moment,--by Peyton Randolph, and Pendleton, and Wythe, and Bland,
and the rest of them,--this question was answered in the negative.
Indeed, it could be answered in no other way. Such being the case, it
followed that, for Virginia and for all her sister colonies, an
entirely new state of things had arisen. A most serious problem
confronted them,--a problem involving, in fact, incalculable
interests. On the subject of immediate concern, they had endeavored,
freely and rightfully, to influence legislation, while that
legislation was in process; but now that this legislation was
accomplished, what were they to do? Were they to submit to it quietly,
trusting to further negotiations for ultimate relief, or were they to
reject it outright, and try to obstruct its execution? Clearly, here
was a very great problem, a problem for statesmanship,--the best
statesmanship anywhere to be had. Clearly this was a time, at any
rate, for wise and experienced men to come to the front; a time, not
for rash counsels, nor for spasmodic and isolated action on the part
of any one colony, but for deliberate and united action on the part of
all the colonies; a time in which all must move forward, or none. But,
thus far, no colony had been heard from: there had not been time. Let
Virginia wait a little. Let her make no mistake; let her not push
forward into any ill-considered and dangerous measure; let her wait,
at least, for some signal of thought or of purpose from her sister
colonies. In the meanwhile, let her old and tried leaders continue to
lead.

Such, apparently, was the state of opinion in the House of Burgesses
when, on the 29th of May, a motion was made and carried, "that the
House resolve itself into a committee of the whole House, immediately
to consider the steps necessary to be taken in consequence of the
resolutions of the House of Commons of Great Britain, relative to the
charging certain stamp duties in the colonies and plantations in
America."[65] On thus going into committee of the whole, to deliberate
on the most difficult and appalling question that, up to that time,
had ever come before an American legislature, the members may very
naturally have turned in expectation to those veteran politicians and
to those able constitutional lawyers who, for many years, had been
accustomed to guide their deliberations, and who, especially in the
last session, had taken charge of this very question of the Stamp
Act. It will not be hard