The Articles were signed by Congress and sent to the individual states for ratification on November 15, 1777, after 16 months of debate. Bickering over land claims between Virginia and Maryland delayed final ratification for almost four more years.
So they have something to rely on
Some of the main points Thomas Jefferson explain to John Dickinson about the Louisiana purchase were:
- The sole dominion of the Mississippi, excluding those bickerings with foreign powers, securing the course of a peaceable nation.
- The pretension to extend the western territory of Louisiana to the Rio Norte, or Bravo; and still stronger the eastern boundary to the Rio Perdido between the rivers Mobile & Pensacola.
- Ratification and payment, for a thing beyond the constitution, and rely on the nation to sanction an act done for its great good, without its previous authority.
- Annex New Orleans to the Mississippi territory and shut up all the rest from settlement for a long time to come, endeavoring to exchange some of the country there unoccupied by Indians for the lands held by the Indians on this side the Mississippi.
- The impost which will be paid by the inhabitants ceded will pay half the interest of the price given: so that only half will be added to the debt.
