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Domestic News
February 16, 1769
The Virginia Gazette
Williamsburg, Virginia
What is this article about?
On December 28, 1768, the New York General Assembly passed unanimous resolutions asserting the colony's rights against British taxation without representation, the right to petition the King, internal legislative autonomy, and inter-colonial correspondence. They drafted replies to letters from Massachusetts and Virginia assemblies.
Merged-components note: Continuation of the New-York General Assembly proceedings across pages.
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NEW-YORK. January 9.
Extract from the Journal of the Votes and Proceedings of the General Assembly of the Colony of New-York.
Die Mercurii, 9 ho. A. M. 28th December, 1768.
The House (according to order) resolved itself into a committee of the whole House, to consider of, and draw up, proper and constitutional resolves, asserting the rights and privileges of his Majesty's subjects within this colony, which they conceive have been greatly abridged and infringed by several acts passed by the last Parliament of Great-Britain: After some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Kissam reported from the said committee, That they had come to the following resolutions, viz.
As it is not only the common birthright of all his Majesty's subjects, but it is also essential to the preservation of the peace, strength and prosperity of the British empire, that an exact equality of constitutional rights, among all his Majesty's subjects in the several parts of the empire, be uniformly and invariably maintained and supported; and as it would be inconsistent with the constitutional rights of his Majesty's subjects in Great-Britain, to tax them either in person or estate, without the consent of their Representatives in Parliament assembled;
It is therefore
Resolved, Nemine Contradicente, That it is the opinion of this committee, that no tax under any name or denomination, or on any pretence, or for any purpose whatsoever, can or ought to be imposed or levied upon the persons, estates, or property of his Majesty's good subjects within this colony, but of their free gift by their Representatives lawfully convened in General Assembly.
Resolved, Nemine Contradicente, That it is the opinion of this committee, That as his most gracious Majesty is the common father of all his good subjects, dispersed throughout the various parts of the British empire; and as the Commons of Great-Britain in Parliament assembled, do enjoy a constitutional right of humbly petitioning his Majesty as the common father of his people there, for constitutional benefits, and the redress of grievances, the Representatives of this colony, in General Assembly convened, lawfully may and ought to exercise the same constitutional right, when and as often as to them shall seem meet.
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee That this colony lawfully and constitutionally has and enjoys, an internal legislature of its own, in which the Crown, and the people of this colony, are constitutionally represented; and that the power and authority of the said legislature, cannot lawfully or constitutionally be suspended, abridged, abrogated, or annulled, by any power, authority, or prerogative, whatsoever, the prerogative of the Crown, ordinarily exercised for prorogations and dissolutions, only excepted.
Resolved, Nemine Contradicente, That it is the opinion of this committee, that this House has an undoubted right to correspond and consult with any of the neighbouring colonies, or with any other of his Majesty's subjects out of this colony, or belonging to any part of his Majesty's realm or dominions, either individually or collectively, on any matter, subject, or thing whatsoever, whereby they shall conceive the rights, liberties, interests or privileges of this House, or of its constituents, are or may be affected.
Mr. Speaker communicated to the House, a letter from Thomas Cushing, Esq; Speaker of the late House of Representatives of the Massachusetts-Bay, to the Speaker of the General Assembly of this colony, dated the 11th of February last; which was read, and an answer thereto was drawn up by the House, which they directed the Speaker to sign, and to transmit the same to the said Thomas Cushing Esq: with desire to communicate it to the House of Representatives at their next meeting.
Mr. Holland, from the committee of the whole House, to whom was referred the consideration of the letter of Peyton Randolph, Esq: Speaker of the late House of Burgesses of the dominion of Virginia, dated the 9th of May last, reported. That the committee had drawn up the draught of a letter in answer thereto, which they had directed him to report to the House: and he read the same in his place, and afterwards delivered it in at the table, where the same was again read, and agreed to by the House.
Ordered, That Mr. Speaker sign and transmit the said letter to the said Peyton Randolph, Esq: with desire that he communicate it to the House of Burgesses at their next meeting.
Extract from the Journal of the Votes and Proceedings of the General Assembly of the Colony of New-York.
Die Mercurii, 9 ho. A. M. 28th December, 1768.
The House (according to order) resolved itself into a committee of the whole House, to consider of, and draw up, proper and constitutional resolves, asserting the rights and privileges of his Majesty's subjects within this colony, which they conceive have been greatly abridged and infringed by several acts passed by the last Parliament of Great-Britain: After some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Kissam reported from the said committee, That they had come to the following resolutions, viz.
As it is not only the common birthright of all his Majesty's subjects, but it is also essential to the preservation of the peace, strength and prosperity of the British empire, that an exact equality of constitutional rights, among all his Majesty's subjects in the several parts of the empire, be uniformly and invariably maintained and supported; and as it would be inconsistent with the constitutional rights of his Majesty's subjects in Great-Britain, to tax them either in person or estate, without the consent of their Representatives in Parliament assembled;
It is therefore
Resolved, Nemine Contradicente, That it is the opinion of this committee, that no tax under any name or denomination, or on any pretence, or for any purpose whatsoever, can or ought to be imposed or levied upon the persons, estates, or property of his Majesty's good subjects within this colony, but of their free gift by their Representatives lawfully convened in General Assembly.
Resolved, Nemine Contradicente, That it is the opinion of this committee, That as his most gracious Majesty is the common father of all his good subjects, dispersed throughout the various parts of the British empire; and as the Commons of Great-Britain in Parliament assembled, do enjoy a constitutional right of humbly petitioning his Majesty as the common father of his people there, for constitutional benefits, and the redress of grievances, the Representatives of this colony, in General Assembly convened, lawfully may and ought to exercise the same constitutional right, when and as often as to them shall seem meet.
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee That this colony lawfully and constitutionally has and enjoys, an internal legislature of its own, in which the Crown, and the people of this colony, are constitutionally represented; and that the power and authority of the said legislature, cannot lawfully or constitutionally be suspended, abridged, abrogated, or annulled, by any power, authority, or prerogative, whatsoever, the prerogative of the Crown, ordinarily exercised for prorogations and dissolutions, only excepted.
Resolved, Nemine Contradicente, That it is the opinion of this committee, that this House has an undoubted right to correspond and consult with any of the neighbouring colonies, or with any other of his Majesty's subjects out of this colony, or belonging to any part of his Majesty's realm or dominions, either individually or collectively, on any matter, subject, or thing whatsoever, whereby they shall conceive the rights, liberties, interests or privileges of this House, or of its constituents, are or may be affected.
Mr. Speaker communicated to the House, a letter from Thomas Cushing, Esq; Speaker of the late House of Representatives of the Massachusetts-Bay, to the Speaker of the General Assembly of this colony, dated the 11th of February last; which was read, and an answer thereto was drawn up by the House, which they directed the Speaker to sign, and to transmit the same to the said Thomas Cushing Esq: with desire to communicate it to the House of Representatives at their next meeting.
Mr. Holland, from the committee of the whole House, to whom was referred the consideration of the letter of Peyton Randolph, Esq: Speaker of the late House of Burgesses of the dominion of Virginia, dated the 9th of May last, reported. That the committee had drawn up the draught of a letter in answer thereto, which they had directed him to report to the House: and he read the same in his place, and afterwards delivered it in at the table, where the same was again read, and agreed to by the House.
Ordered, That Mr. Speaker sign and transmit the said letter to the said Peyton Randolph, Esq: with desire that he communicate it to the House of Burgesses at their next meeting.
What sub-type of article is it?
Politics
What keywords are associated?
New York Assembly
Colonial Resolutions
Taxation Rights
British Parliament
Intercolonial Correspondence
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Speaker
Mr. Kissam
Thomas Cushing, Esq
Peyton Randolph, Esq
Mr. Holland
Where did it happen?
New York
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
New York
Event Date
28th December, 1768
Key Persons
Mr. Speaker
Mr. Kissam
Thomas Cushing, Esq
Peyton Randolph, Esq
Mr. Holland
Outcome
resolutions passed unanimously (nemine contradicente); letters drafted and ordered to be signed and transmitted to massachusetts and virginia assemblies.
Event Details
The General Assembly resolved into committee to draft resolves asserting colonial rights infringed by British Parliament acts, including no taxation without representation, right to petition the King, internal legislative autonomy, and inter-colonial correspondence. Resolutions reported and passed. House read and responded to letters from Massachusetts and Virginia speakers.