most parts of America; it was quite new to the people, and had no visible bounds to it."

Petitions were sent to the King, and remonstrances were addressed to the Parliament, by the several Colonial assemblies, through the medium of the Board of Trade in London; but they were ungraciously received, the mad measure was persisted in, and the "Stamp Act" was passed. The publication of it in America produced the greatest excitement. The General Assembly of Virginia, being in session at the time, passed the following resolutions, which were the first published in the Colonies with reference to this

measure.

"WHEREAS, The Honorable House of Commons, in England, has of late drawn into question how far the General Assembly of this colony hath power to enact laws for laying taxes and imposing duties, payable by the people of this his Majesty's most ancient colony; for settling and ascertaining the same to all future times, the house of Burgesses of the present General Assembly have come to the several following resolutions :

RESOLVED, That the first adventurers and settlers of this his Majesty's colony and dominion of Virginia, brought with them, and transmitted to their posterity, and all others his Majesty's subjects since inhabiting in this his Majesty's colony, all the privileges and immunities that have at any time been held, enjoyed, and possessed by the people of Great Britain.

RESOLVED, That by two royal charters, granted by King James I., the colonies aforesaid are declared entitled to all the privileges of denizens, and natural born subjects, to all intents and purposes as if they had been abiding and born within the realm of England.

RESOLVED, That the taxation of the people by themselves, or by persons chosen by themselves to represent them, who can only know what taxes the people are able to bear, and the easiest mode of raising them, and are equally affected by such taxes themselves, is the distinguished characteristic of British freedom, and without which the ancient constitution cannot subsist.

RESOLVED, That his Majesty's liege people of this most ancient colony have uninterruptedly enjoyed the right of being thus governed

by their own assembly in the article of their taxes and internal police, and that the same hath never been forfeited, nor in any other way yielded up, but hath been constantly recognized by the King and people of Great Britain.

RESOLVED, THEREFORE, That the General Assembly of this colony have the sole power to lay taxes and impositions upon the inhabitants of this colony, and that every attempt to vest such a power in any person or persons whatsoever, other than the General Assembly aforesaid, has a manifest tendency to destroy British as well as American freedom.

Soon after the passage of these resolutions the Assembly adjourned, and writs were issued directing a new election of Burgesses. Those who had voted for these resolutions were unanimously re-elected, while those who had opposed them were defeated. Resolutions proclaiming the same doctrines, and breathing a similar spirit, were also passed by the Assemblies of NEW YORK, MASSACHUSSETTS BAY, and most of the other colonies, as they convened. Town meetings were everywhere held and the Representatives of the people were instructed to oppose the Stamp Act. The following, addressed to the representative of the town of Plymouth in Massachussetts Bay, by his constituents, are interesting not only for the spirit which they breathe and the sentiments which they contain, but also as illustrations of the causes of that hostility to the proceedings of Parliament which pervaded the colonies.

You, Sir, represent a people who are not only descended from the first settlers of this country, but inhabit the very spot they first possessed. Here was first laid the foundation of the British Empire in this part of America, which, from a very small beginning, has increased and spread in a manner very surprising, and almost incredible, especially when we consider that all this has been effected without the aid or assistance of any power on earth; that we have defended, protected, and secured ourselves against the invasions and cruelties of savages, and the subtlety and inhumanity of our inveterate and natural enemies, the French; and all this without the appropriation of any tax by stamps, or

stamp acts, laid upon our fellow-subjects, in any part of the King's dominions, for defraying the expense thereof. This place, Sir, was at first the asylum of liberty, and we hope will ever be preserved sacred to it, though it was then no more than a barren wilderness, inhabited only by savage men and beasts. To this place our fathers-whose memories be revered-possessed of the principles of liberty in their purity, disdaining slavery, fled to enjoy those privileges, which they had an undoubted right to, but were deprived of by the hands of violence and oppression in their native country. We, Sir, their posterity, the freeholders and other inhabitants of this town, legally assembled for that purpose, possessed of the same sentiments, and retaining the same ardor for liberty, think it our indispensable duty, on this occasion, to express these our sentiments of the Stamp Act and its fatal consequences to this country, and to enjoin upon you, as you regard not only the welfare, but the very being of this people, that you-consistent with our allegiance to the King, and relation to the government of Great Britain-disregarding all proposals for that purpose, exert all your power and influence in opposition to the Stamp Act, at least till we hear the success of our petitions for relief. We likewise, to avoid disgracing the memories of our ancestors, as well as the reproaches of our own consciences, and the curses of posterity, recommend it to you, to obtain if possible, in the Honorable House of Representatives of this Province, a full and explicit assertion of our rights, and to have the same entered on their public records, that all generations yet to come may be convinced, that we have not only a just sense of our rights and liberties, but that we never, with submission to Divine Providence, will be slaves to any power on earth.

At this crisis it was resolved in the Assembly of Massachusetts Bay that it was expedient to convene a general congress of delegates from the several colonies, in order to consult as to the most advisable mode of meeting the exigencies of the country. Circulars were accordingly addressed to the several Assemblies of the colonies recommending that such a convention should be held in the city of New York, on the first Monday of October then next.* South Carolina was the first colony south of New England which acceded to this proposal for a continental union. The influence of her

* 1765.

example served to allay the apprehensions of those col nies which doubted the expediency of the measur Twenty-eight delegates met at the time and place a pointed, from the colonies of MASSACHUSETTS, RHOD ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, and SOUT CAROLINA. The Governors of VIRGINIA, NORT. CAROLINA, and GEORGIA interfered and prevente those colonies from sending delegates; but they each forwarded petitions and resolutions, in which they strongly insisted upon the unconstitutionality of the Stamp Act. This Congress drew up a petition to the crown, stating their grievances, a petition to the House of Lords, and a memorial to the House of Commons. They also published a Declaration of Rights, which, as it contains a full exposition of the grievances complained of, and the rights which they asserted, and also exhibits their true position towards the mother country at this stage of the controversy, necessarily becomes a part of our history.

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS BY THE COLONIAL

CONGRESS.*

The members of this Congress sincerely devoted with the warmest sentiments of affection and duty to His Majesty's person and government, inviolably attached to the present happy establishment of the Protestant succession, and with minds deeply impressed by a sense of the present and impending misfortunes of the British colonies on this continent, having considered, as maturely as time will permit, the circumstances of the said colonies, esteem it our indispensable duty to make the following declarations of our humble opinion respecting the most essential rights and liberties of the colonists, and of the grievances under which they labour, by reason of several late Acts of Parliament. They declare therefore,

* New York, 1765.

f

cobI. That his Majesty's subjects in these colonies, owe the same alleSuance to the crown of Great Britain that is owing from his subjects orn within the realm, and all due submission to that body the parliaaent of Great Britain.

II. That his Majesty's liege subjects in these colonies are entitled to Sall the inherent rights and liberties of his natural born subjects within The kingdom of Great Britain.

I

III. That it is inseparably essential to the freedom of a people, and he undoubted right of Englishmen, that no taxes be imposed on them but with their own consent, given personally, or by their representatives. IV. That the people of these colonies are not, and, from their local circumstances, cannot be represented in the House of Commons in Great Britain.

V. That the only representatives of these colonies are persons chosen therein by themselves, and that no taxes ever have been, or can be constitutionally imposed upon them, but by their respective legislatures.

VI. That all supplies to the Crown being free gifts from the people, it is unreasonable, and inconsistent with the principles and spirit of the British Constitution, for the people of Great Britain to grant to his Majesty the property of the colonies.

VII. That trial by jury is the inherent and invaluable right of every British subject in these colonies.

VIII. That the late act of Parliament, entitled "An act for granting and applying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the British Colonies and Plantations in America, &c." by imposing taxes on the inhabitants of these colonies; and the said acts, and several other acts, by extending the jurisdiction of Courts of Admiralty beyond its ancient limits, have a manifest tendency to subvert the rights and liberties of the colonists.

IX. That the duties imposed by several late acts of Parliament, from the peculiar circumstances of these colonies, will be extremely burdensome and grievous; and from the scarcity of specie, the payment of them absolutely impracticable.

X. That as the profits of the trade of these colonies ultimately centre in Great Britain, to pay for the manufactures which they are obliged to take from thence, they eventually contribute very largely to all supplies granted to the Crown.

XI. That the restrictions imposed by several late acts of Parliament on the trade of these colonies, will render them unable to purchase the manufactures of Great Britain.

XII. That the increase, prosperity, and happiness of these colonies depend on the full and free enjoyment of their rights and liberties, and