General Assembly. Dissolution blocked the
planned adoption of George Mason's proposal for forming an association
with the other colonies for the purpose of suspending the importation of
British goods. But the Burgesses got around this by meeting in their
private capacity at the house of Anthony Hays. This was a momentous step.
The meeting made Speaker Peyton Randolph the moderator and appointed a
committee to present a plan for association.

May 18, 1769. The Burgesses adopted the report of the committee
calling for a boycott on English goods to force the repeal of the
Townshend Acts and invited the other colonies to join the association.

November 7, 1769. The General Assembly of 1769-1771 met November
7-December 21, 1769, and adjourned to May 21-June 28, 1770; and then it
met in a final session July 11-20, 1771.

In his speech to the Assembly on the first day of its meeting, Lord
Botetourt pacified the Virginians momentarily with information from Lord
Hillsborough that His Majesty's administration contemplated no new taxes
in America and in fact intended the repeal of the Townshend Acts.

June 22, 1770. During the May-June session of the General
Assembly, the gentlemen of the House of Burgesses joined with a large
group of merchants to take action against the duty on tea retained when
the Townshend Acts were repealed. The Burgesses and merchants formed a
new association to replace the ineffective one of 1769. This time,
committees in each county were to take proper steps to see that the terms
of the association were abided by.

June 27, 1770. The members of the House of Burgesses agreed
unanimously to a new petition to the King asking for his interposition to
prevent Parliament levying taxes in America.

October 15, 1770. Lord Botetourt of necessity had often opposed
the colonists in their quarrel with the British Parliament, but he had
done so without losing their affection and respect. On October 15, 1770,
he died. William Nelson, president of the Council, then acted as Governor
until the fall of 1771 when Governor Dunmore arrived.

October 12, 1771. John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, dissolved the
General Assembly of 1769-1771 after coming to Virginia on September 25,
1771. Dunmore, Virginia's last British Governor, was an unperceptive and
timorous man, a man who could do nothing to still the coming storm that
rent an Empire.

February 10, 1772. The General Assembly of 1772-1774 met February
10-April 11, 1772;