only to prevent the success of such an attempt, but to stigmatize and punish the offender.

3. As the stamp act does absolutely direct the property of the people to be taken from them, without their consent, expressed by their representatives; and as, in many cases, it deprives the British American subject of his right to be tried by jury, we do determine, at every hazard, and paying no regard to danger or to death, to exert every faculty to prevent the execution of the said stamp act, in every instance whatever, within the colony of Virginia; and every abandoned wretch, who shall be so lost to virtue and public good, as wickedly to contributé to introduce the said act into this colony, by using stamp paper, or by any other means, will, with the utmost expedition, be convinced, that immediate danger and disgrace shall attend his prostitute purpose.

4. That the last article may most surely and effectually be executed, we engage to each other, that whenever it shall be known to any of this association, that any person is so conducting himself as to favour the introduction of the stamp act, immediate notice shall be given to as many of this association as possible; and every individual, so informed, shall, with expedition, repair to some place of meeting, to be appointed as near the scene of action as may be.

5. Every associator shall use his true endeavour to obtain as many signers to this association as he possibly

can..

6. If any attempt shall be made on the liberty or property of any associator, for any action or thing to be done in consequence of this agreement, we do most solemnly bind ourselves, by the sacred engagements entered into, at the risk of our lives and fortunes to restore such an associator to his liberty, and to protect him in the enjoyment of his property.

In testimony of the good faith with which we resolve to execute this association, we have, this 27th day of February, 1766, put our hands and seals hereto."

The devotion of Mr. Lee to the cause of his country

did not evaporate in argument, or waste itself in idle declamation. It led him, while even yet the insignia and representatives of royalty were "on the high places" of the land, and while crown law and crown officers were still strong, to dare open and direct opposition to the devices of arbitrary power. He was active in rousing, informing, and leading his fellow citizens, and obtaining numerous signatures to the articles of the association.

He was, at this time, the captain of a volunteer company of light horse, in his county. The members of this company, warmly attached to him, and confiding in his courage, and in his knowledge of the rights of America, had joined the association, in a spirit congenial with his own. A person, whose name need not be mentioned here, had not only declared his intention to use stamp paper, but had accepted the office of stamp collector. When Mr. Lee was informed of these circumstances, according to the fourth article of the association, he gave notice to as many of the members of it as he could, and summoned his company of horse. They proceeded to the residence of the stamp collector, and required him to bring out his commission, and all the paper he had in his house, and deliver it to them; and also to bind himself, by an oath, neither directly nor indirectly to promote the sale or use of stamp paper. The collector expostulated, hesitated, and at length refused. A stout and fierce-looking man of the troop advanced at this moment to him, and with a stern look and penetrating voice addressed him, "Swear." The terrified collector pronounced the oath, and brought out his commission and stamp paper, which were solemnly burnt in his presence.

The person, whom Mr. Lee and his associates had thus compelled to abandon the support of the stamp act, notwithstanding the unpopularity of it, had declared that he would use stamp paper, in clearing out the first vessel he should freight for England. He was a man of wealth and influence, and might have been very instrumental in introducing into use, the odious paper,

and in encourageing those who were attached to the views of the present ministry. Mr. Lee was aware of this, and took every mode he could devise, to excite the vengeance of the people against him. For this purpose, he published the following address to the people of Virginia, which was admirably adapted to the comprehension of the people generally, and to the state of feeling then existing.

"TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.*

"FRIENDS AND FELLOW CITIZENS-It is the business of every honest man, when he knows that any thing is about to be done, by which his countrymen will be ruined, to give them timely notice of the danger, that they may take proper care to save themselves from the destruction that threatens them. I shall, therefore, point out the mischief; I do not doubt, that you will, like brave and free born men, do your endeavour to prevent it.

When your fathers came first from England, to discover and settle this country, they had a right to, and did enjoy, the same liberties with the rest of their fellow subjects in England. And the king, at that time, knowing what great benefit it would be to England, to settle this country, and what great dangers the first settlers must meet with, did give them his royal word, in an instrument, called a charter, that they and their children, and all who came after them, should hold their liberty and property, as the people of England did, and as they would have done, had they remained there. Now, one of the best rights that Englishmen enjoy, is, that their property, their living, shall not be taken from them, nor any part of it, except by the consent of those members or burgesses, whom they shall choose at their elections to represent them. Because, if the burgesses, who are chosen by them, and live among them, and have estates

* From Mr. Lee's manuscript.

among them, should lay a tax upon the country, they will have to pay their proportionable part; and besides, if they do wrong, and lay taxes without reason, the people can turn them out, at the new elections. This reasonable right, you know, my contrymen, we have all along enjoyed. Nor did one fellow subject in England, ever. doubt it, until lately, when the stamp act was passed; which, if excuted, it is supposed, would take from this poor country, at least, fifty thousand pounds sterling every year; a sum twice as much, as all our taxes by our assembly yet amount to, and which must ruin us all. Nay, I question, whether in a few years, we should be able to pay this tax, even though we should sell our lands and slaves, with our wives and children into the bargain. And what is worse than this, if the stamp act should go down here, the people of England will go on to tax uş every year, because the more they tax us, the less necessity will there be to tax themselves. And because our freeholders do not vote at their elections for members of Parliament, and, therefore, cannot displace them, let them do what they will. As it is well known from these reasons, that the stamp act would certainly ruin the people of this colony, by taking away their liberty with their property; many of our worthy countrymen, by their conduct at Williamsburg, the thirty-first of October last, have hitherto prevented this cruel act, from going into operation in Virginia; for no paper can now be had, as the stamp master has resigned his office. This I am told, is the case in all the other colonies; the people every where, abhorring the act as we do. When this is so well known to be the opinion every where, does it not deserve your highest indignation, and ought you not to punish in the severest manner, ..... if he should do, what he has the matchless impudence to declare he will do? for he has said, he would clear out his vessel on stamp paper, which he knows where to get-from abroad no doubt. Now it is plain, if you permit... to set this example, other merchants will follow it, and thus the stamp act, which is to destroy our liberty,

will be established in trade; from trade, will creep into our courts of justice, and from thence, into every branch of business in this country. Now is the time, my countrymen, by nipping in the bud this wicked design, to show the world, that you determine to hand down to your children, the liberty given you by your fathers; and that will not suffer the execution of the stamp act, by which you, and your children are to be made slaves, and your property to be taken from you by violence. On this occasion, every one should think alike; every one should look on....., as the greatest enemy of his country, and who should be punished, unless he immediately give up his intention to use stamp paper, and publicly inform us of this change of his opinion. Let us so do with this man, that fear may haunt him in his dreams, and in the day find no safety, while he gives every one of you reason to be his enemy, and makes it your duty to be his foc. This self-interested man says, it will be hard on him, not to send out his grain; but, will it not be harder on the good people of Virginia, to loose their liberty? And shall we ever agree, that the good of all, should be given up for the interest of one man? Let it never be forgotten by my countrymen, that the safety of the people is the supreme law, and that no private interest, nor any other consideration, should destroy this.

A VIRGINIA PLANTER."

The boldness and energy, with which Mr. Lee opposed the stamp act, rendered him peculiarly obnoxious to those, who from interest, or any other motive, were attached to the authority of England. His popularity and his eloquence, made him an object of their fear and their hatred. It will readily be imagined, that every effort was made to lessen his influence, both in the Assembly and with the people. Among the many arts used by the adherents of arbitrary power, to effect this object, the most alarming, was an accusation of having applied