The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-06-20

SicSd uE'Oti, oy WHICH * WAS ilpui3tSQ air Ong
other things that &C the general a'embly, as for
merly, ihall convene and tranf.,6t the affairs of
the colony. Virginia ihaIl be free from all tax
es, cuftoms and impoitions whatever and none
HAL be inpofcd on them without the content of
the general ailen,bly.". Purfuing the hiltori-
cal chain of events, and patiing by among other
incidents the parliamentary &c. of I : ga for lay
ing an impof upon fugar and other foreign pro-
duce for the plauibe purpoGe Of rafting a rrve-
nue. towards defrlying the neceilary expenses of
defending the Britiih colonies an a6t which
the Mai'achutetts Ahe,nbly frt took into con-
liberation, and TO attempt whole repeal they To-
licited the beft exertion of their agent in Lon
don; we arrive at the celebrated ftamp-aet.
This act was Intended to try the relative trength
OF the Britlih government ard her colonies.
The miniitry publicly declared &c that it was in
tended to eftabliili the power of Great Britain
totax the colonies" The political affairs of
this country had never witneiieda more critical
era. Had the colonies fubmitted to the opera
ton of this tta:np-a6t, they would have acknow-
lodged the authority of Great Britain to tax
them in all cafes whatiorver. From the fcttie.
ment of financial arrangements, the Houie of
Commons might have proceeded to make laws
! tor then, IN all cafes whatioever. Infead Of fee
ing oul1eves the mof free and gallant nation up
on earth, we might ut this day have dragged the
diihonorable chain of the loweft vaia of Great
Britain. Reiiftance 10 the aamp-act or unconditi-
onal tlbmihon thus became the obvious & only
| alternatives which wea prefented to our coun-
| trymen. In thofe 60 times which tried mems
fouls did the virtue and energy of Virginia
ileep! Did The coniult the indolent policy of lea.
wing other ftates to aiiert their common privi-
| lodges! Ord ihe liiten to the feduStive voice
that would have perfIadcd her to conciliate the
affection OF the Engliih miniary by pa;Iive ODE
dience No. She boldly fept forward in the
hour OF danger. The genius of Patrick Henry
iuggcited the energetic expedient which was to
fave the colonies from fervtude and ruin. Ii
was none Of thofe Imperfect bidding expedients,
which mightrel them from temporary en-
barraliment; tuch as initru6ting an agent in Lon
don TO petition for redrets of grievances. 1t
coniited in a bold annuncaton of the funda-
mental principles of our government. The
Journals of the houie of burgenes have RICHTER
ed the refolutionS of Mr.. Henry. Under date of
May 80, 1865, we find the Virginia Legislature
declaring that every attempt 20 veft tie pow
! er or laying taxes and impols in any Other per-
ION or pcrfons whatfoever than the general az
iembly, is illegal, unconstitutional aud un-
ljuf that the inhabitants of colony are not
bound to yield obedience TO any filch law or
ordinance and that any perion who Ghall
vindcate the ufurper of fuch power, by
tpeaking or writing fhall be deemed an e.
nemy to the colony. The impreffion, which
theie refolutions made upon the public
mind was CORRESPONDENT to their noble FIJI
nit. Z" Mr.. Hutchufon governor of Maiiachu-
IfetsteilShis correspondent, nothing cxtravagant
appeared in the papers, till an account was re-
ceivcd of the Virginia reiolves." Mr.. Hughes
writes g the fire began in Virginia:' Cover
nor Barnard, "the pubhng the Virginia refo.
lutions proved IN alarm bell to the dfafeGted -
another, in his letter to MIR. Secretary Conway,
| from New-York, &c the refolves of the aflembiv
| OF Virginia gave the fgnal for general outcry
over the continent. 't-CsR any act of the Viz
| ginia Legislature be found upon their records,
which does not breathe the fame perievering FIJI
rit, and which did not frrve to fortify the cou-
rage of their countrymen :. When the refolu.
ton pafied the Houfe of Commons, for tranf
porting to the mother country every inhabitant
of Maiiachufetts Bay, whom the governor might
| 1ufpect TO be guilty of treafon, in order that
he might be tried within the realm. purfnant
to the tatute of the s5th year of Henry VIII, %
were the Virginians found abfent from the pot
of iacred duty and general patrotifn /? The
Mal'achutetts ai1embly was not in felton, when
the reiolutions reached America: but the Vjr-
ginia Houfe of Burgefles entered upon the fub-
Ject, with all their wonted zeal. Their refolves
OF the 10th May, 1869, folemnly declared that
tending any perfon, retiding in the colony, and
frtpeeted of any crime whatfoever to places be-
yond the lea, to be tried, is highly derogatory of
the rights of Britifh fubeetS." They unani-
moully entered into Il private af1ociation, which
they recommended 10 all merchants, gentle
men, and Others, to fubfcribc "againit import
ing any goods taxed" and many other articles.
y This fpirited conduct animated the def
pairing, and communicated new vigour TO the
bold and the aflemblieS of feveral ltates quick
ly initiated the luxurious example.--When the
Engliih miniftry, unconfcous of the danger
which lowered over the empire, or unawed by
its approach, fill purified their ralh projects,
and compelled the colonies TO enter into new
meafures of defence, and combine their efforts
in the common caute, Virginia again appeared
in the front of oppoition. In the beginning of
March 1878, the Houfe of Burgelfes appointed
a committee ofelcyen perfonswh lhould MAIN
tain correspondence with her {" filter colonies
on al! the fubjects which related TO the common
cauie. Il was on this location, that the legila-
ture of Mahachufetts paid jult tribute OF re-
fpett to the exertions of the Virginians. j." They
came to feveral retolves and were careful in the
tirit, ofPeak highly in praife of Virginia. They
appointed a committee of fifteen members, and
dlrectedthem to"preparea circularletter to the
Speakers, requeiting themto lay the fame before
their reflective Ahembes, in confidence that
they will comply with the wife and falutary re-
iolves of the Iloufe of BurgeHes of Virginia" q
Let us pats by all the intermediate and fubor-
dinate meafures, which gave birth or vigor IN