1764, began the prefent conteft ; and thefe having proved ineffedual to prevent the paffage of the ftamp-aft, the refolutions of the houfe of burgefles of 1765 were pafled, declaring the independence of the people of Virginia on the parliament of Great Britain, in matters of taxation. From that time till the declaration ofindependence by Congrefs in 1776, their journals are filled with aiTer- tions of the public rights.
The pamphlets publifhed in this ftate on the controverted queftion, were:
1766, An Inquiry into the rights of the Britifti Colonies, by Richard Bland.
1769, The Monitor's Letters, by Dr. Ar- thur Lee.
I774> ^ fummary View of the rights of Britifh America*.
1774, Confiderations, &ۥ by Robert Carter Nicholas.
Since the declaration of independence this ftate has had no controverfy with any other, except with that of Pennfylvania, on their common boundary. Some papers on this fubje£l pafled between the execu- tive and legiflative bodies of the two ftates, the refult of which was a happy accommo- dation of their rights.
To this account of our hiftorians, me- morials, and pamphlets, it may not be unufeful to add a chronological catalogue of American flate-papers, as far as I have been able to colled their titles. It is far from being either complete or correft. Where the title alone, and not the paper itfelf, has come under my obfervation, I cannot anfwer for the exadnefs of the date. Sometimes I have not been able to find any date at all, and fumetimes have not been fatisfied that fuch a paper exifts.
- By the aythor of thefe jjotes* An extenfive colledlion of papers of this defcription has been for fome time in a courfe of preparation by