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General and full Meeting of the Inhabitants of Gloucester County, Virginia

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GLOUCESTER COUNTY (VIRGINIA) RESOLUTIONS.

At a general and full Meeting of the Inhabitants of the County of Gloucester, at the Court House of the said

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County, after due notice, on Thursday, the 14th of July, 1774,

JAMES HUBBARD, Esquire, Judge of the said County Court, being unanimously chosen Moderator,

They came to the following Resolves:

Resolved, That we will ever maintain and defend his Majesty' s right and title to the Crown of Great Britain, and his Dominions in America, to whose royal person we profess the firmest attachment.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that taxation and representation are inseparable; and that as we are not, and, from the nature of things, cannot be, represented in the British Parliament, every attempt of that body to impose internal taxes on America, is arbitrary, unconstitutional and oppressive.

Resolved, That the Act for blocking up the harbour of Boston, and other purposes therein mentioned, is cruel and unjust, and a convincing proof of the fixed intention of Parliament to deprive America of their constitutional rights and liberties.

Resolved, That the cause of Boston is the common cause of all America, and that we will firmly unite with the other counties in this Colony, and the other Colonies on this Continent, in every measure that may be thought necessary on this alarming occasion.

Resolved, That we do most heartily concur with our late Representatives in their resolve of the total disuse of tea, and do farther resolve against the use of any East India commodity whatsoever, except saltpetre.

Resolved, That we will not import, or purchase when imported, any merchandise or commodities from Great Britain; and that, at a short day hereafter to be fixed, we will stop all exports to Great Britain, until there is a total repeal of the Boston Port Act, all the several Acts imposing taxes on America, for the purpose of raising a revenue, and those other Acts made particularly against our brethren of the Massachusetts Bay, on account of their noble opposition to the late Revenue Acts.

Resolved, That should our sister Colonies of Maryland and North Carolina determine not to export their tobacco to Great Britain, we will be far from availing ourselves of their patriotick resolution, by continuing to export ours.

Resolved, That we will submit to any resolutions that may be entered into either by the Deputies of the several counties in this Colony at Williamsburg, or by the general Congress of the Colonies on the Continent.

Resolved, That we will not deal with any person or persons in this county who will not sign this Association, and strictly and literally conform to every distinct article thereof; nor with any other person or persons who will not sign, and strictly conform, to the particular resolves of their respective counties, but will for ever despise and detest them as enemies to American liberty.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that immediately upon the non-exportation plan taking place, neither the gentlemen of the bar, nor any other person, ought to bring any suit for the recovery of any debt, or prosecute farther any suit already brought, during the continuance of these resolutions, it being utterly inconsistent with such scheme for any man to be compelled to pay without the means wherewith he may pay.

Resolved, That we do most cordially approve of the intended meeting of the late Burgesses on the first of August next, at Williamsburg, and do depute Thomas Whiting, and Lewis Burwell, Esquires, our late worthy Representatives, to consult with the Deputies of the several counties of this Colony, and to adopt such measures as are agreeable to the foregoing resolutions, hereby engaging, on our parts, to conform thereto, and to support the same to the utmost of our power.

Resolved, That the Clerk of this meeting transmit to the Printers of both Gazettes, copies of the above Resolves, with the request of the county to insert them in their papers.

JASPER CLAYTON, Clerk.

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