But the ministry were determined not to stop at what :hey had already done. Under pretence of enabling the kmericans to defend themselves against any foreign enemy, and with a firmness worthy of a better cause, they proceeded to complete the plan which they had laid down for the taxation of the colonies. Mr Grenville, therefore brought into parliament, a bill for imposing stamp duties in America ; and after a struggle with the opposition, and many animated debates, it passed through both houses, and received his majesty's 'assent. In an swer to the reasoning which was employed in support of the bill, colonel Barre distinguished himself by the vi gour of his eloquen, e : stating, with a manly freedom, that the same spirit whicn had actuated the people at first yet continued with them; and insinuating, in a way that could not be mistaken, what would be the effects of the measure which England was about to adopt. He declared that he spoke from a particular acquaintance with the character of the Americans and expressing his belief, that while they were jealous of their rights, they were loyal to their king, he entreated the ministry to pause before they ordained that the privileges of Eng lishmen were to be invaded or destroyed.
The reception of the stamp act among the colonies was such as might have been expected. Combinations were every where formed to prevent its execution. At Boston in particular, when the news arrived, and a copy of the act itself, the utmost alarm was excited : the bells were muffled, and a peal was rung, which the inhabitants considered as the knell of departing liberty. The vio lence of the populace arose, and could with difficulty be restrained. The act which was the object of their aver sion, was hawked in the streets, with a death's head at tached to it : it was styled the Folly of England, and the Ruin of America: the stamps were destroyed where ever they could be found by the enraged multitude ; who, with all the intemperance of popular agitation, burnt and plundered the houses of such as adhered to the gov ernment. It is true, these outrages were committed by the lowest of the people ; but they were first tolerated, and then encouraged by those of greater respectability and influence. The disaffection appeared to spread. A meeting of deputies from all the settlements was ad vised by the house of representatives in Massachusetts : and at the time appointed commissioners from that state, and those of Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower counties on the Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina, assembled at New York ; and Timothy Ruggles, Esq. of Massachu setts, being elected president, the following resolutions were passed : 1. That his majesty's subjects in these colonies owe the same allegiance to the crown of Great Britain, that is owing from the subjects born within the realm ; and all due subordination to that august body, the parliament of Great Britain. II. That his majesty's liege subjects in these colonies are entitled to all the inherent rights and liberties of his natural born subjects within the king dom of Great Britain. III. That it is inseparably es
sential to the freedom of a people, and the undoubted right of Englishmen, that no taxes be i.nposed upon them, but with their own consent, given personally, or by their representatives. IV. That the people of these colonies are not, and, from their local circumstances, cannot be, represented in the House of Commons in Great Britain. V. That the only representatives of these colonies arc persons chosen therein by themselves ; and that no taxes ever have been, or can be, constitution ally imposed upon them, but by their representative le gislatures. VI. That all supplies to the crown being free gifts from the people, it is unreasonable and incon sistent with the spirit of the British constitution, for the people of Great Britain to grant to his majesty the pro perty of the colonists. VII. That trial by jury is the inherent and invaluable right of every British subject in these colonies. VIII. That the late act of parliament, entitled, " An Act for granting and supplying certain Stamp Duties, and other Duties in the British Colonies and Plantations in America," &c. by imposing taxes on the inhabitants of these colonies ; and that the said act, and several other acts, by extending the jurisdiction of the courts of admiralty beyond its ancient limits, have a manifest tendency to subvert the rights and liberties of the colonists. IX. That the duties imposed by several late acts of parliament, from the peculiar circumstances of these colonies, will be extremely burthensome and grievous, and that from the scarcity of specie, the pay ment of them will be absolutely impracticable. X. That as the profits of the trade of these colonies ultimately centre in Great Britain, to pay for the manufactures which they arc obliged to take from thence, they eventu ally contribute very largely to all supplies granted to the crown. XI. That the restrictions imposed by seve ral late acts of parliament on the trade of these colonies, will render them unable to purchase the manufactures of Great Britain. XII. That the increase, prosperity, and happiness of these colonies, depend on the full and free enjoyment of their rights and liberties, and an in tercourse with Great Britain, mutually affectionate and advantageous. XIII. That it is the light of the British subjects in these colonies to petition the king, or either house of parliament. Lastly, That it is the indispensa ble duty of these colonies to the best of sovereigns, to the mother country, and to themselvca, to endeavour, by a loyal and dutiful address to his majesty, and bumble applications to both houses of parliament, to procure the repeal of the " Act for granting and applying certain Stamp Duties," and of all clauses of any other acts of parliament, whereby the jurisdiction of the admiralty is extended as aforesaid, and of the late other acts for the restriction of the American commerce.