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We his Majesty' s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the late Representatives of the good people of this country, having been deprived by the sudden interposition of the Executive part of this Government from giving our countrymen the advice we wished to convey to them in a legislative capacity, find ourselves under the hard necessity of adopting this, the only method we have left, of pointing out to our countrymen such measures as in our opinion are best fitted to secure our dearest rights and liberty from destruction, by the heavy hand of power now lifted against North America. With much grief we find that our dutiful applications to Great Britain, for security of our just, ancient and constitutional rights, have been not only disregarded, but that a determined system is formed and pressed for reducing the inhabitants of British America to slavery, by subjecting them to the payment of taxes, imposed without the consent
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 fellows-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 27, 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.
Association agreed to and signed
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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.