Grievances of the United States Declaration of Independence

: '''''"He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good."'''''

: '''''"He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good."'''''

The colonial assemblies passed various legislation, including ones on governing their [[Slavery|slaves]], creating colonial [[Currency|currencies]], and requesting representatives to be sent to the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|British Parliament]]. However, the King withheld his approval. [[Henry Seymour Conway]], the [[Secretary of State for the Southern Department]], informed the Americans that Parliament would not pursue legal action against colonists who had actively protested against the [[Stamp Act 1765|Stamp Acts]], provided that the assemblies would pay for any damage to public property. In complying with this demand, the Assembly of Massachusetts stated it would be "wholesome and necessary for the public good" to grant a blanket pardon to all who had been engaged in the protests, and passed the act. However, George III refused to ratify it.<ref name="Lossing">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/ourcountryhistor08loss |last=Lossing |first=Benson John |author-link=Benson John Lossing |year=1888 |title=Our Country: A Household History for All Readers, from the Discovery of America to the Present Time, Volume 3 |publisher=Amies Publishing Company|location=Appendix |page=[https://archive.org/details/ourcountryhistor08loss/page/n133 1]-10}}</ref>

"The Colonial Assemblies, from time to time, made enactments touching their commercial operations, the emission of a colonial [[Currency|currency]], and concerning representatives in the imperial [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]], but the assent of the sovereign to these laws was withheld. After the [[Stamp Act 1765|Stamp-Act]] excitements, [[Henry Seymour Conway|Secretary Conway]] informed the Americans that the tumults should be overlooked, provided the Assemblies would make provision for full compensation for all public property which had been destroyed. In complying with this demand, the Assembly of Massachusetts stated it would be 'wholesome and necessary for the public good' to grant free pardon to all who had been engaged in the disturbances, and passed an act accordingly. It would have produced quiet and good feeling; but the royal assent was refused."<ref name="Lossing">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/ourcountryhistor08loss |last=Lossing |first=Benson John |author-link=Benson John Lossing |year=1888 |title=Our Country: A Household History for All Readers, from the Discovery of America to the Present Time, Volume 3 |publisher=Amies Publishing Company|location=Appendix |page=[https://archive.org/details/ourcountryhistor08loss/page/n133 1]-10}}</ref>

Self-governance was at the heart of the [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Fathers]]' concerns, and each time George III refused to ratify Colonial legislation, he intensified that concern.<ref>[https://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3506&context=wlulr Natural Rights And The Founding Fathers - The Virginians], Washington and Lee Law Review</ref><ref>[[Federalist No. 39]], paragraph 2</ref>

Self-governance was at the heart of the [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Fathers]]' concerns, and each time George III refused to ratify Colonial legislation, he intensified that concern.<ref>[https://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3506&context=wlulr Natural Rights And The Founding Fathers - The Virginians], Washington and Lee Law Review</ref><ref>[[Federalist No. 39]], paragraph 2</ref>