adding an offer that, if they should prefer any other tax likely to be
equally productive, he should be desirous to consult their wishes in the
matter.

He probably regarded such language on his part as a somewhat superfluous
exercise of courtesy or conciliation, so entire was his conviction of
the omnipotence of Parliament, and of the impossibility of any loyal man
or body of men calling its power in question. But he was greatly
deceived. His message was received in America with universal
dissatisfaction. Of the thirteen States which made up the body of
Colonies, there was scarcely one whose Assembly did not present a
petition against the proposed measure, and against any other which might
be considered as an alternative. Grenville, however, was not a man to be
moved by petitions or remonstrances. He was rather one whom opposition
of any kind hardened in his purpose; and, as no substitute had been
suggested, at the opening of the session of 1765 he proposed a series of
resolutions requisite to give effect to the vote of the previous year,
and imposing "certain stamp-duties and other duties" on the settlements
in America, perhaps thinking to render his disregard of the objections
which had been made less unpalatable by the insertion of words binding
the government to apply the sums to be thus raised to "the expenses of
defending, protecting, and securing" the Colonies themselves. The
resolutions were passed, as the "Parliamentary History" records, "almost
without debate," on the 6th of March.[34] But the intelligence was
received in every part of the Colonies with an indignant
dissatisfaction, which astonished even their own agents in England.[35]
Formidable riots broke out in several provinces. In Massachusetts the
man who had been appointed Distributor of Stamps was burnt in effigy;
the house of the Lieutenant-governor was attacked by a furious mob, who
avowed their determination to murder him if he fell into their hands;