Virginia Resolves - wikipedia Virginia Resolves This article is about the pre-revolutionary resolves against the Stamp Act. For the later resolution against the Alien and Sedition Acts, see Virginia Resolution. Patrick Henry 's speech on the Virginia Resolves ( an 1851 painting by Peter F. Rothermel ) The Virginia Resolves were a series of resolutions passed by the Virginia House of Burgesses in response to the Stamp Act of 1765. The Stamp Act had been passed by the British Parliament to help pay off some of its debt from its various wars, including the French and Indian War fought in part to protect the American colonies. The resolves claimed that in accordance with long established British law, Virginia was subject to taxation only by a parliamentary assembly to which Virginians themselves elected representatives. Since no colonial representatives were elected to the Parliament the only assembly legally allowed to raise taxes would be the Virginia General Assembly. Contents 1 Origin 2 Text of the Virginia Resolves 3 Additional resolutions 4 References 5 External links Origin On May 29, 1765, Patrick Henry made one of his famous speeches before the Virginia House of Burgesses to encourage the passage of the resolutions. Henry said `` Caesar had his Brutus, Charles I his Cromwell, and George III... ( Henry was interrupted by cries from the opposition )... may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it. '' When Patrick Henry paused after the vibrant portion of the speech, Speaker John Robinson stood and shouted, `` Treason ! Treason ! ''. Patrick Henry at this point issued a semi-apology. Peyton Randolph later told his young cousin Thomas Jefferson who was standing in the doorways of the House quite frequently. `` By God, I would have given 500 guineas for a single vote ''. Henry had waited for most of the more conservative members of the assembly to be away before submitting the resolves. The Burgesses generally voted along geographic lines with eastern Virginians opposing the resolves and central Virginians supporting them. Patrick Henry left Williamsburg, Virginia that night fearing the powerful members of the House would harass him with a warrant. The next day, with Patrick Henry gone and most conservative assembly members back in session, the assembly again set a vote with conservatives trying to have the Resolves struck from the record. However Henry 's supporters managed to preserve the first four resolutions with only the more radical 5th Resolution being struck. In late June the Newport Mercury was the first newspaper to publish the Virginia Resolves to the general public with several other newspapers following soon after. Notably none of the newspapers drew on the official House records and as a result the published resolutions included not only the 4 ratified resolutions but also the, already removed, 5th resolution. In fact the newspapers even went so far to include a 6th and 7th resolution the origin of which is still disputed. Some sources quote those two articles as being part of Henry 's original manuscript while others argue that their origin is completely unknown. A direct result of the publishing of the Virginia Resolves was a growing public anger over the Stamp Act and according to several contemporary sources the Resolves were responsible for inciting the Stamp Act Riots. Governor Thomas Hutchinson of Massachusetts stated that `` Nothing extravagant appeared in the papers till an account was received of the Virginia Resolves. '' Later Edmund Burke linked the resolves with the beginning of the opposition to the Stamp Act that would contribute to the American Revolution. Text of the Virginia Resolves The original text of the Virginia Resolves as adopted by the House of Burgesses on May 29, 1765 was as follows : 1. Resolved, that the first adventurers and settlers of 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 said colony, all the liberties, privileges, franchises, and immunities that have at any time been held, enjoyed, and possessed by the people of Great Britain. 2. Resolved, that by two royal charters, granted by King James I, the colonists aforesaid are declared entitled to all liberties, privileges, and immunities of denizens and natural subjects to all intents and purposes as if they had been abiding and born within the Realm of England. 3. 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, or the easiest method of raising them, and must themselves be affected by every tax laid on the people, is the only security against a burdensome taxation, and the distinguishing characteristic of British freedom, without which the ancient constitution can not exist. 4. Resolved, that His Majesty 's liege people of this his most ancient and loyal colony have without interruption enjoyed the inestimable right of being governed by such laws, respecting their internal policy and taxation, as are derived from their own consent, with the approbation of their sovereign, or his substitute ; and that the same has never been forfeited or yielded up, but has been constantly recognized by the kings and people of Great Britain. 5. Resolved, therefor that the General Assembly of this Colony have the only and exclusive Right and Power to lay Taxes and Impositions upon the inhabitants of this Colony and that every Attempt to vest such 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. This 5th resolution was originally adopted along with the other 4 on May 29, but struck the next day in a separate vote by the assembly. Additional resolutions When the Virginia Resolves were first published in colonial newspapers the articles cited not only the officially adopted 4 resolutions but included the, already revoked, 5th resolution along with two more resolution the origin of which is still disputed. Those additional resolution were : 6. 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. 7. 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 impose or lay any taxation whatsoever on the people here shall be deemed an enemy to this his majesty 's colony. These two resolutions were never passed by the House of Burgesses and it is not known who authored them although some sources claim that they were part of the original draft by Patrick Henry. References Jump up ^ Anderson, Fred. Crucible of War. Vintage Books. ISBN 0 - 375 - 70636 - 4 Jump up ^ Morison, Sources and Documents, pp. 17 - 18 Jump up ^ John Pendleton Kennedy, ed., Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia, 1761 - 1765 ( Richmond, Va., 1907 ) External links Text of the Virginia Resolves Origins of the American Revolution : writings American resolves, declarations, petitions, essays and pamphlets prior to the Declaration of Independence ( July 1776 ) Following the Stamp Act ( 1765 ) Virginia Resolves ( May 1765 ) Braintree Instructions ( September 1765 ) Declaration of Rights and Grievances ( October 1765 ) An Inquiry into the Rights of the British Colonies ( 1766 ) Following the Townshend Acts ( 1767 ) Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania ( 1767, 1768 ) Massachusetts Circular Letter ( February 1768 ) Journal of Occurrences ( 1768, 1769 ) Virginia Association ( May 1769 ) Boston Pamphlet ( 1772 ) Sheffield Declaration ( January 1773 ) Following the Coercive Acts ( 1774 ) Maryland Chestertown Resolves ( May 1774 ) Bush River Resolution ( March 1775 ) Massachusetts Suffolk Resolves ( September 1774 ) New York Orangetown Resolutions ( July 1774 ) A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress ( December 1774 ) The Farmer Refuted ( February 1775 ) North Carolina Mecklenburg Resolves or Declaration ( May 1775 ) Liberty Point Resolves ( June 1775 ) Tryon Resolves ( August 1775 ) Halifax Resolves ( April 1776 ) Virginia Fairfax Resolves ( July 1774 ) Fincastle Resolutions ( January 1775 ) Virginia Declaration of Rights ( June 1776 ) 1st Continental Congress Declaration and Resolves ( October 1774 ) Continental Association ( October 1774 ) Petition to the King ( October 1774 ) 2nd Continental Congress Olive Branch Petition ( July 1775 ) Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms ( July 1775 ) May 15 preamble ( May 1776 ) Lee Resolution ( July 1776 ) Essays and pamphlets `` Letters to the inhabitants of Canada '' ( 1774, 1775, 1776 ) A Summary View of the Rights of British America ( 1774 ) Novanglus ( 1775 ) Common Sense ( January 1776 ) Thoughts on Government ( Spring, 1776 ) Virginia in the American Revolution Early Virginia Resolves ( 1765 ) Virginia Association ( 1769 ) 1774 Fairfax Resolves First Virginia Convention 1775 Fincastle Resolutions `` Give me liberty, or give me death ! '' Gunpowder Incident Formation of Culpeper Minutemen Dunmore 's Proclamation Formation of Ethiopian Regiment Battle of Kemp 's Landing Battle of Great Bridge Second Virginia Convention Third Virginia Convention Fourth Virginia Convention 1776 Burning of Norfolk Virginia Declaration of Rights Formation of Lee 's Legion Fifth Virginia Convention 1779 Chesapeake raid 1781 Raid of Richmond Skirmish at Waters Creek Battle of Cape Henry Battle of Blandford Action at Osborne 's Raid on Point of Fork Battle of Spencer 's Ordinary Battle of Green Spring Francisco 's Fight Battle of the Chesapeake Siege of Yorktown Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virginia_Resolves&oldid=802519500 '' Categories : 1765 in the Thirteen Colonies Virginia in the American Revolution 1765 in Virginia 1765 documents Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 26 September 2017, at 17 : 44. About Wikipedia

Question: who gave a fiery speech in the virginia house of burgesses
Answer: Patrick Henry