Page:Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States (1st ed, 1833, vol I).djvu/261

 CH. III.] reprisal in time of peace; nor enter into any treaties or alliances; nor coin money, or regulate the value thereof; nor ascertain (lie sums or expenses necessary for the defence and welfare of the United States; nor emit bills; nor borrow money on the credit of the United States; nor appropriate money; nor agree upon the number of vessels of war to be built, or purchased; or the number of land or sea forces to be raised; nor appoint a commander in chief of the army or navy; unless nine states should assent to the same. And no question on any other point, except for adjourning from day to day, was to be determined, except by the vote of a majority of the states.

§ 238. The committee of the states, or any nine of them, were authorized in the recess of congress to exercise such powers, as congress, with the assent of nine states, should think it expedient to vest them with, except such powers, for the exercise of which, by the articles of confederation, the assent of nine states was required, which could not be thus delegated.

§ 239. It was further provided, that all bills of credit, monies borrowed, and debts contracted by or under the authority of congress before the confederation, should be a charge against the United States; that when land forces were raised by any state for the common defence, all officers of or under the rank of colonel should be appointed by the legislature of the state, or in such manner, as the state should direct; and all vacancies should be filled up in the same manner; that all charges of war, and all other expenses for the common defence or general welfare, should be defrayed out of a common treasury, which should be supplied by the several states, in proportion to the value of the land within each state granted or surveyed, and the buildings and