Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-13

ed in organizing new parishes; set
Ting their boundaries, and acting as
the adviserof the vestries that had
charge of such business.
.Iohnston's participation in one of
the most memorable events of our
political history was so outstanding
as TO insure him against the POSSIBLE
;ty Of ever being forgotten. IT was
the event that occurred at Williams
burg on the 30th Of MAY. 1765. Will
limsburg was the seat of the Colonial
Government. From the Capitol wav-
ed the flag of Greaf Britain On
every hand were the insignia of roy
alty. Devotion to the Crown was al
most universal, The House of Bur
ges-es. which had been in session sew
nral weeks was made M of the most
eminent charpctars of the Colony.
America could not then have produced
a more distinguished or brilliant as
semblage. Those who were supposed
20 guide and dominate the House were
tha unswerv;ng adherentS Of the
Crown The Speaker was John Rob
inson. on ultra-conservative. and
among the members who SUPPORTED
him were Peyton Randolph, Richard
Bland, Edmund Pendleton. GEORGE
Wveth and Richard Henry Lee. To
thasn names many others not loss
notable mioht be added One If the
older members was George Johnston,
representing Fairfax, and one of the
YOUNGER members was George Wash
motion. renrosentine Frederick
Tho Envlich Parliament had Just
uasSed statute Dlacino tax on all
legal Instruments executed in Amer
lea. ranpin9 from three hence to ten
rounde-the famous Stamp Tax.
This had aroused some INDIGNANT
comment. but many-Dossiblv large
maioritv-of the Colonial leaders
were inclined 10 submit. For exam
rIe. BENJAMIN Franklin then in Lon
don. where. rs agent OF some OF the
colonies. ne had endeaYnred to pre-
vent the passage Of the Act, w"S sure
that there would be acCuieSc"Nce.
Writing to friend he said that ne
could no more have hindered the pas
sage Of the act than he could have
bindered the sun from setting.
Chat" he said, ''we could not
do. But since the sun is down,
my friend. and it may be long
before II rise again let Us make
as gooG q night of it as we can
make as GOOD night of it rs we can.
We can still light the candles" Many
momebers of the House Of Burgesses
were in the same attitude and not a
few of them were aggressively loyal
supporting the authority o. Parlla-
ment. But there were some who were
willing to risk their all rather than
submit. and. after a while, three days
before the close of the session, they
fcurd leader.
II seems almost Drovidentih that
the member representing Louisa when
the House met, resigned during the
session, and thus made way for the
election of Patrick Henry, who was
chosen to FIJI the vacancy. Henry
was then % wears old, and only known
rs the Lawyer who by his ability and
oloouence had won The Parsons case.
He did not belong to the wealthy or
aristocratic group and was new 20
tho field upon which he entered NJ
Nevertheless. he de-
termined upon course of resistance
10 the enforcement of the Stamp Tax:
He planned to offer resolutions OF
protest and condemnation. and these
ne wrote uron the fly leaf of an old
law book. The fifth and concludm0
-esolution was as follows: Resolved.
that the General Assembly
&c his Colony have the sole right and
rower to levy taxes and impositions
mon the inhabitents of this Colony;
and that every attempt to vest such
power in anv person or rersons
whatsoever other than the General
Assembly aforesaid IS manifest
tendency tn destroy British as well as
Americon freedom
In advance of their introduction the
resolutions were shown by their 2u>