Memorial to the House of Lords
October 22, 1765
To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of Great-Britain in Parliament Assembled.
The Memorial of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantations, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the Government of the Counties of New-Castle, Kent and Sussex, upon Delaware, Province of Maryland,
Most Humbly Sheweth,
That the Inhabitants of these Colonies, Unanimously devoted with the warmest Sentiments of Duty and Affection to your Majesty’s Sacred Person and Government, Inviolably attached to the present Happy Establishment of the Protestant Succession in your Illustrious House, and deeply sensible of your Royal Attention to their Prosperity and Happiness, humbly beg Leave to approach the Throne, by representing to your Majesty, That these Colonies were originally planted by Subjects of the British Crown, who, animated with the Spirit of Liberty, encouraged by your Majesty’s Royal Predecessors, and confiding in the Public Faith for the Enjoyment of all the Rights and Liberties essential to Freedom, emigrated from their Native Country to this Continent, and by their successful Perseverance in the midst of innumerable Dangers and Difficulties, together with a Profusion of their Blood and Treasure, have happily added these vast and valuable Dominions to the Empire of Great-Britain.
That for the Enjoyment of these Rights and Liberties, several Governments were early formed in the said Colonies, with full Power of Legislation agreeably to the Principles of the English Constitution.
That under those Governments these Liberties thus vested in their Ancestors and transmitted to their Posterity, have been exercised and enjoyed, and by the inestimable Blessings thereof, under the Favour of Almighty God, the inhospitable Deserts of America have been converted into flourishing Countries; Science, Humanity, and the Knowledge of Divine Truth, diffused through remote Regions of Ignorance, Infidelity and Barbarism; the Number of British Subjects wonderfully increased, and the Wealth and Power of Great-Britain proportionably augmented.
That by Means of these Settlements, and the unparalleled Success of your Majesty’s Arms, a Foundation is now laid for rendering the British Empire the most extensive and powerful of any recorded in History; our Connection with this Empire, we esteem our
This document appears in the Compendium: Chapter 4
Annotation:
The Stamp Act Congress petitioned the House of Lords to protect the constitutional liberties of the American colonies and to support repeal of the Stamp Act. The Memorial emphasized the colonies' loyalty to the Crown, their historical enjoyment of legislative self-government, and their claim to the rights of English subjects, particularly taxation through their own representatives and trial by jury. It appealed to the Lords as hereditary guardians of British liberty to use their constitutional authority to relieve the colonies from the Stamp Act and expanded admiralty jurisdiction.
Authors:
Delegates to the Stamp Act Congress
Text Source: https://archives.nypl.org/mss/927#c58
greatest Happiness and Security, and humbly conceive it may now be so established by your Royal Wisdom, as to endure to the latest Period of Time.
This, with most humble Submission to your Majesty, we apprehend will be most effectually accomplished, by fixing the Pillars thereof on Liberty and Justice, and securing the inherent Rights and Liberties of your Subjects here, upon the Principles of the English Constitution.
For these invaluable Rights and Liberties, we humbly implore your Majesty’s Protection and Countenance.
We humbly conceive that the most essential Rights of British Subjects, are the following:
That the People of these Colonies are entitled to all the inherent Rights and Liberties of natural born Subjects within the Kingdom of Great-Britain.
That the People of these Colonies are not, and from their local Circumstances cannot be, represented in the House of Commons in Great-Britain.
That the only Representatives of the People of these Colonies, are Persons chosen therein by themselves; and that no Taxes ever have been, or can be constitutionally imposed upon them, but by their respective Legislatures.
That all Supplies to the Crown, being free Gifts of the People, it is unreasonable and inconsistent with the Principles and Spirit of the British Constitution, for the People of Great-Britain to grant to his Majesty the Property of the Colonists.
That Trial by Jury is the inherent and invaluable Right of every British Subject in these Colonies.
These Rights we humbly conceive to be confirmed to us by the great Charter of English Liberty, and by the other Acts of Parliament which secure the Liberties of the Subjects of Great-Britain.
We therefore most humbly beseech your Lordships, to hear us in our humble Complaints, and to interpose your Authority in such a Manner as may be conducive to the Preservation of the Rights and Liberties of his Majesty’s Subjects in these Colonies.
And whereas an Act of Parliament hath lately been passed, entitled, An Act for granting and applying certain Stamp Duties, and other Duties, in the British Colonies and Plantations in America, etc., which, by imposing Taxes on the Inhabitants of these Colonies, is, as we humbly conceive, subversive of their most essential Rights and Liberties:
We humbly beseech your Lordships to use your Influence for procuring the Repeal of the said Act, and of such Clauses of any other Acts of Parliament as extend the Jurisdiction of the Courts of Admiralty in the Colonies beyond their ancient Limits, and of such other Acts as impose Duties and Restrictions upon the Trade of these Colonies, which, from their local Circumstances, must necessarily be burdensome and grievous.
We also humbly beseech your Lordships to take into your wise Consideration the Distresses of these Colonies, and to afford them such Relief as in your Wisdom and Justice shall seem meet.
And your Memorialists, as in Duty bound, shall ever pray.
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