They were almost ready to adjourn, with nothing done, when a tall and slender young man, a new and insignificant member whom few knew, rose in his seat, and began to speak upon the subject.
Some of the rich and aristocratic members looked upon him with indignation. What did this nobody mean in meddling with so weighty a subject as that before them, and which they had already fully debated? But their indignation did not trouble the young man.
He began by offering a series of resolutions, in which he maintained that only the Burgesses and the Governor had the right to tax the People, and that the Stamp Act was contrary to the Constitution of the Colony, and therefore was void.
This was a bold resolution. No one else had dared to go so far. It scared many of the members, and a great storm of opposition arose, but the young man would not yield.
He began to speak, and soon there was flowing from his lips a stream of eloquence that took every one by surprise. Never had such glowing words been heard in that old hall. His force and enthusiasm shook the whole Assembly.
Finally wrought up to the highest pitch of indignant Patriotism, he thundered out the memorable words:—
“Cæsar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third—”
“Treason! Treason!” cried some of the excited members.
But the orator went on:
“—may profit by their example. If this be Treason, make the most of it!”