The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-05-02


vocate general in his majesty's court
of admiralty; but he would not have
scrubbed. even as his majesty's ser
want, he said, to oppose the exercise
of a power which had already cost
one king his head and another MS
throne. To oppose in such case was
to defend the very constitution I'M
der which the king wore his crown.
That constitution secured to English
men everywhere the rights OF free
men: the colonists had, besides, the
plan guarantees Of their own chart
ers; if constitution and charters
failed, or were gainsaid, the prin-
cirles of natural reason sufflced for
defense against measures 80 arrogant
and SO futile. No lawyer could JUSTIFY
these extraordinary writs; no KING
with an army at his back could ever
force them to execution.
Protest not only, but defiance, rang
very clear in these fearless words;
and ministers must avow themselves
very ignorant. should they pretend
they did not know how Mr.. Otis had
kindled fire from one end of the
colonies to the other. But GrenVilIe
WAS resolute to take all risks and
push this policy.
The Obnoxious Stamp Act.
He did not finch from the enforce
ment of the measures of 1864, and IN
the session of 17G5 calmly fulfilled his
promise of further taxation. He pro-
posed that the colonists should be re-
duired to use revenue stamps upon all
their commercial paper, legal docu-
ments. pamphlets, and newspapers,
and that, at once as general meas
IRE of convenience and salutary ex-
hlbition OF authority, his majesty's
troops stationed in the plantations
should be billeted on the people.
Parliament readily acquiesced. 1t
was thus Grenville rurposed "defray-
ing the expenses of defending, protec-
ting, and securing" the colonies; but
he cam, near losing them instead.
The act was passed in March; 1t
was not to go into effect until Novem-
him waiting Until November for their
protests. It was the voice of Verlta-
BILE tempest that presently came over
sea to the ear of the startled min
lister. And it was not the general
court of turbulent Massachusetts, but
the house of burgesses of loyal Vlr-
ginia that first spoke the general in
dignation.
A Polite Protest.
Already in the autumn of 1854, up
on the mere threat of what was TO
come, that house had spoken very ur-
gently against the measures proposed,
in a memorial to king and parliament,
which, amidst every proper phrase
Of loyalty and affection. had plainly
declared it the opinion Of his ma
iesty's subjects In Virginia that such
acts would be in fiat 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 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, fiat
rehellion--little less.
1t was very ominous to read the
words of the extraordinary resolutions
passed by the burgesses on the SOth
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 Burgesses.
They declared that from the first
the settlers of his majesty'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 lntents
and purposes as if they had been abid-
ing anu Uufll WICulH IlAS AShAiA VI A@AAS
land" that the taxation of the peo-
ple 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
uuished it. and had seen it constantly
recognized by the kings and people OF
Great Britain
An uncompromsing Conclusion.
Spoken as it was in protest against
actual legislation already adopted by
parliament in direct despite of al
such privileges and immunities, this
declaration of rights seemed to lack
its 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