that a
disposition to refuse obedience to the laws, and to resist the
authority of the supreme legislature of the nation, still prevailed
among his misguided subjects in some of the colonies. In the addresses
to the throne, both houses uniformly expressed their abhorrence of the
rebellious spirit manifested in the colonies, and their approbation of
the measures taken by his majesty for the restoration of order and
good government.

To give a more solemn expression to the sense of parliament on this
subject, the two houses entered into joint resolutions, condemning the
measures pursued by the Americans; and agreed to an address, approving
the conduct of the crown, giving assurances of effectual support to
such farther measures as might be found necessary to maintain the
civil magistrates in a due execution of the laws within the province
of Massachusetts Bay, and beseeching his majesty to direct the
governor of that colony to obtain and transmit information of all
treasons committed in Massachusetts since the year 1767, with the
names of the persons who had been most active in promoting such
offences, that prosecutions might be instituted against them within
the realm, in pursuance of the statute of the 35th of Henry VIII.[208]

[Footnote 208: Belsham. Prior documents.]

{1769}

The impression made by these threatening declarations, which seem to
have been directed particularly against Massachusetts, in the hope of
deterring the other provinces from involving themselves in her
dangers, was far from being favourable to the views of the mother
country. The determination to resist the exercise of the authority
claimed by Great Britain not only remained unshaken, but was
manifested in a still more decided form.

[Sidenote: Resolutions of the house of Burgesses of Virginia.]

Not long after these votes of parliament, the assembly of Virginia was
convened by lord Botetourt, a nobleman of conciliating manners, who
had lately been appointed governor of that province. The house took
the state of the colony into their immediate consideration, and passed
unanimously several resolutions asserting the exclusive right of that
assembly to impose taxes on the inhabitants within his majesty's
dominion of Virginia, and their undoubted right to petition for a
redress of grievances, and to obtain a concurrence of the other
colonies in such petitions. "That all persons charged with the
commission of any offence within that colon