University of Virginia Library

THE VIRGINIA RESOLVES, 1769

RESOLVES OF THE HOUSE OF BURGESSES, PASSED THE 16TH OF
MAY, 1769

That the sole right of imposing taxes on the
inhabitants of this His Majesty's Colony and
Dominion of Virginia is now, and ever hath been, legally and
constitutionally vested in the House of Burgesses, lawfully convened,
according to the ancient and established practice, with the
consent of the Council, and of His Majesty the King of Great
Britain, or his Governor for the time being.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That it is the undoubted privilege of
the inhabitants of this colony to petition their Sovereign for redress
of grievances; and that it is lawful and expedient to procure the
concurrence of His Majesty's other colonies, in dutiful addresses,
praying the royal interposition in favor of the violated rights of
America.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That all trials for treason, misprision
of treason, or for any felony or crime whatsoever, committed and
done in this His Majesty's said colony and dominion, by any person
or persons residing therein, ought of right to be had, and conducted
in and before His Majesty's courts, held within his said colony,
according to the fixed and known course of proceeding, and that
the seizing any person or persons residing in the colony, suspected
of any crime whatsoever, committed therein, and sending such
person or persons to places beyond the sea to be tried, is highly
derogatory of the rights of British subjects, as thereby the inestimable
privilege of being tried by a jury from the vicinage, as well
as the liberty of summoning and producing witnesses on such trial,
will be taken away from the party accused.

Resolved, nemine contradicente, That an humble, dutiful and loyal address
be presented to His Majesty, to assure him of our inviolable
attachment to his sacred person and government; and to beseech
his royal interposition, as the father of all his people, however
remote from the seat of his empire, to quiet the minds of his loyal
subjects of this colony, and to avert from them those dangers and
miseries which will ensue, from the seizing and carrying beyond
sea any person residing in America, suspected of any crime whatsoever,
to be tried in any other manner than by the ancient and
long-established course of proceeding.

(The following order is likewise in their journal of that date):

Ordered, That the speaker of this House do transmit, without delay, to
the speakers of the several houses of Assembly on this continent,
a copy of the resolutions now agreed to by this House, requesting
their concurrence therein.