into resolutions to abstain from eating lambs. Foreign
elegancies were laid aside. The women were as exemplary as the men in
various instances of self-denial. With great readiness they refused
every article of decoration for their persons, and of luxury for their
tables. These restrictions, which the colonists had voluntarily imposed
on themselves, were so well observed, that multitudes of artificers in
England were reduced to great distress, and some of their most
flourishing manufactories were in a great measure at a standstill."
(Ramsay's Colonial History, Vol. I., Chap. iii., p. 346.)

"This economy became so general at Boston, that the consumption of
British merchandise was diminished this year (1764) upwards of L10,000
sterling." (Holmes' Annals, Vol. II., p. 128.)]

CHAPTER X.

STAMP ACT--ITS EFFECTS IN AMERICA--VIRGINIA LEADS THE OPPOSITION TO
IT--RIOTS AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY IN BOSTON--PETITIONS AGAINST THE
STAMP ACT IN ENGLAND--REJOICINGS AT ITS REPEAL IN ENGLAND AND
AMERICA--THE DECLARATORY ACT.

The intensity of the flame of colonial dissatisfaction, and which caused
it to burst forth into a conflagration of complaint and resistance in
all the colonies, was the announcement of a measure to raise a _revenue_
in the colonies, by Act of Parliament, on the very day, March 10th,
1764, that the Bills which bore so hard on the trade currency of the
colonies were passed. Mr. Grenville, Chancellor of the Exchequer,
introduced sundry resolutions relative to the imposition of _stamp duty_
in America. These resolutions affirmed the right, the equity, the
policy, and even the necessity of taxing the colonies.[265]

"The resolutions were not followed this year by any Bill, being only to
be held out as an _intention_ for next year. They were proposed and
agreed to, in a thin House, late at night, and just at the rising,
without any debate."[266] A year from that date, March 10th, 1765, Mr.
Grenville introduced his long-expected measure for raising a revenue in
the colonies by a duty on stamps--a measure prepared by fifty-five
resolutions (in Committee of Ways and Means), on which were based the
provisions of the _Stamp Act_, which provided among other things that a
tax should be paid on all newspapers, all law papers, all ships' papers,
property transfers, college diplomas, and marriage licenses. A fine of
L10 was imposed for each non-compliance with the Act, the enforcement of
which was not left to the o