Henry M. Gladney

No Taxation Without Representation: 1768 Petition, Memorial, and Remonstrance Henry M. Gladney

The most eloquent and effective taxation protest leading to the American Revolution was sent by Virginia to the British Government. The Virginia House of Burgesses sent a copy to every other colonial assembly, stimulating similar protests from Georgia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina (some copying the wording). Although this protest led directly to the Declaration of Independence, it is not mentioned by history books that should describe and evaluate it.

Called "Petition to His Majesty, Memorial to the House of Lords, and Remonstrance to the House of Commons" (PMR), a 1769 reprint of this missive surfaced in 1994 auction, published by the Virginia Burgesses whose members included George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. "No Taxation without Representation" makes available photographs of this 1769 PMR imprint and also the 1768 manuscript original, together with similar protests from other American colonies. It also links to supporting 18th-century documents.