Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-09-04

Axauon brought on the war. In other words the war
grew out of the abstract principle maintained by the colo
nis that representation necessary before taxation could
be lawful.
From the instructions given by the of Plymouth, in
MAssAcHusETrs to its representative, make extract
This place, sir, first the asylum Of liberty, and we
hope will ever be sacred it, though then
more than barren wilderness inhabited only by savage
and beasts To this place fathers (whose memories be
eyered possessed Of the principles Of liberty IN Their
PURIFY disdained slavery. fled 10 enjoy those privileges,
och they had masndouJted right to- but were deprived, by
the hands of violence and oppression in their native country
We sir their postery the eehoders and other inhabitants
Of this town. legally assembled for that purpose possessed Of
the same aror for liberty think it indispensable duty
on THIS OCCASION to express to you these our sentiments OF
the stamp act" &C.
They Their prescribe the mode in which they wish him TO
proceed in order they aege, that all generations yet
come may be convinced that hare not only Just
rights and ibfie but that neper, ih submission
TO Divine Providence ciH be sues any po,oer EARTH"
The people of Plymouth had notion that they free,
it would eleven years before independence declared
Two three years later, the merchants Of Philadelphia,
whilst informing their correspondents in London of their de-
termination to adhere to the nonmporaton agreement say
"The Americans consider themselves, British subjects,
entitled y all the rights and privileges of feemen. They
think there be liberty without security Of property
and that there be property any cam without their
consent deprive them of the hardeaned fruits of their labor
They know that they have choice in the election of the
members of Parliament, and from their situation
have any, Every of Parliament therefore, that is made
for raising in America is in their opinion, deprv
ing then of their property without their consent and
quently invasion of their liberty"
HAPPY had been for both countries if the idea of taxes
in America had been started. However, if the acts
complained Of repealed and other of the like nature
attempted hereafter the present unhappy eaouses will
we believe quickly subsd and the people of both countries
in short me their usual good humor confidence
and affection"
The committee of merchants wrote, in November,
1863, to their correspondents
"Though are favored with to our letter
Of the 9Th Of April last yet the liberty of America is
stake and the minds of the people here much agat
ed and the continuation Of the unhappy dispute be-
tween the Parliament and the Colonies only affect
and interest," but the interest and happiness
of both countries think duty to apply to you again,
and earnestly request you would your best endeavors with
those in the Administration restore tranquility and
establish the Colonies in the enjoyment of their rights
and privileges We very sensible that the prosperity of the
Colonies depends upon their union and connexon with Great
Britain In this sentiment all the Americans concur yet
they bring themselves think that for this they
ought to be Invested Of liberty and property"
ITO such system of government the Americans cannot
tamely submit not from impotence Of subordnaton,
spirit of independence, want Of loyalty to their King for
in quiet submission to Just government in zeal, Affection
and attachment their King the people Of the Colonies dare
with any of the best of their fellow Subjects but from
innate love of liberty and the British constitution
These the reasonngs of politicians, but the sent
ments and the language of the people in general For with
great truth may say, country the love Of liberty
deeply rooted the knowledge of tho rights inherent
freesn generally dused, and the principles of free
dom and government better understood than among the B
fish American Colonies.
tsWhe every farmer freebooter the spirit of liberty
will prevail and every attempt to dvest them of the privileges
Of eemen must be attended with consequences injurious to
the Colonies and the mother country"
In IVA the House Of Burgesses of Virginia dissolved
had If
he day on which the Boston Port Bill be carried into
effect Of fasting, humiliation, and prayer, devouy
to implore the Divine nterposon for aveng the heavy
calamity which destruction civil rights and the
evils of civil war; give heart and mind firmly
to oppose by all Just and proper every injury to Amer
lean rights" &c. The members Immediately formed an
Association and unanimously adopted manifesto suggesting
Continental Congress Of Deputies from the several Colonies
in which, among other things, they observe
ssWith much grief find that dutfu applications
Great Britain for the security Of our just ancen and const
utiona rights, have only been dsegaded, but that de-
ermned system formed and pursued for reducing the nha
bans Of British America slavery, by subectng them to the
payment of imposed without the consent of the people
their representatives and that in pursuit Of this system,
find din Of the British Parliament, lately passed, for the
stopping the harbor and the Of the town Of Boston,
in sister colony Of Massachusetts Bay until the people
there submit the payment Of such unconstitutional taxes
&c.
q
before the General Court of Massachusetts, met at which
solutions the effect passed There
derstandng the subject and the coincidence is remarkable
was the previous Of nearly simultaneous
daon in the Assemblies Of these distant Colonies Of the
appointment Of committees Of correspondence Virginia. at
all times made common with Massachusetts, She had
suffered nothing from the expressions which had been heaped
upon Massachusetts, and all her the dictates
of the purest patriotism and Of profound political wisdom,
which saw in the Of the fate Of all the Colonies
should the tide Of ministerial aggression not be arrested She
early the necessity and Importance Of cooperation and
union among the Colonies and her sympahies there
fore drawn out to all
We would but for want Of space gladly insert the whole of
the instructions given the delegates from the several
ties who met at Williamsburg the st Of August 1874, 10
their deputies the first General Congress is admira
BILE document and forth the of complaint which
the Colonies had against the Ministry speaks Of the dan
ger Of losing their natural ancient constitutional and char
tered rights and urges redress Of grievances, without
which the people Of America neither be SAFE free, nor
happy /" from all which infer that in Virginia. in l776,
there prevailed notion that the people had slight share of
freedom.
We must content ourselves with reference to the
Declaration of Rights in the shape of resolutions, adopted
unanimously by the Congress of 1916 There had been an
advance Of public sentiment rights maintained which
in the outset not asserted and, coroay to the