[azhenfud]

Stainless,
The Articles of Confederation of the United States also explain there is a joint agreement among the several sovereign states and that each reserve and retain all rights not specifically enumerated in the constitution, AND that no rights may be abridged without the consent of the United States Congress assembled....

Here is the introduction and first three articles:

"The Articles of Confederation

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Nov. 15, 1777

To all to whom these Presents shall come, we the undersigned Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting.
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.

I. The Stile of this Confederacy shall be "The United States of America".

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.

III. The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, 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 pretense whatever."

Treason is defined best depending upon which side of Liberty one stands.

Regards,
Az

[Arkinsaw]

Whats interesting about the Articles of Confederation is that it was specifically a 'perpetual' union. But then just a few years later George Washington and company held a Constitutional Convention which gave every State the opportunity to either ratify or not. Had a State not ratified then it would have been on its own. So much for perpetual union.

The word was left out of the new Constitution. Since the founders were already breaking up a 'perpetual' union to form the new one leaving the word in the new document would have been potentially embarassing.