Resolves of Parliament and Address to the King – 1769

“Resolved, by the Lords and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament assembled, that the votes, resolutions, and proceedings of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts Bay, in the months of January and February,one thousand seven hundred and sixty-eight, respecting several late Acts of Parliament...in all cases whatsoever, are illegal, unconstitutional, and derogatory of the right s of the Crown and Parliament of Great Britain...that the resolution of the said House of Representatives of the province of Massachusetts Bay, to write letters to the several houses of representatives of the British colonies on the continent desiring them to join with the said House of Representatives of the province of Massachusetts in petitions which do deny, or draw into question, the right of Parliament to impose duties and taxes upon his Majesty's subjects in America; and in pursuance of the said resolution, the writing such letters in which certain late Acts of Parliament, imposing duties and taxes , are stated to be infringements of the rights of his Majesty's subjects of the said province, are proceedings of a most unwarrantable and dangerous nature, calculated to inflame the minds of his Majesty's subjects in the other colonies, tending to create unlawful combination...that the declarations, resolutions, and proceedings in the town meetings at Boston, on the 14^th of June, and the 12^th September, were illegal and unconstitutional, and calculated to excite sedition and insurrections in his Majesty's province of Massachusetts Bay...that the appointment at the town meeting on the 12^th September of a convention to be held in the town of Boston on the 22^nd of that month to consist of deputies from the several towns and districts in the province of the Massachusetts Bay, and the writing of a letter by the selectmen of the town of Boston to each of the said towns and districts, for the election of such deputies were proceedings subversive of his Majesty's government...that the elections by several towns and districts in the province of Massachusetts Bay of deputies to sit in the said convention and the meeting of such conventions, in consequence thereof were daring insults offered to his Majesty's authority, and audacious usurpations of the powers of government...we conceive that nothing can be more immediately necessary, either for the maintenance of your Majesty's subjects therein from being further deluded by the arts of wicked and designing men than to proceed, in the most speedy and effectual manner for bringing to condign punishment the chief authors and instigators of the late disorders, we most humbly beseech your Majesty that you will be graciously pleased to direct your Majesty's governor of Massachusetts Bay to take the most effectual methods of procuring the fullest information that can be obtained, touching all treasons, or misprisons of treason committed within his government, since the thirtieth day of December and to transmit the same, together with the names of the persons who were most active in the commission of such offenses, to one of your Majesty's principal secretaries of state, in order that your Majesty may issue a special commission for inquiring of, heating, and determining the said offenses...” 

George III, February 9, 1769