6. It is also agreed, that
for the managing and concluding of all Stairs and concerning the whole
Confederation two Commissioners shall be chosen by and out of each of
these four Jurisdictions: namely, two for the Massachusetts, two for
Plymouth, two for Connecticut, and two for New Haven, being all in
Church-fellowship with us, which shall bring full power from their
several General Courts respectively to hear, examine, weigh, and
determine all affairs of our war, or peace, leagues, aids, charges,
and numbers of men for war, division of spoils and whatsoever is
gotten by conquest, receiving of more Confederates for Plantations
into combination with any of the Confederates, and all things of like
nature, which are the proper concomitants or consequents of such a
Confederation for amity, offense, and defence: not intermeddling with
the government of any of the Jurisdictions, which by the third article
is preserved entirely to themselves. But if these eight Commissioners
when they meet shall not all agree yet it [is] concluded that any six
of the eight agreeing shall have power to settle and determine the
business in question. But if six do not agree, that then such
propositions with their reasons so far as they have been debated, be
sent and referred to the four General Courts; namely, the
Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven; and if at all the
said General Courts the business so referred be concluded, then to be
prosecuted by the Confederates and all their members. It is further
agreed that these eight Commissioners shall meet once every year
besides extraordinary meetings (according to the fifth article) to
consider, treat, and conclude of all affairs belonging to this
Confederation, which meeting shall ever be the first Thursday in
September. And that the next meeting after the date of these
presents, which shall be accounted the second meeting, shall be at
Boston in the Massachusetts, the third at Hartford, the fourth at New
Haven, the fifth at Plymouth, the sixth and seventh at Boston; and
then Hartford, New Haven, and Plymouth, and so n course successively,
if in the meantime some middle place be not found out and agreed on,
which may be commodious for all the Jurisdictions.
