enemy of the country-a people the most subtle, and, I will take upon me to say, the most terrible that ever inhabited any part of God's earth. And yet, actuated by principles of true English liberty, they met all these hardships with pleasure, compared with those they suffered in their own country, from those who should have been their friends. They nourished by your indulgence!-No: they grew by your neglect when you began to care about them, that care was exercised in sending persons to rule over them, who were the deputies of some deputy sent to spy out their liberty, to misrepresent their actions, and to prey upon them ;men whose behaviour, on many occasions, has caused the blood of those sons of liberty to recoil within them ;-men promoted to the highest seats of justice-some of whom were glad, by going to a foreign country, to escape being brought to the bar of justice in their own. They protected by your arms! They have nobly taken up arms in your defence; have exerted their valour, amidst their constant and laborious industry, for the defence of a country, the interior of which, while its frontiers were drenched in blood, has yielded all its little savings to your enlargement. Believe me-remember I this day told you so-the same spirit which actuated that people at first still continues with them : -But prudence forbids me to explain myself further. God knows, I do not at this time speak from party heat. However superior to me in general knowledge

and experience any one here may be, I claim to know more of America, having seen and been con+ versant in that country. The people there are as truly loyal, I believe, as any subjects the king has; but they are a people jealous of their liberties, and who will vindicate them if they should be violated. But the subject is delicate-I will say no more."

The passing of this act, the operation of which was to commence on the first of November, excited throughout the colonies the most serious and universal alarm it was believed sincerely to wound vitally the constitution of the country, and to destroy the most sacred principles of liberty. Combinations against its execution were every where formed, and the utmost exertions were used to render as diffusive as possible a knowledge of the pernicious consequences which must flow from admitting that America could be taxed by a legislature in which she was not represented.

The Assembly of Virginia was in session when the intelligence was received. The subject was taken up, and, by a small majority, several resolutions*, which had been introduced by Mr. Henry,

and

* These, being the first resolutions of any assembly after the passing of the stamp act, are inserted.

Whereas the honourable 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

and seconded by Mr. Johnson, were agreed to; one of which asserts the exclusive right of that Assem

bly

House of Burgessse of this 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 other 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 the two royal charters granted by King James I. the colonies aforesaid are declared entitled to all privileges of faithful, liege, and natural born subjects, to all intents and purposes, as if they had been abiding in, and born within the realm of, England.

Resolved, That his Majesty's most liege people of this his most ancient colony have enjoyed the right of being thus governed by their own Assembly, in the article of taxes and internal police, and that the same have never been forfeited, nor any other way `yielded up, but have been constantly recognised by the King and people of Great Britain.

Resolved, therefore, That the General Assembly of this colony, together with his Majesty, or his substitate, have, in their representative capacity, the only exclusive right and 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, is illegal, unconstitutional, and unjust, and has a manifest tendency to destroy British as well as American freedom.

Such were the resolutions as agreed to by that part of the Assembly which was most timid.-The following resolutions were also introduced by Mr. Henry, and passed the committee, but were not agreed to in the House.

Resolved,

bly to lay taxes and impositions on the inhabitants. of that colony; and that every attempt to vest such ▾ a power elsewhere "is illegal, unconstitutional, and unjust, and has a manifest tendency to destroy British as well as American freedom."

On the passing of these resolutions the Governor dissolved the Assembly, and writs for new elections were issued. But so entirely did the people take part with the opposition to the scheme of taxation proposed by ministers, that, in almost every instance, the members who had voted in favour of the resolutions were re-elected, while those who had voted against them were generally excluded in favour of candidates who entertained popular opinions.

The legislatures of several other colonies passed resolutions similar to those of Virginia; and the House of Representatives of Massachussetts, contemplating a still more solemn and effectual expres sion of the general sentiment, recommended a

Resolved, That his Majesty's liege people, the inhabitants of this colony, are not bound to yield obedience to any law or ordinance whatsoever, designed to impose any taxation whatsoever upon them,,other than the laws and ordinances of the General Assembly aforesaid.

Resolved, That any person who shall, by speaking or writing, maintain that any person or persons, other than the General Assembly of this colony, have any right or power to lay any taxation whatsoever on the people here, shall be deemed an enemy to his Majesty's colony.

Congress

Congress of Deputies from all the Colonial Assemblies, to meet at New York the first Tuesday in October, to consult together on the present circumstances of the colonies, and the difficulties to which they are and must be reduced by the opera-tion of the acts of parliament for levying taxes on them. Circular letters, signed by the speaker, communicating this recommendation, were addres sed to the several speakers of the respective Provincial Assemblies; and wherever they were in session the recommendation was acted on. New Hampshire alone, although joining in the general opposi tion, declined sending members to the Congress; and the Legislatures of Virginia and North Carolina were not in session.

In the mean time the papers teemed with the most animating exhortations to the people, to unite in the defence of their liberty and property; and the stamp officers, almost every where, were compelled to resign.

At the time appointed the Commissioners from

this measure.

* They were generally gentlemen of influence in the several provinces, who were recommended by the colonial agents;—so Little did they expect the serious opposition made in America to Mr. Gordon says, that Dr. Franklin advised Mr. Ingersoll to accept the appointment which was offered him, and added, at the same time, "Go home, and tell your countrymen to get children as fast as they can ;" plainly alluding to their sup posed present inability to resist the power of Britain.