The Ordway new era., 1913-07-25

!
quired to use revenue stamps upon all
their commercial paper. legal docu.
ments. pamphlets, anc newspapers,
and that. at once as a general meas
ure of convenience and salutary eX-
-oition of authoTty. his majesty's
troops stationed in the plantations
should be billeted on the people
Parliament readily erquiesced. 1t
was thu, Grenvills ;rposed 'defray-
ing the expenses of defending. protec-
ting, and securing" the colonies; but
he can near losing them instead.
TIE act was passed in March; II
was not to go i-tr effect until Novem-
ber: but the colonists did not keep
him waiting until November for their
protests. 1t was the voice of a yerita-
BILE tempest that presently came over
sea to the ear of the startled min
lister. And 1t was not the general
court of turbulent Massachusetts. but
the house of burgesses OF loyal Viz
ginia that first spoke the general in
dignation.
A Polite Protest.
Already In the autumn CT 1894. up
on the mere threat of what was to
!
! gently against the measures proposed.
in a memorial to king and parliament,
which, amidst every proper phrase
of loyalty and affection. had plainly
declared 1t the opinion of his ma
iesty's subjects in Virginia that such
acts would be in fat violation of their
urdoubted rights and liberties: and
the committee by which that mem
| orial was drawn up had contained al
most every man Of chief consequence
in the counsels of the colony. the
kings attorney general himself not ex-
cepted.
| But it was one thing to protest
| against measures to come and quite
another to oppose their execution
when enacted into laws. The one was
constitutional agitation: the other. fat
rebellion-Iittle less.
1t was very ominous to read the
words of the extraordinary resolutions
passed by the burgesses on the goth
| oil May. 1T65, after the stamp act had
become law, and note the tone OF re-
strained passion that ran through
them.
Plain Speech From the euroesses.
They declared that from the first
the settlers of his majesty's colony
and domain" OF Virginia had pos
sessod and enjoyed all the privileges
franchises. and immunities at any
time enjoyed by the people of Great
Britain itself: and that this their free
dom. had been explicitly secured to
them by their charters. Ito all intents
and purposes as If they had been abid-
ing and born within the realm of Eng
land:" that the taxation of the peo-
pie by themselves or by persons
chosen by themselves to represent
them was "a distinguishing char
acteristic of British freedom without
which the ancient constitution" of the
realm itself could not subsist; "and
that his majesty's liege people of this
most ancient colony" had "uninterrup-
tedly enjoyed the right OF being thus
governed by their assemblies in the
article of their taxes and internal
police" had never forfeited or relin-
quished 1t, and had seen 1t constantly
recognized by the kings and people OF
Great Britain"
An Uneompromisinp Conclusion.
Spoken as 1t was in protest against
parliament in direct despite of all
such privileges and immunities, this
declaration of rights seemed to lack
It's conclusion. The constitutional
rights of Virginians had been in
vaded. What then? Resolved, there
fore. that his majesty's liege people,
the inhabitants of this colony, are not
bound to yield obedience to any law
or ordinance whatever designed to i'm
pose any taxation whatsoever upon
item, other than the laws or ordi-
nances OF the general assembly afore-
said" and that any person who shall,
b. speaking or writing, assert or
maintain" the contrary shall be
deemed an enemy Of his majesty's col
ony.''
Such had been the uncompromis-
ing conclusion drawn by the mover
Of the resolutions.
What other conclusion could any
man draw IL he deemed the coloutsts
me l. and proud men at that?
The Burgesses feared to speak
treason; they were content to pro
test Of their rights. and let the
issue bring conclusions to light.
1t had been hot fighting to get even
that much said. The men hitherto
accepted always as leaders in the
house had wished to hold 1t back from
rash and heated action, and there had
been bitter debates before even those
significant premises for a revolution
airy conclusion had been forced to
adoption. Old leaders and new. young
men and old alike. had willingly united
in the memorial Of 1864; but now that
the Stamp Act was law, conservative
members shrank from doing what
must look SO like fiat defiance of
parliament.
Only young men would have had the