Chap. 5 Imperial Breakdown 1763-1774

Virginia’s HomeRule Threatened3Robert Dinwiddie(1693-1770)Lt-Gov. of Virginia1751-1758July 4, 1751 Lt Gov Dinwiddietook office at Williamsburg.1753. The 50-year harmoniousrelationship between RoyalGovernors and the House ofBurgesses is broken byDinwiddie who spurned colonialpolitics and insisted on hisabsolute royal prerogative.• Dinwiddie instituted a fee of onepistole (17 shillings) for every landpatent filed. This gave him wealthenough to avoid the usual bribery.• When the HOB protested that hehad imposed an unlawful tax thatendangered colonial liberty,Dinwiddie “permanently”dissolved the assembly.Ch 5 Impl Breakdown 1763-74(24)