Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
Virginia First Defied England.

Norfolk, Va.-The coming James.
town Exposition brings to mind many
historic facts long since forgotten.
While loath to leave the British
empire, the patriots of Norfolk, Va.
were the first to resent the aggression
of the British stamp act which led to
the American revolution. Under
the name of the "Sons of Liberty''
they assembled in Norfolk on March
18th, and in bold and determined
phrases announced their intention of
resisting any further aggression on
the part OF the English Parliament.
This was two months before the pro-
mitigation of the celebrated MeokIen-
Eurg declaration of Independence.
and nearly five before the thirteen
colonies assemble in PHILADELPHIA to
forever cast off the authority of the
British crown and start the country
on career of prosperity and splen-
dor which will be celebrated at the
jamestown Exposition to be held at
Hampton Roads near Norfolk IN 1907.
The Norfolk people did not declare
their indedendence, but expressly
affirmed their wish to be subjects of
King George Ill. They merely stated
their determination that they should
not be taxed without representation.
The resolutions read as follows:
"Having taken into consideration
the evident tendency of that Cypress
i've and unconstitutional act uf parlia-
ment commonly called the stamp act,
and being DESTROYS that our senti-
ments should be known to posterity,
and recollecting that we are a part of
the colony who first in general assem-
bly, openly expressed their detestation
to the said act (which is pregnant
with ruin and productive of the most
pernicious consequences and, unwill-
ing to rivet the shackles of slavery
and oppression on ourselves and mil
lions yet unborn, have unanimously
come to the following resolutions:
l. Resolved, that we acknowledge
our lord and sovereign, King George
the Third, to be our rightful and law
full king, and that we will at all times
to the utmost of our power and abiI
ity, support and defend his most sa-
cred person, crown and dignity; and
shall always be ready, when constltu-
tionally called upon, to assist his
majesty, with our lives and fortunes;
and to defend his just rights and pre-
negatives.
2. Resolved. that we will by all law
full ways and means which divine pro-
violence has put into our hands, de-
fend ourselves in the flil enjoyment
of, and preserve inviolate to poster
ity, those inestimable privileges of
all freeborn British subjects, OF being
taxed only by representatives of their
own choosing; and of being tried by
none but jury OF their peers. And
that if We quietly submit to the execu-
Ii onof the said stamp act all our
claims to civil liberty will be lost, and
we and our subjects in America are
deprived of the Invaluable privileges
aforementioned.
3. Resolved, that committee be ap-
pointed who shall, in such manner as
they think proper, go upon necessary
business aud 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 British colonies
of America.
AS result of the adoption of the
resolutions Lord Dunmore, the Brit
ish colonial governor, made demon
stration before Norfolk, and several
shots we're fired into the city from
the frigate Liverpool. As result of
this and other outrages the Norfolk
people were ready to throw off ali
authority and join with the other
colonies when the Philadelphia Dec
laration of Independence was promuI-