From the Newport Mercury.
NEWPORT,
June 24.
Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in
Philadelphia
to his Friend in this Town, dated last Tuesday.
"I HAVE inclosed the Resolves of the
Virginia As-
sembly, on debating the Stamp Act The Go-
vernor as soon as he heard what they were about, sent
for them, and without Preamble, told them he would
dissolve them ; and that Minute they were dissolved.
As they are of an extraordinary Nature, thought they
might not be disagreeable. They are as follows."
"WHEREAS the Hon. House of Commons in
England have of late drawn into Question
how far the General Assembly of this Co-
lony hath Power to enact Laws for laying of Taxes
and imposing Duties, payable by the People of this
his Majesty's most ancient Colony
; For settling and
ascertaining the same to all future Times, the House
of Burgesses of this present General Assembly have
come to the following Resolves: --
"Resolved, That the First Adventurers, Settlers of
this his Majesty's Colony and
Dominions of
Virginia,
brought with them and transmitted to their Posterity,
and all other his Majesty's
Subjects since, inhabiting in
this his Majesty's Colony, all the
Privileges and Immu-
nities that have at any Time been held, enjoyed and
possessed by the People of
Great-Britain.
"Resolved, That by two Royal Charters, granted
by King JAMES the First, the Colony aforesaid are
declared and entitled to all Privileges and Immunities
of natural born Subjects, to all Intents and Purposes,
as if they had been abiding and born within the Realm
of
England.
"Resolved, That his
Majesty's liege People of this
his ancient Colony have enjoy'd the Right of
being
thus govern'd, by their own Assembly, in the
Article
of Taxes and internal Police ; and that the same
have never been forfeited, or any other Way yielded
up, but have been constantly recogniz'd by the
King
and People of
Britain.
"Resolved, therefore, That the General Assem-
bly of this Colony, together with his Majesty or his
Substitutes, have, in their Representative Capacity, the
only exclusive Right and Power to lay Taxes and Im-
posts upon the Inhabitants of this Colony. And that
every Attempt to vest such Power in any other Person
or Persons whatever, than the General Assembly afore-
said, is illegal, unconstitutional and unjust, and have
a manifest Tendency to destroy British as well as
American Liberty.
"Resolved, That his
Majesty's liege People, the
Inhabitants of this Colony, are not bound to yield
Obedience to any Law or Ordinance whatever, design-
ed to impose any Taxation whatsoever upon them,
other than the Laws or Ordinances of the General
Assembly aforesaid.
"Resolved, That any Person, who shall, by speak-
ing or writing, assert or maintain, that any Person or
Persons, other that the General Assembly of this Co-
lony, have any right or Power to impose or lay any
Taxation on the people here, shall be deemed an
Enemy to his Majesty's
Colony."
The STAMP ACT to be Sold by
EDES AND GILL.