james otis the pre-revolutionist-第12章

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d　present　the　claims　of　the　colonists；　he　was　accused　of　inconsistency　in　opinion　and　action；　and　of　dereliction　of　duty　as　the　acknowledged　leader　of　the　patriotic　party。　　　Combined　with　the　extraordinary　appointment　of　Hutchinson；　which　however　never　took　effect　owing　to　the　opposition　of　Governor　Bernard；　Otis　was　also　charged　with　a　too　absolute　recognition　of　the　supremacy　of　Parliament　in　his　pamphlet　on　the　Rights　of　the　Colonies。　　As　his　father　had　recently　received　a　judicial　appointment；　of　no　great　importance；　however；　some　persons　went　so　far　as　to　suspect　Otis's　fidelity　to　the　cause；　among　whom　was　John　Adams；　as　we　see　from　his　diary　quoted　elsewhere　in　this　paper。　　People　talked　of　a　compromise　in　which　he　was　supposed　to　be　engaged　for　gradually　withdrawing　all　resistance　to　the　proceedings　of　the　ministry。

Such　charges；　however；　were　but　the　indications　of　the　unsteadiness　and　injustice　of　fickle　popular　favor。　　The　sacrifices　which　Otis　made　for　the　cause；　as　told　of　by　himself　in　the　narrative　given　in　this　paper；　were　far　too　heavy　for　his　patriotism　to　be　doubted　for　an　instant；　and　any　remaining　doubt　must　certainly　be　removed　by　a　glance　at　the　official　correspondence　of　Governor　Bernard　in　which　he　is　from　first　to　last　regarded　as　the　chief　opponent　of　the　prerogative　and　is　subjected　to　much　calumny　on　that　account。

The　selection　of　Lieutenant…Governor　Hutchinson　as　the　special　agent　of　the　Colony；　though　appearing　at　first　sight　somewhat　strange；　is　easily　explained　and　appears　as　the　best　possible　choice。　　He　was　a　native　of　the　province；　and　as　such　thoroughly　acquainted　with　its　interests　and　desirous　of　promoting　them。　　A　few　years　before　he　had　given　sound　advice　to　both　Houses　in　relation　to　the　very　matter　of　the　Sugar　Act；　counselling　them　not　to　apply　for　a　reduction　of　the　duty；　lest　they　should　appear　as　indirectly　consenting　to　pay　it　under　any　circumstances；　advice　which　had　prevailed　against　the　preconceived　opinion　of　a　majority　of　both　branches　of　the　legislature。　　Moreover；　Hutchinson's　attachment　to　the　interests　of　the　crown；　and　his　intimate　relations　with　the　ministry；　would　enable　him　to　prosecute　the　suit　of　the　province　to　great　advantage；　whereas　a　known　leader　of　the　popular　party　in　Massachusetts　would　not　be　received　with　much　favor　at　the　Board　of　Trade；　whatever　his　errand。

As　to　Otis's　rather　unstinted　recognition　of　the　prerogatives　of　the　crown　and　the　right　of　Parliament　to　tax　the　Colonies；　we　remark　that　he　had　undoubtedly　the　same　ends　in　view　as　the　other　popular　leaders；　but　he　differed　from　them　in　the　choice　of　the　means；　the　selection　of　arguments；　and　the　proper　mode　of　conducting　the　controversy。　　All　certainly　desired　to　be　exempt　from　taxation　and　to　secure　freedom　of　trade；　the　question　was　how　best　attain　these　ends　and　reconcile　their　pretensions　with　the　acknowledged　principles　of　English　law？　　Otis　opposed　both　the　Sugar　Act　and　the　Stamp　Act　on　the　same　broad　principle　on　which　Hampden　in　England　resisted　the　payment　of　ship…money；　namely；　that　neither　measure　was　sanctioned　by　the　representatives　of　the　people　on　whom　these　contributions　for　the　support　of　the　government　were　to　be　levied。　　He　was　too　good　a　lawyer　to　question　openly　the　abstract　supremacy　of　Parliament；　or　to　deny　the　technical　〃right〃　of　this　body　to　tax　America；　or　to　do　anything　else。　　But　he　affirmed　that　he　could　not　justifiably　exercise　this　right　unless　representatives　elected　by　America　were　admitted　to　sit　in　the　House　of　Commons。　　〃When　Parliament；〃　said　he；　〃shall　think　fit　to　allow　the　colonists　a　representation　in　the　House　of　Commons；　the　equity　of　their　taxing　the　colonists　will　be　as　clear　as　their　power　is　at　present　of　doing　it；　if　they　please。〃　　These　opinions　did　not　coincide　with　the　sentiments　of　the　greater　part　of　the　people　at　this　period；　and　they　were　displeased　with　the　explicit　and　comprehensive　terms　in　which　Otis　acknowledged　the　authority　of　Parliament；　they　did　not　care　to　be　reminded　of　their　subjection　in　such　positive　language。　　Otis's　incautious　use　of　words　may　have　led　him　to　exaggerate　the　sovereignty　of　England　over　her　Colonies；　but　the　course　which　he　pursued　was　undoubtedly　the　most　judicious　one　for　the　interests　of　America。

That　this　criticism　and　disaffection　concerning　Otis　was　of　short　duration；　and　justly　so；　is　shown　by　the　fact　that　at　the　end　of　the　legislative　session　he　was　appointed　chairman　of　the　committee　charged　with　securing　the　co…operation　of　the　other　Colonies　in　a　united　effort　of　opposition　to　the　scheme　for　taxing　America。　　That　he　was　sufficiently　alive　to　the　true　interests　of　the　Colonies　and　watchful　of　any　imposition　upon　their　rights　as　subjects　under　the　English　Constitution；　we　may　cite　one　or　two　brief　extracts　from　the　letter　of　instructions　to　the　provincial　agent　in　England；　written　by　him　and　adopted　by　the　representatives。　　〃The　silence　of　the　province；〃　he　says　in　regard　to　the　Sugar　Act；　〃should　have　been　imputed　to　any　cause；　even　to　despair；　rather　than　be　construed　into　tacit　cession　of　their　rights；　or　an　acknowledgment　of　a　right　in　the　Parliament　of　Great　Britain　to　impose　duties　and　taxes　upon　a　people；　who　are　not　represented　in　the　House　of　Commons。〃　　〃Ireland　is　a　conquered　country；　which　is　not　the　case　with　the　northern　Colonies；　except　Canada；　yet　no　duties　have　been　levied　by　the　British　Parliament　on　Ireland。　　No　internal　or　external　taxes　have　been　assessed　on　them；　but　by　their　own　Parliament。〃　

〃Granting　that　the　time　may　come；　which　we　hope　is　far　off；　when　the　British　Parliament　shall　think　fit　to　oblige　the　North　Americans；　not　only　to　maintain　civil　government　among　themselves；　for　this　they　have　already　done；　but　to　support　an　army　to　protect　them；　can　it　be　possible　that　the　duties　to　be　imposed　and　the　taxes　to　be　levied　shall　be　assessed　without　the　voice　or　consent　of　one　American　in　Parliament？　　If　we　are　not　represented；　we　are　slaves。〃

The　charge　that　Otis　turned　from　his　support　of　the　government　policy　because　his　father　failed　to　receive　the　desired　appointment　as　Chief　Justice　is　as　unfounded　as　it　is　improbable。

The　office　of　Chief　Justice　was　worth　not　over　a　hundred　and　twenty　pounds　sterling　a　year；　and　as　Colonel　Otis's　practice　at　the　bar　was　worth　much　more　than　this；　and　his　seat　in　the　legislature　gave　him　all　the　power　and　reputation　he　needed；　the　loss　of　the　Chief　Justiceship　could　not　have　been　a　very　great　concern　to　him。　　On　the　other　hand　one　of　the　first　measures　of　Otis　in　coming　into　public　life　was　to　resign　his　office　as　Advocate…General　which　was　worth　twice　as　much　as　the　seat　on　the　bench。　　Of　course　a　person　of　his　fiery　disposition　felt　keenly　the　insult　involved　in　the　rejection　of　his　father；　and　doubtless　the　event　imbittered　his　language　towards　Hutchinson；　but　it　would　hardly　be　likely　to　shape　his　whole　political　career　when　public　questions　of　such　great　moment　were　at　stake。

There　was　no　trace　of　meanness　or　selfishness　in　his　disposition。

To　be　sure；　Otis's　admitted　superiority　over　his　legal　associates　and　the　natural　impetuosity　of　his　nature　sometimes　made　him　excessively　dogmatic；　and　his　manner　though　courteous　even　to　a　fineness　towards　those　whom　he　liked　was　imperious　and　even　unguarded　toward　his　political　enemies。　　At　one　time；　having　cited　Dormat　（the　noted　French　jurist；　1625…1696；　author　of　〃The　Civil　Laws　in　their　Natural　Order；〃　1689）　in　the　course　of　an　argument；　Governor　Bernard　inquired　〃who　Dormat　was。〃　　Otis　answered　that　〃he　was　a　very　distinguished　civilian；　and　not　the　less　an　authority　for　being　unknown　to　your　excellency。〃　　Yet　notice　the　high…minded　courtesy　exhibited　in　the　following　incident：　　When　Charles　Lee　was　in　command　of　the　left　wing　of　the　army　with　his　headquarters　at　Winter　Hill；　in　what　is　now　Somerville；　he　refused　to　have　an　interview　and　conference　with　his　old　friend　Burgoyne；　then　lately　arrived　in　Boston；　looking　toward　the　restoration　of　an　amicable　understanding　between　the　colonies　and　the　mother　country。　　Four　months　later；　a　letter　came　from　the　Old　World　containing　a　warning　that　Lee　was　not　a　man　of　trustworthy　character。　　Otis　was　at　that　time　the　executive　head　of　the　provisional　government　which　had　been　formed　in　Massachusetts；　during　one　of　the　last　of　his　lucid　intervals。　　On　behalf　of　the　government　he　sent　a　letter　to　Lee；　quite　touching　for　its　fairminded　simplicity。　　The　council　had　come　into　possesssion　of　a　letter　from　Ireland　making　very　unfavorable　mention　of　Lee。　　It　produced　no　impression　upon　the　council。　　〃On　the　contrary；〃　says　Otis；　〃we　are　at　a　loss　to　know　which　is　the　highest　evidence　of　your　virtuesthe　greatness　and　number　of　your　friends；　or　the　malice　and　envy　of　your　foes。〃　　This　was　a　most　delicate　and　effective　way　of　offering　good　advice。

When　he　had　suffered　so　cruelly　at　the　hands　of　Commissioner　Robinson　and　his　companions　at　the　British　Coffee　House；　and　had　been　awarded　damages　by　the　court；　Otis's　high　spirit　revolted　at　the　idea　of　receiving　pecuniary　compensation　for　a　personal　insult；　and　Robinson's　release　drawn　up　by　Otis　himself　is　to　be　found　in　the　files　of　the　Supreme　Judicial　Court　of　Massachusetts；　along　with　Robinson's　written　acknowledgment　and　apology。　

Next　to　his　impetuous　devotion　to　the　true　relations　of　things；　the　source　of　Otis's　power　lay　in　his　adequate　preparation　for　the　life　of　an　advocate。　　Bred　to　the　law　at　a　time　long　before　the　pathway　had　been　smoothed　by　the　multiplication　of　elementary　works　and　other　modern　improvements；　he　yet　fully　mastered　that　abstruse　science；　which　perhaps　does　more　to　quicken　and　invigorate　the　understanding　than　many　of　the　other　kinds　of　learning　put　together。　　As　a　sufficient　foundation　for　his　later　legal　studies　he　had　pursued　at　Harvard；　the　foremost　college　in　the　colonies；　not　only　the　regular　undergraduate　classical　course；　but　also　the　three　years　of　work　required　for　the　Master's　degree。　　Moreover；　in　conformity　with　his　views　on　the　necessity　of　a　generous　and　comprehensive　culture　of　the　mind　as　a　means　of　success　at　the　bar；　or　in　any　professional　career；　Otis　did　not　plunge　at　once　from　his　collegiate　courses　into　the　routine　of　the　legal　office；　but　allowed　himself　two　years　of　self…directed　general　study　with　a　view　toward　further　disciplining　his　mind　and　widening　his　information。　　The　subjects　thus　pursued　and　the　general　culture　which　he　acquired　served　to　open　and　to　liberalize　his　mind　in　nearly　the　same　proportion　as　the　assiduous　study　of　the　law　was　next　to　invigorate　and　quicken　it。　　In　conversation　with　his　brother　he　remarked；　〃that　Blackstone's　Commentaries　would　have　saved　him　seven　years'　labor　pouring　over　and　delving　in　black　letter。〃　　He　appears　to　have　formed　a　very　correct　judgment　respecting　the　nature　of　professional　education　and　the　best　means　of　mastering　its　abstruse　details。　　He　constantly　inculcated　upon　the　young　men　who　came　to　study　in　his　office　the　maxim；　〃that　a　lawyer　ought　never　to　be　without　a　volume　of　natural　or　public　law；　or　moral　philosophy；　on　his　table　or　in　his　pocket。〃

After　two　years　of　practice　in　Plymouth；　he　removed　to　Boston　（1750）；　where　he　found　the　larger　field　which　was　demanded　by　his　superior　train