Virginia Non-importation Resolution
Williamsburg
Wednesday, the 17th May, 1769
About 12 o'clock his Excellency the Governor was pleased, by his
Messenger, to command the Attendance of the House of Burgesses in the
Council Chamber, whereupon, in Obedience to his Lordship's Command, the
House, with their Speaker, immediately waited upon his Excellency, when he
thought fit to dissolve the General Assembly.
The late Representatives of the People then judging it necessary
that some Measures should be taken in their distressed Situation, for
preserving the true and essential Interests of the Colony, resolved upon
a Meeting for that very salutary Purpose, and therefore immediately, with
the greatest Order and Decorum, repaired to the House of Mr. Anihony Hay
in this City, where being assembled, it was first proposed, for the more
decent and regular Discussion of such Matters as might be taken into
Consideration, that a Moderator should be appointed, and, on the Question
being put, Peyton Randolph, Esq; late Speaker of the House of Burgesses,
was unanimously elected.
The true State of the Colony being then opened and fully
explained, and it being proposed that a regular Association should be
formed, a Committee was appointed to prepare the necessary and most proper
Regulations for that Purpose, and they were ordered to make their Report
to the General Meeting the next Day at 10 o'Clock.
Thursday, May 18
At a farther Meeting, according to Adjournment, the Committee
appointed Yesterday, made their Report, which being read, seriously
considered, and approved, was signed by a great Number of the principal
Gentlemen of the Colony then present, and is as follows:
We his Majesty's most dutiful Subjects, the late Representatives of all
the Freeholders of the Colony of Virginia, avowing our inviolable and
unshaken Fidelity and Loyalty to our most gracious Sovereign, our
Affection for all our Fellow Subjects of Great Britain; protesting against
every Act or Thing, which may have the most distant Tendency to
interrupt, or in any wise disturb his Majesty's Peace, and the good Order
of his Government in this Colony, which we are resolved, at the Risque of
our Lives and Fortunes, to maintain and defend; but, at the same Time,
being deeply affected with the Grievances and Distresses, with which his
Majesty's American Subjects are oppressed, and dreading the Evils which
threaten the Ruin of ourselves and our Posterity, by reducing us from a
free and happy People to a wretched and miserable State of Slavery; and
having taken into our most serious Consideration the present State of the
Trade of this Colony, and of the American Commerce in general, observe
with Anxiety, that the Debt due to Great Britain for Goods imported from
thence is very great, and that the Means of paying this Debt, in the
present Situation of Affairs, are likely to become more and more
precarious; that the Difficulties, under which we now labour, are owning
to the Restrictions, Prohibitions, and ill advised Regulations, in several
late Acts of Parliament of Great Britain, in particular, that the late
unconstitutional Act, imposing Duties on Tea, Paper, Glass, &c. for the
sole Purpose of raising a Revenue in America, is injurious to Property,
and destructive to Liberty, hath a necessary Tendency to prevent the
Payment of the Debt due from this Colony to Great Britain, and is, of
Consequence, ruinous to Trade; that, notwithstanding the many earnest
Applications already made, there is little Reason to expect a Redress of
those Grievances; Therefore, in Justice to ourselves and our Posterity, as
well as to the Traders of Great Britain concerned in the American
Commerce, we, the Subscribers, have voluntarily and unanimously entered
into the following Resolutions, in Hopes that our Example will induce the
good People of this Colony to be frugal in the Use and Consumption of
British Manufacturers, and that the Merchants and Manufacturers of
Great Britain may, from Motives of Interest, Friendship, and Justice, be
engaged to exert' themselves to obtain for us a Redress of those
Grievances, under which the Trade and Inhabitants of America at present
labour; We do therefore most earnestly recommend this our Association to
the serious Attention of all Gentlemen, Merchants, Traders, and other
Inhabitants of this Colony, in Hopes, that they will very readily and
cordially accede thereto.
First, It is UNANIMOUSLY agreed on and resolved this
18th Day of May, 1769, that the Subscribers, as well by their own
Example, as all other legal Ways and Means in their Power, will promote
and encourage Industry and Frugality, and discourage all Manner of Luxury
and Extravagance.
Secondly, That they will not at any Time hereafter,
directly or indirectly import, or cause to be imported, any Manner of
Goods, Merchandize, or Manufactures, which are, or shall hereafter be
taxed by Act of Parliament, for the Purpose of raising a Revenue in
Arneica (except Paper, not exceeding Eight Shillings Sterling per Ream,
and except such Articles only, as Orders have been already sent for) nor
purchase any such after the First Day of September next, of any Person
whatsoever, but that they will always consider such Taxation, in every
Respect, as an absolute Prohibition, and in all future Orders, direct
their Correspondents to ship them no Goods whatever, taxed as aforesaid,
except as is above excepted.
Thirdly, That the Subscribers will not hereafter,
directly or indirectly, import or cause to be imported from Great Britain,
or any Part of Europe (except such Articles of the Produce or Manufacture
of Ireland as may be immediately and legally brought from thence, and
except also all such Goods as Orders have been already sent for) any of
the Goods herein after enumerated, viz. Spirits, Wind, Cyder, Perry, Beer,
Ale, Malt, Barley, Pease, Beef, Pork, Fish, Butter, Cheese, Tallow,
Candles, Oil, Fruit, Sugar, Pickles, Confectionary, Pewter, Hoes, Axes,
Watches, Clocks, Tables, Chairs, Looking Glasses, Carriages, Joiner's and
Cabinet Work of all Sorts, Upholstery of all Sorts, Trinkets and
Jewellery, Plate and Gold, and Silversmith's Work of all Sorts, Ribbon and
Millinery of all Sorts, Lace of all Sorts, In,dia Goods of all Sorts,
except Spices, Silks of all Sorts, except Sewing Silk, Cambrick, Lawn,
Muslin, Gauze, except Boulting Cloths, Callico or Cotton Stuffs of more
than Two Shillings per Yard, Linens of more than Two Shillings per Yard,
Woollens, Worsted Stuffs of all Sorts of more than One Shilling and Six
Pence per Yard, Broad Cloths of all Kinds at more than Three Shillings per
Yard, Hats, Stockings (Plaid and Irish Hose excepted) Shoes and Boots,
Saddles, and all Manufacturers of Leather and Skins of all Kinds, until
the late Acts of Parliament imposing Duties on Tea, Paper, Glass, &c. for
the Purpose of raising a Revenue in America, are repealed, and that they
will not, after the First of September next, purchase any of the above
enumerated Goods of any Person whatsoever, unless the above mentioned Acts
of Parliament are repealed.
Fourthly, That in all Orders, which any of the
Subscribers may hereafter send to Great Britain, they shall, and will
expressly direct their Correspondents not to. ship them any of the before
enumerated Goods, until the before mentioned Acts of Parliament are
repealed; and if any Goods are shipped to them contrary to the Tenor of
this Agreement, they will refuse to take the same, or make themselves
chargeable therewith.
Fifthly, That they will not import any Slaves, or
purchase any imported, after the First Day of November next, until the
said Acts of Parliament are repealed.
Sixthly, That they will not import any Wines of any
Kind whatever, or purchase the same from any Person whatever, after the
First Day of September next, except such Wines as are already ordered,
until the Acts of Parliament imposing Duties thereon are repealed.
Seventhly, For the better Preservation of the Breed of
Sheep, That they will not kill, or suffer to be killed, any Lambs, that
shall be yeaned before the First Day of May, in any Year, nor dispose of
such to any Butcher or other Person, whom they may have Reason to expect,
intends to kill the same.
Eightly and Lastly, That these Resolves shall be
binding on all and each of the Subscribers, who do hereby each and every
Person for himself, upon his Word and Honour, agree that he will strictly
and firmly adhere to and abide by every Article in this Agreement, from
the Time of his signing the same, for and during the Continuance of the
before mentioned Acts of Parliament, or until a general Meeting of the
Subscribers, after one Month's public Notice, shall determine otherwise,
the second Article of this Agreement still and for ever continuing in full
Power and Force.
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