Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia 1766-1769, edited by H. R. McIlwaine. GEN 75.5 Burg V.11, pps. xl-xliii (An Abstract of Articles of Agreement by Marla Moore) Thursday, May 18, <1769.> A committee was appointed to make their report, and is as follows: We his Majestys most dutiful Subjects, the late Representatives of all the Freeholders of the Colony of Virginia, avowing our inviolable and unshaken Fidelity and Loyalty to our most gracious Sovereign, our Affection for all our Fellow Subjects of Great Britain protesting against every Act or Thing, which may have the most distant Tendancy to interrupt, or in any wife disturb his Majestys Peace, and the good Order of his Government in this Colony, which we are resolved, at the Risque of our Lives an Fortune, to maintain and defend; but at the same Time, being deeply affected with the Grievances and Distresses, with which his Majestys American Subjects are oppressed, and dreading the Evils which threaten the ruin of ourselves and our Prosperity, by reducing us from a free and happy People to a wretched and miserable State of Slavery, and having taken into our most serious Consideration the present State of the Trade of this Colony, and of the American Commerce in general, observe with Anxiety, that the Debt due to Great Britain for Goods imported from thence is very great, and that the Means of paying this Debt, in the present Situation of Affairs, are likely to become amore and more precarious, that the Difficulties, under which we now labour, are owing to the Restrictions, Prohibitions, and ill advised Regulations in several late Acts of Parliament of Great Britain, in particular, that the late unconstitutional Act, imposing Duties on Tea, Paper, Glass, &c, for the sole purpose of raising a Revenue in America, is injurious to Property, and the destructive to Liberty, hath a necessary Tendency to prevent the Payment of the Debt due from this Colony to Great Britain, and is, of Consequence, ruinous to Trade; that, notwithstanding the many earnest Applications already made, there is little Reason to expect a Redress of those Grievances; Therefore, in Justice to ourselves and our Posterity, as well as to the Traders of Great Britain concerned in the American Commerce, we the subscribers, have voluntarily and unanimously entered into the following Resolutions, in Hopes that our Example will induce the good People of this Colony to be frugal in the use and consumption of British Manufacturers, and that the Merchants and Manufacturers of Great Britain may, from Motives of Interest, Friendship and Justice, be engaged to exert themselves to obtain for us a Redress of those Grievances, under which the Trade and Inhabitants of American at present labour: We do therefore most earnestly recommend this our Association to the serious inhabitants of this Colony, in Hopes, that they will very readily and cordially accede thereto. (Note: Eight articles of resolution follow, which discourage all Manner of Luxury and Extravagance, directing Correspondents to ship them no Goods whatever, taxed as aforesaid. Due to space limitations, I have omitted these articles, with the exception of the last.) Eigthly, and Lastly, that these Resolves shall be binding on all and each of the Subscribers, who do hereby each and every Person for himself, upon his Word and Honour, agree that he will strictly and firmly adhere to and abide by every Article in this Agreement, from the Time of his signing the same, for an during the Continuance of the before mentioned Acts of Parliament . Peyton Randolph Patrick Henry, Jun. Robert Carton Nicholas Peter Johnson Richard Bland Henry Lee Archibald Cary Nathaniel Terry Richard Henry Lee Thomas Whiting Charles Carter, Landcaster Thomas Jefferson George Washington Thomas Nelson, Jun. Carter Braxton James Walker Severn Eyre John Alexander Richard Randolph Champion Travis George Ball John Wilson, Augusta Thomas Harrison William Clayton Thomas Claiborne Robert Munford, Mecklenburg John Blair, Jun. Thomas Bailey Thomas Mason Thomas Scott Josias Payne, Jun. Lewis Burwell Burwell Bassett John Harmanson Richard Anderson Thomas Parramore James Scott, Junr. John Donelson John Green Cornelius Thomas Wilson Miles Cary Thomas Johnson Gabriel Jones John Lewis, Jun William Riddick William Roane Thomas Glascock William Acrill John Woodson Hartwell Cocke Benjamin Howard Joseph Cabell Isaac Read Alexander Trent Foushee Tebbs John Mayo Edward Osborne David Mason Francis Peyton William Macon, Jun. Abraham Hite Hugh Innes James Wood Bolling Starke Richard Baker Robert Bolling Edwin Gray Paul Carrington Robert Munford, Amelia Thomas Walker Henry Taylor William Cabell, Jun. Nathaniel Edwards, Jun. John Talbott Charles Lunch Edward Hack Moseley, Jun. James Hamilton John Ackiss David Meade James Bridger Philip Ludwell Grymes Chrles Carter, King George Richard Starke, Clerk to the Association. The Business being finished, the following Toasts were drank, and the Gentlemen retired. In compliance with the foregoing Invitation, we do most cordially accede and agree to the Association fo laudably propossed: and in Testimony thereof have subscribed in Names this Day of 1769. William Matthis N. Ellzey Wm. Walrond Samuel Baker J. Gwatkin Rd Milton Jas. Lane Travers Nash Wm. Stanhope Tho. Gift Isaac Davis Wm. Walrond Wm. George Daniel Kincheloe Samuel Baker George Steadon John Terry J. Gwatkin Amos Davis Thos Bird Rd Milton Samuel Tatem Richard Melton