ngs of joy were inspired throughout America, by a
dispatch from Lord Hillsborough to the King's personal friend, Lord
Botetourt, Governor of Virginia, promising the repeal of the obnoxious
Revenue Acts, and to impose no further taxes on the colonies. Lord
Hillsborough says:

"I can take upon me to assure you, notwithstanding information to the
contrary from men with factious and seditious views, that his Majesty's
present Administration have at no time entertained a design to propose
to Parliament to lay any further taxes upon America for the purpose of
raising a revenue; and that it is at present their intention to propose,
the next session of Parliament, to take off the duties upon glass, paper
and colours, upon consideration of such duties having been laid contrary
to the true principles of commerce." Lord Hillsborough further informed
Lord Botetourt that "his Majesty relied upon his prudence and fidelity
to make such explanation of his Majesty's measures as would tend to
remove prejudices and to re-establish mutual confidence and affection
between the mother country and the colonies."

In Lord Botetourt's address to the Virginia Assembly, transmitting a
copy of the dispatch, he said:

"It may possibly be objected that as his Majesty's present
Administration are not immortal, their successors may be inclined to
attempt to undo what the present Ministers shall have attempted to
perform; and to that objection I can give but this answer: that it is my
firm opinion that the plan I have stated to you will certainly take
place, and that it will never be departed from; and so determined am I
for ever to abide by it, that I will be content to be declared infamous
if I do not, to the last hour of my life, at all times, in all places,
and upon all occasions, exert every power with which I either am, or
ever shall be, legally invested, in order to obtain and maintain for the
continent of America that satisfaction which I have been authorized to
promise this day by the confidential servants of our gracious Sovereign,
who, to my certain knowledge, rates his honour so high, that he would
rather part with his crown than preserve it by deceit."

These assurances were received by the Virginians with transports of joy,
viewing them as they did as abandoning, never to be resumed, the design
of raising a revenue in America by Act of Parliament. The General
Assembly of Virginia, in reply to Lord Botetourt's address, thus
expressed th