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of the people on their Representatives; and that in pursuit of this system, we find an Act of the British Parliament, lately passed, for stopping the harbour and commerce of the town of Boston, in our sister Colony of Massachusetts Bay, until the people there submit to the payment of such unconstitutional taxes, and which Act most violently and arbitrarily deprives them of their property in wharfs erected by private persons, at their own great and proper expense, which Act is, in our opinion, a most dangerous attempt to destroy the constitutional liberty and rights of all North America.
It is further our opinion, that as tea, on its importation into America, is charged with a duty, imposed by Parliament for the purpose of raising a revenue, without the consent of the people, it ought not to be used by any person who wishes well to the constitutional rights and liberty of British America. And whereas the India Company have ungenerously attempted the ruin of America, by sending many ships loaded with tea into the Colonies, thereby intending to fix a precedent in favour of arbitrary taxation, we deem it highly proper and do accordingly recommend it strongly to our countrymen, not to purchase or use any kind of East India commodity whatsoever, except saltpetre and spices, until the grievances of America are redressed.
We are further clearly of opinion, that an attack, made on one of our sister Colonies, to compel submission to arbitrary taxes is an attack made on all British America, and threatens ruin to the rights of all, unless the united wisdom of the whole be applied. And for this purpose it is recommended to the Committee of Correspondence, that they communicate, with their several Corresponding Committees, on the expediency of appointing Deputies from the several Colonies of British America, to meet in general Congress, at such place annually as shall be thought most convenient: there to deliberate on those general measures which the united interests of America may from time to time require.
A tender regard for the interest of our fellow-subjects, the merchants and manufacturers of Great Britain, prevents us from going further at this time; most earnestly hoping, that the unconstitutional principle of taxing the Colonies without their consent will not be persisted in, thereby to compel us against our will, to avoid all commercial intercourse with Britain. Wishing them and our people free and happy, we are their affectionate friends the late Representatives of Virginia.
Signed by eighty-nine Members of the late
House of Burgesses.
May 97, 1774
We the subscribers, Clergymen and other inhabitants of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, having maturely considered the contents of the above Association, do most cordially approve and acceed thereto.
Signed by a number of Clergymen and
other Inhabitants.
On Sunday afternoon, May 29, letters were received by express from Boston, Philadelphia, and Annapolis, in Maryland, testifying the resentment of those different places, and the Northern Provinces in general, against the late oppressive Act of the British Parliament which is intended so materially to injure the port of Boston, and recommending an union of measures to their Southern brethren, to induce the Ministry to abate in their rigorous and unconstitutional designs against American freedom, which they consider themselves equally entitled to with their fellow-subjects in Britain.
Immediately upon receiving the letters the Honourable Peyton Randolph, Esquire, moderator of the Committee of the late House of Representatives, thought it proper to convene all the members that were then in town; who on considering those important papers, came to a resolution to call together the several other members near this city, to whom notice could be given. Twenty-five of them accordingly met next day, Monday, May 30, at ten o'clock, when it was unanimously agreed to refer the further consideration of this matter to the first day of August next; at which time, it is expected there will be a very general attendance of the late members of the House of Burgesses, and that a non-importation agreement will be then entered into, as well as resolutions to suspend, at some future day, exporting any of our commodities to Britain, should the present odious measures, so inimical to the just rights and liberty of America, be pursued.*
EARL OF DUNMORE TO THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH.
Williamsburg, May 29, 1774.
Mr LORD: The General Assembly of this Colony met here on the 6th of May, for despatch of the necessary business, and a few days after an account arrived in this country of the Act of Parliament, passed for discontinuing the shipping or discharging goods in the harbour of Boston, which has induced the House of Burgesses again, on this occasion to declare, what they are fond of having it thought always originates with them, a determined resolution to deny and oppose the authority of Parliament. Accordingly Robert Carter Nicholas, the Treasurer of this Colony, made a motion for the order, which passed, and which I herewith transmit to your Lordship.
It was intended by the solemnity of a public fasting and praying to prepare the minds of the people to receive other resolutions of the House, the purport of which I am not informed of, but from such a beginning may naturally be concluded could tend only to inflame the whole country, and instigate the people to acts that might rouse the indignation of the mother country against them; in hopes therefore of preventing the progress of these ill effects by the only means in my power, which I fear will not be effectual, I have with the unanimous consent of the Council, dissolved the Assembly, and I have determined not to issue new writs until I hear from your Lordship, and am informed whether his Majesty shall think it necessary to give me any command in respect to this undutiful part of the Legislature of Virginia.
I have heard from many of the dissolved members, and I hope it is true, that the House in general in the hasty manner the measure was proposed and agreed to, did not advert to the whole force of the terms in which the order I transmit is conceived, and that if it had, it is believed a strong opposition would have been made to it, and probably that it might have met a different fate.
I am, &c.
DUNMORE.
Annapolis, Maryland, May 26, 1774.
At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the City of Annapolis, on Wednesday, the 25th day of May, 1774, after notice given of the time, place, and occasion of this meeting:
Resolved, That it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting, that the town of Boston is now suffering in the common cause of America, and that it is incumbent on every Colony in America, to unite in effectual means to obtain a repeal of the late Act of Parliament for blocking up the harbour of Boston.
That it is the opinion of this meeting, that if the Colonies come into a joint resolution to stop all importations, from, and exportations to, Great Britian, till the said Act be repealed, the same will preserve North America and her liberties.
Resolved therefore, That the inhabitants of this city, will join in an Association with the several counties of this Province, and the principal Colonies of America, to put an immediate stop to all exports to Great Britain, and that after a short day hereafter to be agreed on that there be no imports from Great Britain till the said Act be repealed, and that such Association be on oath.
That it is the opinion of this meeting that the gentlemen of the law of this Province, bring no suit for the recovery of any debt due from any inhabitant of this Province to any inhabitant of Great Britain, until the said Act be repealed.
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