Stamp Act Congress
Encyclopedia
The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting on October 19, 1765 in New York City
of representatives from some of the British colonies of North America. They discussed and acted upon the Stamp Act
recently passed by the governing Parliament of Great Britain
overseas, which did not include any representatives from the colonies. Meeting in the building that would become Federal Hall
in New York City
, the Congress consisted of delegates from nine of the 19 British colonies in North America; all nine were from the Thirteen Colonies
that eventually formed the United States of America.
The congress was held amid widespread protests (including some violence) in the colonies against the Stamp Act's implementation. The extra-legal nature of the congress caused alarm in Britain, but any discussion of the congress's propriety were overtaken by economic protests from British merchants whose business with the colonies suffered as a consequence of the protests and their associated importation bans. These economic issues prompted the British Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act, issuing the Declaratory Act
at the same to express its opinion on some of the constitutional issues raised by the colonists.
required that all sorts of printed material produced in the colonies—newspapers, books, court documents, commercial papers, land deeds, almanacs, etc.—carry a stamp purchased from authorities. Its purpose was to help finance the operations of the empire, including the cost of stationing British troops in North America, without seeking revenue from colonial assemblies.
When word of the pending congress reached London, the Lords of Trade were so disturbed that they wrote to the king. The Lords of Trade reported to the king that "this is a matter of the utmost importance to the Kingdom and legislature of Great Britain... and proper only for the consideration of Parliament." However, by the time Parliament was informed about its existence, the Stamp Act Congress was already in session.
Massachusetts
, Rhode Island
, Connecticut
, New York
, New Jersey
, Pennsylvania
, Delaware
, Maryland
, and South Carolina
all sent representatives to New York for the congress. Delegates New York only represented particular counties, and not the colony as a whole. The colonies that did not send delegates were Georgia
, North Carolina
, Virginia, New Hampshire
, Nova Scotia
, Quebec
, St. John's Island (present-day Prince Edward Island
), Newfoundland, and East
and West Florida
.
in New Jersey has the only known copy of the meeting minutes. There were three major issues discussed - trial by Jury, a right of self taxation, and reducing admiralty courts. Robert R. Livingston wrote that what gave the delegates the most trouble was whether to acknowledge the authority of Parliament to regulate trade even though they fully accepted its right to do so. If they admitted that Parliament had the authority to regulate trade it could be constructed as an admission that an external tax to raise revenue was acceptable. Americans would argue interminably about the difference between "external" and "internal" taxes, and their willingness to accept "external" taxes, but not "internal" taxes.
They maintained that while Parliament could make laws and taxes for Great Britain
, only colonial assemblies could properly make laws for the colonies, since the colonies had no representation in Parliament. As for Parliament, the colonies could not be represented there, nor did they want to be represented there, since their representatives' objections to colonial taxation could easily be ignored.
On October 19, the delegates adopted a Declaration of Rights and Grievances
. The delegates could not be convinced to affix their names to the document and only one signature appeared - the clerk of the congress. During the next few days the resolutions were redrafted into three petitions to the king, the Lords, and the Commons. Only six of the colonies agreed to write these petition
s.
This Congress is viewed by some as the first organized action in the prelude to the American Revolution
; however, lack of unity plagued the colonies up to and including the beginning of the Revolution.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
of representatives from some of the British colonies of North America. They discussed and acted upon the Stamp Act
Stamp Act 1765
The Stamp Act 1765 was a direct tax imposed by the British Parliament specifically on the colonies of British America. The act required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, carrying an embossed revenue stamp...
recently passed by the governing Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
overseas, which did not include any representatives from the colonies. Meeting in the building that would become Federal Hall
Federal Hall
Federal Hall, built in 1700 as New York's City Hall, later served as the first capitol building of the United States of America under the Constitution, and was the site of George Washington's inauguration as the first President of the United States. It was also where the United States Bill of...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the Congress consisted of delegates from nine of the 19 British colonies in North America; all nine were from the Thirteen Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
that eventually formed the United States of America.
The congress was held amid widespread protests (including some violence) in the colonies against the Stamp Act's implementation. The extra-legal nature of the congress caused alarm in Britain, but any discussion of the congress's propriety were overtaken by economic protests from British merchants whose business with the colonies suffered as a consequence of the protests and their associated importation bans. These economic issues prompted the British Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act, issuing the Declaratory Act
Declaratory Act
The Declaratory Act was a declaration by the British Parliament in 1766 which accompanied the repeal of the Stamp Act 1765. The government repealed the Stamp Act because boycotts were hurting British trade and used the declaration to justify the repeal and save face...
at the same to express its opinion on some of the constitutional issues raised by the colonists.
Background
For the first time, Parliament attempted to raise money from direct taxes in the colonies rather than through the regulation of trade. The 1765 Stamp ActStamp Act 1765
The Stamp Act 1765 was a direct tax imposed by the British Parliament specifically on the colonies of British America. The act required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper produced in London, carrying an embossed revenue stamp...
required that all sorts of printed material produced in the colonies—newspapers, books, court documents, commercial papers, land deeds, almanacs, etc.—carry a stamp purchased from authorities. Its purpose was to help finance the operations of the empire, including the cost of stationing British troops in North America, without seeking revenue from colonial assemblies.
Call for congress
In June 1765, a circular letter from the Massachusetts Assembly was sent to the legislatures of the other colonies to "consult together on the present circumstances of the colonies". All of the delegates had served in the legislative bodies of their colonies and they were all ostensibly loyal to King George III of Great Britain.When word of the pending congress reached London, the Lords of Trade were so disturbed that they wrote to the king. The Lords of Trade reported to the king that "this is a matter of the utmost importance to the Kingdom and legislature of Great Britain... and proper only for the consideration of Parliament." However, by the time Parliament was informed about its existence, the Stamp Act Congress was already in session.
Massachusetts
Province of Massachusetts Bay
The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
, Rhode Island
Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original English Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America that, after the American Revolution, became the modern U.S...
, Connecticut
Connecticut Colony
The Connecticut Colony or Colony of Connecticut was an English colony located in British America that became the U.S. state of Connecticut. Originally known as the River Colony, it was organized on March 3, 1636 as a haven for Puritan noblemen. After early struggles with the Dutch, the English...
, New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
, New Jersey
Province of New Jersey
The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1776. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherland, but came under English rule after the surrender of Fort Amsterdam in 1664, becoming a...
, Pennsylvania
Province of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II...
, Delaware
Delaware Colony
Delaware Colony in the North American Middle Colonies was a region of the Province of Pennsylvania although never legally a separate colony. From 1682 until 1776 it was part of the Penn proprietorship and was known as the lower counties...
, Maryland
Province of Maryland
The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
, and South Carolina
Province of South Carolina
The South Carolina Colony, or Province of South Carolina, was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
all sent representatives to New York for the congress. Delegates New York only represented particular counties, and not the colony as a whole. The colonies that did not send delegates were Georgia
Province of Georgia
The Province of Georgia was one of the Southern colonies in British America. It was the last of the thirteen original colonies established by Great Britain in what later became the United States...
, North Carolina
Province of North Carolina
The Province of North Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina in British America, which was chartered by eight Lords Proprietor. The province later became the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee....
, Virginia, New Hampshire
Province of New Hampshire
The Province of New Hampshire is a name first given in 1629 to the territory between the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers on the eastern coast of North America. It was formally organized as an English royal colony on October 7, 1691, during the period of English colonization...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Quebec
Province of Quebec (1763-1791)
The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France...
, St. John's Island (present-day Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
), Newfoundland, and East
East Florida
East Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...
and West Florida
West Florida
West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...
.
Proceedings
The proceedings of the Stamp Act Congress were conducted in secret; Rowan UniversityRowan University
Rowan University is a public university in Glassboro, New Jersey, USA with a satellite campus in Camden, New Jersey. The school was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a twenty-five acre tract of land donated by the town...
in New Jersey has the only known copy of the meeting minutes. There were three major issues discussed - trial by Jury, a right of self taxation, and reducing admiralty courts. Robert R. Livingston wrote that what gave the delegates the most trouble was whether to acknowledge the authority of Parliament to regulate trade even though they fully accepted its right to do so. If they admitted that Parliament had the authority to regulate trade it could be constructed as an admission that an external tax to raise revenue was acceptable. Americans would argue interminably about the difference between "external" and "internal" taxes, and their willingness to accept "external" taxes, but not "internal" taxes.
They maintained that while Parliament could make laws and taxes for Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, only colonial assemblies could properly make laws for the colonies, since the colonies had no representation in Parliament. As for Parliament, the colonies could not be represented there, nor did they want to be represented there, since their representatives' objections to colonial taxation could easily be ignored.
On October 19, the delegates adopted a Declaration of Rights and Grievances
Declaration of Rights and Grievances
The Declaration of Rights and Grievances was a document created during the Committees of Correspondence declaring that taxes imposed on British colonists without their formal consent were unconstitutional...
. The delegates could not be convinced to affix their names to the document and only one signature appeared - the clerk of the congress. During the next few days the resolutions were redrafted into three petitions to the king, the Lords, and the Commons. Only six of the colonies agreed to write these petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
s.
Declaration of Rights and Grievances
The Declaration of Rights raised fourteen points of colonial protest. In addition to the specifics of the Stamp Act taxes, it asserted that:- Only the colonial assemblies had a right to tax the colonies.
- Trial by juryTrial by JuryTrial by Jury is a comic opera in one act, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was first produced on 25 March 1875, at London's Royalty Theatre, where it initially ran for 131 performances and was considered a hit, receiving critical praise and outrunning its...
was a right, and the use of Admiralty CourtsAdmiralty courtAdmiralty courts, also known as maritime courts, are courts exercising jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries and offences.- Admiralty Courts in England and Wales :...
was abusive. - Colonists possessed all the Rights of EnglishmenRights of EnglishmenThe rights of Englishmen are the perceived traditional rights of British subjects. The notion refers to various constitutional documents that were created throughout various stages of English history, such as Magna Carta, the Declaration of Right , and others...
. - Without voting rightsVirtual representationIn the early stages of the American Revolution, colonists in the Thirteen Colonies rejected legislation imposed upon them by the British Parliament because the colonies were not represented in Parliament. According to the British constitution, colonists argued, taxes could only be levied on British...
, Parliament could not represent the colonists.
Reaction
The petition left New York in the same ship which had just arrived with the stamps. Dartmouth rejected the petition to the Lords, saying it was an inappropriate document. The House of Commons found all kinds of reasons not to consider the petition: it had been submitted by an unconstitutional assembly; it denied Parliament's right to levy taxes; to accept it would admit that Parliament had erred, etc.This Congress is viewed by some as the first organized action in the prelude to the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
; however, lack of unity plagued the colonies up to and including the beginning of the Revolution.
Representatives
- MassachusettsProvince of Massachusetts BayThe Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland...
- James OtisJames Otis, Jr.James Otis, Jr. was a lawyer in colonial Massachusetts, a member of the Massachusetts provincial assembly, and an early advocate of the political views that led to the American Revolution. The phrase "Taxation without Representation is Tyranny" is usually attributed to him...
, Oliver PartridgeOliver PartridgeOliver Partridge was a military commander and politician in colonial America. He represented Massachusetts at the Albany Congress of 1754, and at the Stamp Act Congress of 1765. He was also the first senior military commander of Massachusetts....
, Samuel AdamsSamuel AdamsSamuel Adams was an American statesman, political philosopher, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. As a politician in colonial Massachusetts, Adams was a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and was one of the architects of the principles of American...
, and Timothy RugglesTimothy RugglesTimothy Dwight Ruggles was an American military leader, jurist and politician. He was a delegate to the first Stamp Act congress of 1765.-Early life:... - ConnecticutConnecticut ColonyThe Connecticut Colony or Colony of Connecticut was an English colony located in British America that became the U.S. state of Connecticut. Originally known as the River Colony, it was organized on March 3, 1636 as a haven for Puritan noblemen. After early struggles with the Dutch, the English...
- Eliphalet DyerEliphalet DyerEliphalet Dyer was a lawyer, jurist, and statesman from Windham, Connecticut. He was a delegate for Connecticut to many sessions of the Continental Congress....
, David Rowland, and William JohnsonWilliam Samuel JohnsonWilliam Samuel Johnson was an early American statesman who was notable for signing the United States Constitution, for representing Connecticut in the United States Senate, and for serving as president of Columbia University.-Early career:... - Rhode IslandColony of Rhode Island and Providence PlantationsThe Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original English Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America that, after the American Revolution, became the modern U.S...
- Metcalf BowlerMetcalf Bowler-Member of the Stamp Act Congress:One of the richest merchants of Rhode Island before the American Revolution, he was chosen to be a Representative of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to the Stamp Act Congress of October 19, 1765....
and Henry Ward - New YorkProvince of New YorkThe Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
- William Bayard, John CrugerJohn Cruger, Jr.John Cruger, Jr. was the speaker of the Province of New York assembly and the Mayor of New York City.He was born July 18, 1710 the son of John Cruger and Maria Cuyler....
, Leonard Lispinard, Robert Livingston, and Philip LivingstonPhilip LivingstonPhilip Livingston was an American merchant and statesman from New York City. He was a delegate for New York to the Continental Congress from 1775 to 1778, and signed the Declaration of Independence.-Family history:... - New JerseyProvince of New JerseyThe Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1776. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherland, but came under English rule after the surrender of Fort Amsterdam in 1664, becoming a...
- Joseph Gordon, Hendrick FisherHendrick FisherHendrick Fisher represented Somerset County in the New Jersey Colonial Assembly, was one of three delegates representing New Jersey at the First Colonial Congress in New York in 1765, was elected to New Jersey's Committee of Correspondence, served as a member of the Committee of Safety, was...
, and Robert Ogden - PennsylvaniaProvince of PennsylvaniaThe Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II...
- George BryanGeorge BryanGeorge Bryan was a Pennsylvania businessman, statesman and politician of the Revolutionary era. He served as the first Vice-President of Pennsylvania and its second President following the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain...
, John DickinsonJohn Dickinson (delegate)John Dickinson was an American lawyer and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware. He was a militia officer during the American Revolution, a Continental Congressman from Pennsylvania and Delaware, a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, President of...
, and John MortonJohn Morton (politician)John Morton was a farmer, surveyor, and jurist from the Province of Pennsylvania. As a delegate to the Continental Congress during the American Revolution, he provided the swing vote that allowed Pennsylvania to vote in favor of the United States Declaration of Independence... - DelawareDelaware ColonyDelaware Colony in the North American Middle Colonies was a region of the Province of Pennsylvania although never legally a separate colony. From 1682 until 1776 it was part of the Penn proprietorship and was known as the lower counties...
- Thomas McKeanThomas McKeanThomas McKean was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolution he was a delegate to the Continental Congress where he signed the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of...
and Caesar RodneyCaesar RodneyCaesar Rodney was an American lawyer and politician from St. Jones Neck in Dover Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, east of Dover... - MarylandProvince of MarylandThe Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
- William MurdockWilliam MurdockWilliam Murdock was a Scottish-born American statesman in colonial Maryland. During the tensions leading up to the American Revolution he was an important spokesman for the rights of the colonists...
, Edward Tilghman, Thomas Ringgold - South CarolinaProvince of South CarolinaThe South Carolina Colony, or Province of South Carolina, was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
- Christopher GadsdenChristopher GadsdenChristopher Gadsden , a soldier and statesman from South Carolina, was the principal leader of the South Carolina Patriot movement in the American Revolution. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and a brigadier general in the Continental Army during the War of Independence...
, Thomas LynchThomas Lynch (statesman)Thomas Lynch was an American planter and statesman from South Carolina. He was a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress of 1765 and the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1776.-Political career:...
, and John RutledgeJohn RutledgeJohn Rutledge was an American statesman and judge. He was the first Governor of South Carolina following the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the 31st overall...
Officers
- John Cotton served as secretary
- Timothy RugglesTimothy RugglesTimothy Dwight Ruggles was an American military leader, jurist and politician. He was a delegate to the first Stamp Act congress of 1765.-Early life:...
of Massachusetts served as president