Final answer:
The Stamp Act Congress complained that the Stamp Act imposed taxes without colonial representation in the British Parliament, and it served as an ongoing revenue source rather than recouping war debts. They petitioned both the king and Parliament for the act's repeal and asserted that the act was unconstitutional and violated their rights as Englishmen.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Stamp Act Congress had several complaints against the Stamp Act, which they expressed in a series of documents including the Declaration of the Rights and Grievances of the Colonies. The main issues were the lack of colonial representation in the British Parliament, which they argued meant they could not be legitimately taxed (no taxation without representation), and the fact that the tax was ongoing, serving as a source of revenue rather than just recouping war debts. The colonists were loyal to the Crown but insisted that taxes could not be imposed without their consent or that of their representatives. Their response to the act was to petition both the king and Parliament, expressing their grievances and asking for the act to be repealed.
Furthermore, the Stamp Act Congress was an impactful display of colonial unity. For the first time, it united various colonies politically to confront a common issue. The economic implications of the act also concerned the delegates, as they weakened local businesses and the overall colonial economy. Their stance was based on the principle that their rights as Englishmen were being violated, specifically their rights to be taxed only by their own consent.