Why was the Virginia Assembly against the Stamp Act?
Related questions
Question
100%
Why was the Virginia Assembly against the Stamp Act?
![WHEREAS, THE HONOURABLE House of Commons in England,
have of late draw[n] into question how far the General Assembly of
this colony hath power to enact laws for laying of taxes and impos-
ing 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 resolves.
Resolved, that the first adventurers, settlers of this his Majesty's
colony and dominion of Virginia, brought with them and transmit-
ted to their posterity, and all other his Majesty's subjects since
inhabiting in this his Majesty's colony, all the privileges and immu-
nities that have at any time been held, enjoyed, and possessed by the
people of Great Britain.
Resolved, that by two royal charters granted by King James the
first, the colonists aforesaid are declared and entitled to allprivileges
and immunities of natural born subjects, to all intents and purposes
as if they had been abiding and born within the realm of England.
Resolved, that the taxation of the people by themselves, or by per-
sons chosen by themselves to represent them, who can only know
what taxes the people are able to bear, or the easiest method of rais-
ing them, and must themselves be affected by every tax laid on the
people, is the only security against a burdensome taxation, and the
distinguishing characteristic of British freedom, without which
Eric Foner, "Virginia Resolutions on the Stamp Act 1765," Voices of
Freedom: A Documentary History, v. 1 ed. 5, W.W. Norton, 2017, pp.
86-88.
--Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia 1761-1765, ed. John
Pendleton Kennedy (Richmond, 1907), pp. Ixvi-lxviii, 360.
Virginia Resolutions on the Stamp Act (1765)
Source: John Pendleton Kennedy, ed., Journals of the House of Burgesses of
Virginia 1761-1765 (Richmond, 1907), pp. Ixvi-lxvii, 360.
The passage of the Stamp Act by Parliament in 1765 inspired the first
major split between colonists and Great Britain. Pressed for funds because
of the enormous expense it had incurred in fighting the Seven Years' War,
Parliament for the first time attempted to raise money from direct taxes in
the colonies rather than through the regulation of trade. The act required
that all sorts of printed material producedin the colonies carry a stamp
purchased from authorities.
the ancient constitution cannot exist.
By imposing the stamp tax without colonial consent, Parliament
directly challenged the authority of local elites who, through the assem-
blies they controlled, had established their power over the raising and
spending of money. They were ready to defend this authority in the name
of liberty. Virginia's House of Burgesses approved four resolutions offered
by the fiery orator Patrick Henry. The Burgesses rejected as too radical the
last three resolutions that follow, including one calling for outright resis-
Resolved, that his Majesty's liege people of this ancient colony
have enjoyed the right of being thus governed by their own Assem-
bly in the article of taxes and internal police, and that the same have
never been forfeited, or any other way yielded up, but have been
constantly recognized by the king and people of Great Britain.
Resolved, therefore, that the General Assembly of this colony,
together with his Majesty or his substitutes, have in their represen-
tatives capacity, the only exclusive right and power to lay taxes and
imposts upon the inhabitants of this colony; and that every attempt
tance to unlawful taxation.](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2Fda61a07f-80ff-48a1-bbea-53ca9a5c39e3%2F95d7d454-fd9b-46f0-9558-96903ba38ce8%2Fkghpvz_processed.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Transcribed Image Text:WHEREAS, THE HONOURABLE House of Commons in England,
have of late draw[n] into question how far the General Assembly of
this colony hath power to enact laws for laying of taxes and impos-
ing 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 resolves.
Resolved, that the first adventurers, settlers of this his Majesty's
colony and dominion of Virginia, brought with them and transmit-
ted to their posterity, and all other his Majesty's subjects since
inhabiting in this his Majesty's colony, all the privileges and immu-
nities that have at any time been held, enjoyed, and possessed by the
people of Great Britain.
Resolved, that by two royal charters granted by King James the
first, the colonists aforesaid are declared and entitled to allprivileges
and immunities of natural born subjects, to all intents and purposes
as if they had been abiding and born within the realm of England.
Resolved, that the taxation of the people by themselves, or by per-
sons chosen by themselves to represent them, who can only know
what taxes the people are able to bear, or the easiest method of rais-
ing them, and must themselves be affected by every tax laid on the
people, is the only security against a burdensome taxation, and the
distinguishing characteristic of British freedom, without which
Eric Foner, "Virginia Resolutions on the Stamp Act 1765," Voices of
Freedom: A Documentary History, v. 1 ed. 5, W.W. Norton, 2017, pp.
86-88.
--Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia 1761-1765, ed. John
Pendleton Kennedy (Richmond, 1907), pp. Ixvi-lxviii, 360.
Virginia Resolutions on the Stamp Act (1765)
Source: John Pendleton Kennedy, ed., Journals of the House of Burgesses of
Virginia 1761-1765 (Richmond, 1907), pp. Ixvi-lxvii, 360.
The passage of the Stamp Act by Parliament in 1765 inspired the first
major split between colonists and Great Britain. Pressed for funds because
of the enormous expense it had incurred in fighting the Seven Years' War,
Parliament for the first time attempted to raise money from direct taxes in
the colonies rather than through the regulation of trade. The act required
that all sorts of printed material producedin the colonies carry a stamp
purchased from authorities.
the ancient constitution cannot exist.
By imposing the stamp tax without colonial consent, Parliament
directly challenged the authority of local elites who, through the assem-
blies they controlled, had established their power over the raising and
spending of money. They were ready to defend this authority in the name
of liberty. Virginia's House of Burgesses approved four resolutions offered
by the fiery orator Patrick Henry. The Burgesses rejected as too radical the
last three resolutions that follow, including one calling for outright resis-
Resolved, that his Majesty's liege people of this ancient colony
have enjoyed the right of being thus governed by their own Assem-
bly in the article of taxes and internal police, and that the same have
never been forfeited, or any other way yielded up, but have been
constantly recognized by the king and people of Great Britain.
Resolved, therefore, that the General Assembly of this colony,
together with his Majesty or his substitutes, have in their represen-
tatives capacity, the only exclusive right and power to lay taxes and
imposts upon the inhabitants of this colony; and that every attempt
tance to unlawful taxation.
Transcribed Image Text:Page 3
to vest such power in any other person or persons whateyer than the
General Assembly aforesaid, is illegal, unconstitutional, and unjust,
and has a manifest tendency to destroy British as well as American
liberty.
Resolved, that his Majesty's liege people, the inhabitants of this
colony, are not bound to yield obedience to anylaw or ordinance what
ever, designed to impose any taxation whatsoever upon them, other
than the laws or ordinances of the General Assembly a foresaid.
Resolved, that any person who shall, by speaking or writing, assert
or maintain that any person or persons other than the General
Assembly of this colony,have any rightor power to impose or lay any
taxation on thepeople here, shall be deemed anenemy to his Majesty's
colony.
Expert Solution
This question has been solved!
Explore an expertly crafted, step-by-step solution for a thorough understanding of key concepts.
This is a popular solution!
Trending now
This is a popular solution!
Step by step
Solved in 2 steps
