Committee to whom were referred the Instructions of the General Assembly of Maryland to their Delegates in Congress, respecting the Articles of Confederation, and the Declaration therein referred to; the Act of the Legislature of New-York on the same subject; and the Remonstrance of the General Assembly of Virginia; which Report was agreed to, and is in the Words following, to Wit:

"'That having duly considered the several matters to them submitted, they conceive it unnecessary to examine in to the Merits or the Policy of the Instructions or Declaration of the General Assembly of Maryland, or of the Remonstrance of the General Assembly of Virginia, as they involve Questions, a Discussion of which was declined on mature Consideration, when the Articles of Confederation were debated; nor, in the Opinion of the Committee, can such Questions be now revived with any Prospect of Conciliation:

"That it appears more advisable to press upon those States which can remove the Embarrassment respecting the Western Country, a liberal Surrender of a Portion of their territorial Claims, since they cannot be preserved entire without endangering the Stability of the General Confederacy; to remind them how indispensibly necessary it is to establish the federal Union on a fixed and permanent Basis, and on Principles acceptable to all its respective Members; how essential to public Credit and Confidence, to the Support of our Army, to the Vigour of our Counsels and Success of our Measures, to our Tranquillity at Home, and our Reputation abroad, to our present Safety and our future Prosperity, to our very Existence as a free, sovereign and independent People:

"That they are fully persuaded the Wisdom of the respective Legislatures will lead them to a full and impartial Consideration of a Subject so interesting to the United States, and so necessary to the happy Establishment of the federal Union:

"That they are confirmed in these Expectations by a Review of the beforementioned Act of the Legislature of New-York, submitted to their Consideration:

"That this act is expressly calculated to accelerate the federal Alliance, by removing, as far as it depends on that State, the Impediment arising from the Western Country, and for that purpose to yield up a Portion of territorial Claim for the general Benefit.' Whereupon, Resolved,

"That Copies of the several Papers referred to the Committee be transmitted, with a Copy of the Report, to the Legislatures of the several States, and that it be earnestly recommended to those States, who have Claims to the Western Country, to pass such Laws, and give their Delegates in Congress such Powers as may effectually remove the only Obstacle to a final Ratification of the Articles of Confederation; and that the Legislature of Maryland be earnestly requested to authorize their Delegates in Congress to subscribe the said Articles."