ceeding. But
the colonies seemed to consider it as an affront rather than a
compliment. At least not one of them authorized its agent to consent to
the stamp duty, or to offer any compensation for it; and some of them
went so far as to send over petitions, to be presented to the King,
Lords, and Commons, positively and directly questioning the authority
and jurisdiction of Parliament over their properties." (Annual Register,
Vol. VIII., Chap. ix., p. 33.)]

[Footnote 268: See Appendix to this chapter for a summary and review of
the speeches of Mr. Charles Townsend and Colonel Barre.]

[Footnote 269: "The province of Virginia took the lead. On the 29th May,
1765, the House of Burgesses of Virginia adopted the following
resolutions:

"Whereas the honourable House of Commons in England have of late drawn
into question how far the General Assembly of this province hath power
to enact laws for levying taxes and imposing duties payable by the
people of this his Majesty's most ancient colony; for settling and
ascertaining the same to all future times, the House of Burgesses of
this present General Assembly have come to the following resolutions:

1. "_Resolved_,--That the first adventurers and settlers of this his
Majesty's colony and dominion of Virginia brought with them, and
transmitted to their posterity, and all other his Majesty's subjects
since inhabiting his Majesty's colony, all the privileges and immunities
that have at any time been held, enjoyed, and possessed by the people of
Great Britain.

2. "_Resolved_,--That by the two Royal Charters granted by King James
the First, the colonies aforesaid are declared entitled to all
privileges of faithful liege and natural-born subjects, to all intents
and purposes as if they had been abiding and born within the realm of
England.

3. "_Resolved_,--That his Majesty's liege people of this most ancient
colony have enjoyed the right of having been thus far governed by their
own Assembly in the article of taxes and internal police; and that the
same have never been forfeited, or in any other way yielded up, but have
been constantly recognized by the King and people of Great Britain.

4. "_Resolved_, therefore,--That the General Assembly of this colony,
together with his Majesty or his substitute, have, in their
representative capacity, the only exclusive right and power to levy
taxes and impositions upon the inhabitants of this colony; and that
every attempt to vest such