Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-09-10
OPPOSED THE STAMP ACT.
Norfolk Patriots Made First Declara-
 ton of Rights Against England.

Norfolk, Sept 10.-Few but the most diligent students of American history know the fact, yet it is true. that the citizens of Norfolk denied the right of Great Britain to tax the colonies without representation more than two months before the promul- gation of the celebrated Mecklenburg declaration of independence and nearly five months before representa- tives of the thirteen colonies met in Philadelphia and formally renounced the authority of Great Britain.
 As far back as March 13, 1776, a number of Norfolk patriots assembled under the name of Sons of Liberty" and announced in resolutions of bold and certain terms their determined opposition to any encroachment of British authority on the right to gov- ern themselves under the British crown.
 Thus the city that is to-day at tracting the attention of the world through Its connection with the Jamestown exposition, to be held on the shores of Hampton Roads, few miles away, was the first locality in this hemisphere to assert the right of self-government.
 The resolutions drawn up by this assembly declared that there should be no taxation without representa- tion, but expressly affirmed their wish to be subjects to the English rule. The document read as follows:
 Having taken into consideration the evident tendency of that oppres- sive and unconstitutional act of par lament, commonly called the stamp act, and being desirous that our sen- tsments should be known to posterity, and recollecting that we are part of the colony who first in general as- sembly openly expressed their detes- tation to the said act (which is preg- nant with ruin, and productive of the most pernicious consequences), and unwilling to riyet the shackles of slavery and oppression on ourselves and millions yet unborn, have unani- mously come to the following resolu- tions:
 '1. Resolved, That we acknowl- edge our lord and sovereign, King George III, to be our rightful and lawful king, and that we will at all times to the utmost of our power and ability support and defend his most sacred person, crown and dignity; and will always be ready when con- stitutionally called upon, to assist his majesty with our lives and for tunes; and to defend his just rights and prerogatives.
 "2. Resolved, That We will by all lawful ways and means which divine providence has put into our hands, defend ourselves in the full enjoy ment of and preserve inviolate to posterity these inestimable privi- lges of our own choosing and of be- ing tried by none but jury of our peers. And that if we quietly sub init to the execution of the said stamp act all our claims to civil lib- erty will be lost and we and our sub jects in America are deprived of the invaluable privileges aforementioned.
 "3. Resolved, That a committee be appointed who shall in such man ner as they think proper, go upor necessary business and make public the above resolutions, and that they correspond as they shall see occasion with the associated Sons of, and friends to Liberty in the other Brit ish colonies of America"
 As result of the adoption of these resolutions. Lord Dunmore. who com handed the British fleet of Norfolk, nodo a demonstration hofor, <ho oif,, by firing several shots from his frig- ate, the Liverpool" and two sloops- of-war which accompanied her.