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Resolves of Parliament February 9, 1769
Resolved, By the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in
Parliament assembled, that the votes, resolutions, and proceedings of the
House of Representatives of Massachusetts Bay, in the months of January
and February, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-eight, respecting
several late Acts of Parliament, so far as said votes, resolutions, and
proceedings do import a denial of, or do draw into question the power and
authority of his Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords
Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament assembled, to make laws
and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and
people of America, subjects to the Crown of Great Britain, in all cases
whatsoever, ate illegal, unconstitutional, and derogatory of the rights of
the Crown aud Parliament of Great Britain.
Resolved . . . that the resolution of the said House of Representatives
of the province of Massachusetts Bay, to write letters to the several
houses of representatives of the British colonies on the continent
desiring them to join with the said House of Representatives of the
province of Massachusetts Bay in petitions which do deny, or draw into
question, the right of Parliament to impose duties and taxes upon his
Majesty's subjects in America; and in pursuance of the said resolution,
the writing such letters in which certain late acts of Parliament,
imposing duties and taxes, are stated to be infringements of the rights of
his Majesty's subjects of the said province, are proceedings of a most
unwarrantable and dangerous nature, calculated to inflame thousands of his
Majesty's subjects in the other colonies, tending to create unlawful
combination, repugnant to the laws of Great Britain, and subversive of the
constitution.
Resolved . . . that it appears that the town of Boston, in the province
of Massachusetts Bay has for some time past been in a state of great
disorder and confusion, and that the peace of the said town has at several
times been disturbed by riots and tumults of a dangerous nature, in which
the officers of his Majesty's revenue there have been obstructed by acts
of violence in the execution of the laws, and their lives endangered.
Resolved . . that it appears that neither the Council of the said
province of Massachusetts Bay nor the ordinary civil magistrates did exert
their authority, for suppressing the said riots and tumults.
Resolved . . . that in these circumstances of the province of the
Massachusetts Bay and of the town of Boston, the preservation of the
public peace and the due execution of the laws became impracticable
without the aid of a military force to support and protect the civil
magistrate and the officers of his Majesty's revenue.
Resolved . . . that the declarations, resolutions, and proceedings in
the town meetings at Boston, on the 14th of June, and 12th September, were
illegal and unconstitutional, and calculated to excite sedition and
insurrections in his Majesty's province of Massachusetts Bay.
Resolved . . . that the appointment at the town meeting on the 12th
September of a convention to be held in the town of Boston on the 22d of
that month to consist of deputies from the several towns and districts in
the province of the Massachusetts Bay, and the writing a letter by the
selectmen of the town of Boston to each of the said towns and districts,
for the election of such deputies were proceedings subversive of his
Majesty's government and evidently manifesting a design in the inhabitants
of the said town of Boston, to set up a new and unconstitutional authority
independent of the Crown of Great Britain.
Resolved . . . that the elections by several towns and districts in the
province of Massachusetts Bay of deputies to sit in the said convention
and the meeting of such convention in consequence thereof were daring
insults offered to his Majesty's authority, and audacious usurpations of
the powers of government.
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