james otis the pre-revolutionist-第13章

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After　two　years　of　practice　in　Plymouth；　he　removed　to　Boston　（1750）；　where　he　found　the　larger　field　which　was　demanded　by　his　superior　training　and　abilities；　and　he　very　soon　rose　to　the　front　rank　of　his　profession。

The　regard　which　he　entertained　for　his　master　in　the　law　is　well　shown　by　his　conduct　as　the　opposing　advocate　during　the　hearing　on　the　Writs　of　Assistance；　when　Otis　having　resigned　his　post　of　Advocate…General　of　the　Province　in　order　to　champion　the　people's　cause；　the　vacancy　was　filled　by　the　appointment　of　Gridley。　　Otis　held　the　character　and　abilities　of　his　former　teacher　in　very　high　respect；　and　allowed　this　differential　feeling　to　appear　throughout　the　trial。　　〃It　was；〃　says　John　Adams；　who　was　present　on　this　occasion；　and　from　whom　nearly　all　the　details　of　the　course　of　this　affair　are　derived；　〃it　was　a　moral　spectacle　more　affecting　to　me　than　any　I　have　ever　seen　upon　the　stage；　to　observe　a　pupil　treating　his　master　with　all　the　deference；　respect；　esteem；　and　affection　of　a　son　to　a　father；　and　that　without　the　least　affectation；　while　he　baffled　and　confounded　all　his　authorities；　confuted　all　his　arguments；　and　reduced　him　to　silence。〃　　Nor　was　a　suitable　return　wanting　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Gridley；　who　〃seemed　to　me　to　exult　inwardly　at　the　glory　and　triumph　of　his　pupil。〃

Though　he　made　no　pretensions　to　scholarship；　some　of　his　writings　showed　a　cultivated　taste　and　a　love　of　literary　pursuits；　which　were　gratified　so　far　as　his　numerous　engagements　in　public　service　would　permit。　　With　a　literary　taste　formed　and　matured　by　the　study　of　Latin　and　Greek　prosidy　as　constituted　in　the　best　models　of　antiquity；　it　is　not　surprising　that　his　opinions　on　matters　of　criticism　and　scholarship　were　those　of　the　Odd　school；　and　that　he　decried　all　the　forms　of　innovation　in　letters　which　had　begun　to　show　themselves　in　his　day；　and　which　he　regarded　as　affectations。　　His　constant　advice　to　young　people　was　if　you　want　to　read　poetry；　read　Shakespeare；　Milton；　Dryden；　and　Pope；　throw　all　the　rest　in　the　fire。　　And　with　the　addition　of　but　one　or　two　names　which　have　appeared　since　his　time；　such　counsel　is　judicious　advice　even　to…day。　

His　abilities　were；　perhaps；　somewhat　overrated　in　the　admiring　judgment　of　his　contemporaries。　　His　style　as　a　writer　was　copious　and　energetic；　but　it　was　sometimes　careless；　coarse　and　even　incorrect。　　His　eloquence　was　better　adapted　to　popular　assemblies　than　to　the　graver　occasions　of　legislative　debate；　in　the　halls　of　justice；　it　produced　a　greater　effect　on　the　jury　than　on　the　judge。　　〃The　few　fragments　of　his　speeches　that　were　reported　and　are　now　extant　give　no　idea　of　the　enthusiasm　that　was　created　by　their　delivery。　　The　elevation　of　his　mind；　and　the　known　integrity　of　his　purposes；　enabled　him　to　speak　with　decision　and　dignity；　and　commanded　the　respect　as　well　as　the　admiration　of　his　audience。〃　　While　his　arguments　were　sometimes　comprehensive　and　varied；　they　generally　related　only　to　a　few　points　which　they　placed　in　a　very　clear　and　convincing　light。　　His　object　was　immediate　effect。　　He　had　studied　the　art　of　clear　expression　and　forcible　argument　in　order　to　act　with　facility　and　force　upon　the　minds　of　others　to　such　an　extent　as　to　convince　them；　and　then　to　convert　their　conviction　into　action。　　He　employed　the　facility　and　the　power　thus　gained　not　for　any　personal　agrandizement；　but　to　advocate　political　reform　for　the　good　of　the　whole　people。

In　the　latter　part　of　his　speech　on　the　Writs　of　Assistance；　he　discussed　the　incompatibility　of　the　acts　of　trade　as　lately　adopted　by　the　English　Ministry　with　the　charter　of　the　colony。　　In　so　doing　〃he　reproached　the　nation；　Parliament；　and　King；〃　says　John　Adams；　〃with　injustice；　illiberality；　ingratitude；　and　oppression；　in　their　conduct　towards　the　people　of　this　country；　in　a　style　of　oratory　that　I　never　heard　equalled　in　this　or　any　other　country。〃　　As　to　the　effect　of　this　oration　in　increasing　the　courage　of　the　colonists；　inciting　them　to　scrutinize　more　closely　and　resist　more　strenuously；　the　claims　of　the　British　Ministry　and　Parliament；　we　have　Adams's　significant　statement；　〃I　do　say　in　the　most　solemn　manner　that　Mr。　Otis's　oration　against　Writs　of　Assistance　breathed　into　this　nation　the　breath　of　life。〃

The　longest　and　most　elaborate　production　from　his　pen　is　the　pamphlet　on　the　〃Rights　of　the　Colonies。〃　　It　affords　a　fair　specimen　of　his　impetuous　and　inaccurate　rhetoric；　his　rapid　and　eager　manner　of　accumulating　facts；　arguments；　and　daring　assertions；　and　the　〃glowing　earnestness　and　depth　of　patriotic　feeling　with　which　all　his　compositions　are　animated。〃　　It　is　not　surprising　that　a　book　written　in　this　style　caused　the　author　to　be　suspected　of　wildness　and　even　of　madness。　　But　there　was；　as　Bowen　remarks；　a　method　and　a　good　deal　of　logical　power　in　his　madness。

The　pamphlet　was　reprinted；　circulated；　and　read　in　Great　Britain　and　even　attracted　the　attention　of　the　House　of　Lords。　　In　February；　1766；　during　a　debate　in　that　body　on　the　disturbances　in　America；　Lord　Littleton　made　some　allusion　to　the　peculiar　opinions　of　Mr。　Otis；　and　spoke　slightingly　of　his　book。　　Lord　Mansfield　replied；　〃With　respect　to　what　has　been　said；　or　written；　upon　this　subject；　I　differ　from　the　noble　Lord；　who　spoke　of　Mr。　Otis　and　his　book　with　contempt；　though　he　maintained　the　same　doctrine　in　some　points；　although；　in　others；　he　carried　it　further　than　Otis　himself；　who　allows　everywhere　the　supremacy　of　the　crown　over　the　colonies。　　No　man　on　such　a　subject　is　contemptible。　　Otis　is　a　man　of　consequence　among　the　people　there。　　They　have　chosen　him　for　one　of　their　deputies　at　the　Congress；　and　general　meeting　from　the　respective　governments。　　It　was　said　the　man　is　mad。　　What　then？　　One　madman　often　makes　many。　　Massaniello　was　mad；　no　body　doubts；　yet　for　all　that；　he　overturned　the　government　of　Naples。　　Madness　is　catching　in　all　popular　assemblies；　and　upon　all　popular　matters。

The　book　is　full　of　wildness。　　I　never　read　it　till　a　few　days　ago；　for　I　seldom　look　into　such　things。〃

In　some　of　his　arguments　he　lays　down　general　principles　with　a　quaint　extravagance　which　marks　the　peculiar　humor　of　the　man。　　〃No　government　has　the　right　to　make　hobby…horses；　asses；　and　slaves　of　the　subject；　nature　having　made　sufficient　of　the　two　former；　for　all　the　lawful　purposes　of　man；　from　the　harmless　peasant　in　the　field　to　the　most　refined　politician　in　the　cabinet；　but　none　of　the　last；　which　infallibly　proves　that　they　are　unnecessary。〃　　〃The　British　constitution　of　government　as　now　established　in　his　Majesty's　person　and　family；　is　the　wisest　and　best　in　the　world。　　The　King　of　Great　Britain　is　the　best　as　well　as　the　most　glorious　monarch　upon　the　globe；　and　his　subjects　the　happiest　in　the　universe。　　The　French　King　is　a　despotic；　arbitrary　prince；　and；　consequently；　his　subjects　are　very　miserable。〃　　The　last　specimen　which　we　shall　quote　comes　from　his　defence　of　the　objectionable　passage　in　the　remonstrance　drawn　up　by　Otis　on　behalf　of　the　Assembly　of　1762　against　Governor　Bernard's　conduct　in　increasing　the　expenses　of　the　colony　without　previously　obtaining　the　consent　of　the　Legislature。　　This　passage　was　as　follows：　　〃No　necessity　can　be　sufficient　to　justify　a　House　of　Representatives　in　giving　up　such　a　privilege；　for　it　would　be　of　little　consequence　to　the　people；　whether　they　were　subject　to　George　or　Louis；　the　King　of　Great　Britain　or　the　French　King；　if　both　were　arbitrary；　as　both　would　be；　if　both　could　levy　taxes　without　Parliament。〃　　Afterwards　in　commenting　on　this　passage　he　made　the　following　defense　of　its　apparent　unpatriotic　sentiment。　　〃It　may　be　objected；　that　there　are　some　differences　between　arbitrary　princes；　in　this　respect；　at　least；　that　some　are　more　rigorous　than　others。　　It　is　granted；　but；　then；　let　it　be　remembered；　that　the　life　of　man　is　a　vapor　that　soon　vanisheth　away；　and　we　know　not　who　may　come　after　him；　a　wise　man　or　a　fool；　though　the　chances；　before　and　since　Solomon；　have　ever　been　in　favor　of　the　latter。〃〃That　I　should　die　very　soon　after　my　head　should　be　struck　off；　whether　by　a　sabre　or　a　broadsword；　whether　chopped　off　to　gratify　a　tyrant　by　the　Christian　name　of　Tom；　Dick；　or　Harry；　is　evident。　　That　the　name　of　the　tyrant　would　be　of　no　more　avail　to　save　my　life；　than　the　name　of　the　executioner；　needs　no　proof。　　It　is；　therefore；　manifestly　of　no　importance　what　a　prince's　Christian　name　is；　if　he　be　arbitrary；　any　more；　indeed；　than　if　he　were　not　arbitrary。　　So　the　whole　amount　of　this　dangerous　proposition　may；　at　least　in　one　view；　be　reduced　to　this；　viz。：　　It　is　of　little　importance　what　a　king's　Christian　name　is。　　It　is；　indeed；　of　importance；　that　a　king；　a　governor；　and　all　good　Christians；　should　have　a　Christian　name；　but　whether　Edward；　Francis；　or　William；　is　of　none；　that　I　can　discern。〃

A　passage　ascribed　to　Otis　during　a　session　of　the　legislature　at　Cambridge　gives　some　idea　of　the　character　of　his　invective。　　It　had　been　said　in　defence　of　some　measure　that　it　had　been　taken　by　the　advice　of　Council；　when　Otis　exclaimed；　〃Ay；　by　the　advice　of　Council；　forsooth！　　And　so　it　goes；　and　so　we　are　to　be　ruined！　　The　Council　are　governed　by　his　Excellency；　his　Excellency　by　Lord　Hillsborough；　Lord　Hillsborough　by　his　Majesty；　his　Majesty　by　Lord　Bute；　and　Lord　Bute　by　the　Lord　knows　who。　　This　recalls　to　mind　what　used　to　be　said　when　I　was　a　student　in　this　place。　　It　was　observed　at　that　time；　that　the　President　directed　the　scholars　how　they　should　act；　madame　directed　the　President；　Titus；　their　black　servant；　governed　madame；　and　the　devil　prompted　Titus。〃

The　most　comprehensive　and　just　appreciation　of　the　character　and　work　of　Otis　is　given　us　by　Francis　Bowen　in　Jared　Spark's　Library　of　American　Biography。　　In　part　he　says：　　〃The　services　which　Mr。　Otis　rendered　to　this　country　were　so　conspicuous　and　important；　that　it　is　difficult　to　form　an　estimate　of　his　character　with　the　impartiality　that　history　requires。　　　Gratitude　might　justly　efface　the　memory　of　his　faults　from　the　minds　of　those　who　have　profited　so　largely　by　his　patriotism　and　his　virtues。　　But　it　is　not　necessary　thus　to　seek　excuses　for　his　failings；　or　reasons　for　covering　up　the　errors　that　he　committed。　　The　defects　of　his　temperament　and　conduct　may　be　freely　mentioned；　for　they　are　not　such　as　materially　lessen　our　respect　for　him　as　a　man。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　　　〃As　the　vindicator　of　American　rights；　during　the　period　of　colonial　subordination；　as　the　acknowledged　leader；　in　Massachusetts；　of　the　constitutional　opposition　to　ministerial　influence　and　parliamentary　usurpation；　the　services　of　Mr。　Otis　cannot　be　too　highly　appreciated。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　　　〃He　was　not　permitted　to　witness　the　grand　result　of　his　labors。　　He　did　not　live　to　enjoy　the　final　triumph；　he　can　hardly　be　said　to　have　survived　till　the　opening　of　the　struggle。　　But　the　historian　who　searches　into　the　causes　of　this　great　event；　and　seeks　to　determine　the　comparative　merits　of　the　men　who　achieved　it；　will　dwell　long　upon　the　services；　and　pay　a　just　tribute　of　admiration　and　respect　to　the　memory　of　Jame