STAMP. 494 STANDARD. most satisfactory method of collecting revenue upon such articles. Where a stamp tax is im- posed on legal instruments the revenue act usual- ly provides that an instrument shall he void un- less it has the proper stamp. However, the courts are liberal in their construction of such pro- visions, and will usually hold an instrument good if the parties inadvertently have omitted to affix the stamp. Consult: Coolej', Constitutional Limitations ; Parsons, Contract. See Postage Stamps. STAMP ACT. In American history, an act passed by the British Parliament and signed for George III. (then insane) March 22, 1765, "for granting and supplying certain stamp duties, and other duties, in the Brit- ish colonies and plantations in America, towards further defraying the expenses of defending, pro- tecting, and securing the same." This act, which was to go into effect on November 1st, prescribed ( 1 ) that stamped paper be used for legal and official documents, di])!omas, and certificates; (2) that stamps be placed on playing cards, dice, books (excepting those used in the schools), newspapers, pamphlets, calendars, almanacs, and various other articles; and (3) that jury trial be denied to offenders at the discretion of the authorized prosecuting officers. Lord Grenville had given notice in JIarch, 1764, of an intention to introduce such an act, and the various colonies had protested vigorously through their author- ized agents, but had been unable to suggest any satisfactory substitute. News of its actual pas- sage reached America early in May, 1765, and im- mediately a fierce opposition everywhere mani- fested itself on the ground that the colonists were not represented in Parliament and therefore could not legally be taxed without their formal consent. It was urged, moreover, that the duties would be exceedingly burdensome and would cause the withdrawal from circulation of what little specie there was in various colonies. The stamp agents were nearly everywhere compelled by the 'Sons of Liberty'" (q.v.) to resign or to destroy their stamps, or Imtli. while many of them were mobbed and much property was de- stroyed ; so that by the time it was to go into effect the act had been virtually nullified. Resolutions, moreover, wei'e passed by many of the colonial assemblies, notabl,v bv Vir- ginia (May 30th) (see Henry, Patrick), insisting on the general rights of the col- onists as British sub,jects, and denying the jurisdiction of Parliament over the colonial pocketbook. The famous Stamp Act Congress, composed of delegates from New York, Massa- chusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Penns.vlvania. Delaware, Marvland, and South Carolina, assembled at New York on October 7 th, in pursuance of a circular letter sent out June 8th by Massachusetts, and issued a dignified "Declaration of Rights and Grievances," a formal address to the King, and petitions to each House of Parliament. In addition many able pamphlets were written to oppose the act, and on Novem- ber 1st, when it was to go into effect, bells were tolled, flags were placed at half-mast, and news- papers were put in mourning. Finallv, on March 18, 1766, after a long and bitter debate. Parlia- ment repealed the objectionable measure, having previousl.y, however, passed (March 7th) a "De- claratory Act" asserting a right to "bind the colonies and people of America ... in all cases whatsoever." The repeal caused great re- joicing throughout America, though dissatisfac- tion was soon expressed with regard to the Declaratory Act. The whole affair has been re- garded as one of the chief immediate causes of the Revolution. For the text of the act, consult Pickering's titatutes at Large, xxvi. Consult also Frothingham, Rise of the Rcpuhlic (Boston, 1872), and Tjler, Literary History of the Amer- ican Revolution (New York, 1896). STAMPING OF METALS. See Dies and DiE-Si.Ki.NG ; Mint. STAMP MILL. See Grinding and Crush- ing Machinery. STAN'BEBY, Henry (1803-81). An Ameri- can lawyer and jurist, born in New York Cit.y. He was educated at Washington College, Pa., was admitted to the bar in 1824, and for several years was in circuit practice in Lancaster Coun- t.y, Ohio. In 1846 he became the first Attorne.v- General of the State, and in 1866 was appointed Attorne,v-General of the United States under An- drew .Johnson. This office he held until 1868, when he resigned to act as counsel for the Presi- dent during the impeachment proceedings. He was then nomin.ated for the Supreme Court bench, but the appointment was not confirmed b,v the Senate, and he resumed his professional labors in Cincinnati. STANDARD. A battle-flag; in a broader sense, the emblem of a ruler or a nation. On the Egj-ptian monuments are representa- tions of standards, usually consisting of the image of some sacred animal, a fan or semi- circular disk, an ostrich feather, the symbol of victory, the name of the king, or some other sym- bolic device. The standard-bearer was an offi- cer of approved valor, and distinguished by a badge representing two lions s,vmbolizing cour- age, and two other emblems of doubtful mean- ing. In an Egyptian representation of the siege of a towTi of the Khita, the enem,v appear to have as a standard a shield pierced with arrows. The Bible also refers to the use of banners or standards to mark the divisions and subdivi- sions of the children of Israel on their march from Egvpt to Palestine. The Ass.vrian monu- ments show standards attached to the chariots. These are circular disks mounted on a pole, and bear the ini.ige of two bulls galloping in opposite directions, a disk supported on two bulls' heads, or the god Asshur represented as an archer standing on the back of one or two bulls. Ac- cording to Xenophon the Persian standard was a golden eagle. The Greeks do not seem to have used flags or standards of anv kind, though we hear on some occasions that the signal was given by displaying a scarlet cloak on a spear or pole. Legend claimed that the first Roman standard was a wisp of hay (maniptilus) on a pole. In historic times, however, we find a thorough sys- tem of military standards or signa. One of these belon,ged to each maniple (consisting of two centuries), and their details naturall.v dif- fered from the legion and the nature of the troops, for the auxiliaries and cavalry natu- rally bore ensigns not like those of Roman legion- aries. As represented on the monuments, the signvm of the maniple of the legion was a long pole, shod with metal, and near the top a
