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line; but protests and petitions were unavailing.
Parliament enacted the stamp bill into
law, and the alternatives presented were submission
or resistance. There was a painful
silence throughout the
colonies. In the North
"there was no declared
purpose of action." The
usual and constitutional
method of petition and
remonstrance, often resorted
to in the past history
of the colonies
against governmental action,
had been tried. Otis
advised submission, and
was elected by Boston to a seat in the Legislature.
When the Massachusetts Legislature
met, Oliver, the stamp distributor, was elected
councillor. Samuel Adams advised only a
meeting of the colonies to confer on the condition
of things. It was a supreme moment,
but Virginia rose to the occasion. From
the Capitol at Williamsburg rang out the
clarion voice of Patrick Henry. He maintained
by resolutions that the inhabitants of
Virginia inherited from the first adventurers
