Bisbee daily review., 1913-04-19
Life of
Washington
BY
Woodrow
wilson
President
of the United States
Continued from Yesterday
A Polite Protest.

a Polite Protest.
Already in the autumn OF 1854, up
on the mere threat Of what was to
come, that house had spoken very Ut.
gently against the measures proposed,
in memorial to king and parliament,
which, amidst every proper phrase
OF loyalty and affection, had plainly
declared il the opinion of his ma
;esty's subjects In Virginia that such
acts would be in Sat violation of their
undoubted 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 1t 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, fiat
rebellion-little less.
II was very ominous to read the
words of the extraordinary resolutions
passed by the burgesses on the S0th
of May, 1765, after the stamp act had
become law, and note the tone Of re-
strained passion that ran through
them.
Plain Speech From the Bureesses.
They declared that from the first
the settlers of his maiesty's colony
and domain" of Virginia had pos
sessed 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 PEG
pie by themselves or by persons
chosen by themselves to represent
them" vas "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-
teddy enjoyed the right of being thus
governed by their assemblies in the
article OF their taxes and internal
police" had never forfeited or relin-
pushed It. and had seen it constantly
recognized by the kings and people Of
Great Britain"
An Incorporating Conclusion.
Spoken as it was In protest against
actual legislation already adopted by
parliament In direct despite of all
such privileges and immunities, this
declaration of rights seemed to lack
its conclusion The constitutional
rights of Virginians had been in
vadeG. What then? Resolved, there
fore, that his majesty's liege people,
the inhabitants of this colony. are not
bound 10 yield obedience 20 any law
or ordinance whatever designed to i'm
pose any taxation whatsoever upon
item, other than the laws or ordi-
na1ces OF the general assembly afore-
said" and that any person who shall,
BY speaking or writing, assert or
maintain" the contrary shall be
deemed an enemy Of his majesty's COZ
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 coIonists
men, 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.
II had been hot hghting to get even
that much said. The men hitherto
accepted always as leaders In the
house had wished to hold ii back from
A Leader From the Plain People.
Patrick Henry was not OF the aris-
tocracy Of the colony. Good Scots
blood ran in his veins. quickened by
the lively strain OF an old Welsh stock.
His father came Of a race Of scholars.
and, good churchman though he vas.
knew his Lixy and his Horace better