james otis the pre-revolutionist-第14章

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　tribute　of　admiration　and　respect　to　the　memory　of　James　Otis。〃


THE　USE　AND　ABUSE　OF　ARBITRARY　POWER；　　Including　Tracts　from　Burke；　0tis　and　Wilkes。　　By　Charles　K。　Edmunds；　Ph。D。

It　is　the　honor　of　England　that　she　had　deposited　in　the　virgin　soil　of　her　colonies　the　germ　of　freedom。　　Nearly　all　at　their　foundation；　or　shortly　after；　received　charters　which　conferred　the　franchises　of　the　mother　country　on　the　colonists。　　These　charters　were　neither　a　vain　show　nor　a　dead　letter；　but　really　did　establish　and　allow　powerful　institutions　which　impelled　the　colonists　to　defend　their　liberty；　and　to　control　the　power　by　participating　in　it　as　constituted　in　the　grant　of　supplies；　the　election　of　public　councils；　trial　by　jury；　and　the　right　of　assembling　to　discuss　the　general　affairs。　　To　us　of　to…day　these　appear　as　common…sense　or　logically　necessary　rights；　but　we　must　remember　that　in　those　early　days　of　colonization　they　were　distinct　privileges　accorded　in　power　to　the　colonists。　　And　it　is　in　these　very　privileges　that　we　behold　the　germinating　principle　which　was　ultimately　to　bring　to　life　the　new　republic　then　as　yet　unborn。　　For　as　Thomas　Jefferson　afterward　wrote；　〃where　every　man　is　a　sharer　in　the　direction　of　his　town…republic；　and　feels　that　he　is　a　participator　in　the　government　of　affairs；　not　merely　at　an　election　one　day　in　the　year；　but　every　day；　when　there　shall　not　be　a　man　in　the　State　who　will　not　be　a　member　of　some　one　of　its　councils；　great　or　small；　he　will　let　the　heart　be　torn　out　of　his　body　sooner　than　allow　his　power　to　be　wrested　from　him　by　a　Caesar　or　a　Bonaparte。　　How　powerfully　did　we　feel　the　energy　of　this　organization　in　the　case　of　the　embargo！〃

Notwithstanding　the　widely　different　origin　of　the　various　colonists；　the　circumstances　in　which　they　were　placed　were　so　similar；　that　the　same　general　form　of　personal　character　must　inevitably　have　developed　itself；　and　produced　a　growing　consciousness　of　power　and　impatience　of　foreign　imposition。　　The　proximate　independence　of　America　need　not　have　been　a　certainty；　however；　had　the　eyes　of　English　statesmen　not　been　blinded　to　the　truth　of　the　principles　urged　by　such　men　as　Otis　in　America　and　Burke　in　England。　　The　causes　which　were　to　produce　a　final　rupture　were；　to　be　sure；　already　at　work　（their　full　operation　being　delayed　by　the　lack　of　union　among　the　different　provinces）；　but　there　was　at　the　same　time　a　warm　hereditary　attachment　to　the　parent　country；　under　whose　wings　the　provinces　had　grown　up；　by　whose　arms　they　had　been　shielded；　and　by　whose　commerce；　in　spite　of　jealous　restrictions；　they　had　been　enriched。

Indeed　life　in　the　Colonies　was　so　closely　related　to　that　in　the　mother　country　that　in　a　very　marked　degree；　the　history　of　the　Colonies　is　only　the　more　practical　and　laborious　development　of　the　spirit　of　liberty　flourishing　amid　the　conditions　of　life　in　the　new　country　under　the　standard　of　the　laws　and　traditions　of　the　old　country。　　As　the　eminent　philosophical　historian；　M。　Guizat；　has　said；　〃It　might　be　considered　the　history　of　England　herself。〃　　The　resemblance　is　the　more　striking　when　we　remember　that　the　majority　of　the　American　Colonies　and　the　more　important　of　them　were　founded　or　increased　the　most　rapidly　at　the　very　epoch　when　England　was　preparing　to　sustain；　and　in　part　already　sustaining；　those　fierce　conflicts　against　the　pretensions　of　absolute　power　which　were　to　obtain　for　her　the　honor　of　giving　to　the　world　the　first　example　of　a　great　nation　free　and　well　governed。

How　similarly　the　state　of　affairs　appeared；　in　the　eyes　of　those　who　were　not　blinded　by　self…interest；　on　both　sides　of　the　Atlantic；　is　shown　by　the　following　extracts　from　Burke　and　Otis。

In　1770　Burke　thus　described　the　social　and　political　conditions　both　at　home　and　in　the　Colonies：　　〃That　the　government　is　at　once　dreaded　and　contemned；　that　the　laws　are　despoiled　of　all　their　respected　and　salutary　terrors；　that　their　inaction　is　a　subject　of　ridicule　and　their　enforcement　of　abhorrence；　that　rank；　and　office；　and　title；　and　all　the　solemn　plausibilities　of　the　world；　have　lost　their　reverence　and　effect；　that　our　foreign　politics　are　as　much　deranged　as　our　domestic　economy；　that　our　dependencies　are　slackened　in　their　affection　and　loosened　from　their　obedience；　that　we　know　neither　how　to　yield　nor　how　to　enforce；　that　hardly　anything　above　or　below；　abroad　or　at　home；　is　sound　and　entire；　but　that　disconnection　and　confusion；　in　office；　in　parties；　in　families；　in　parliament；　in　the　nation；　prevail　beyond　the　disorders　of　any　former　time；　these　are　facts　universally　admitted　and　lamented。〃

When　in　1768　troops　were　sent　to　Boston　to　prevent　a　repetition　of　the　disturbances　which　had　resulted　from　the　arbitrary　and　insulting　manner　in　which　the　commissioners　of　customs　exercised　their　office；　Otis　was　chosen　moderator　of　the　town　meeting　held　in　protest；　and　is　reported　to　have　declared　〃That　in　case　Great　Britain　was　not　disposed　to　redress　their　grievances　after　proper　applications；　the　inhabitants　had　nothing　more　to　do；　but　to　gird　the　sword　to　the　thigh；　and　shoulder　the　musket。〃　　Another　account　presents　a　somewhat　more　temperate　tone；　representing　Otis　as　〃strongly　recommending　peace　and　good　order；　and　the　grievances　the　people　labored　under　might　in　time　be　removed；　if　not；　and　we　were　called　on　to　defend　our　liberties　and　privileges；　he　hoped　and　believed　we　should；　one　and　all；　resist　even　unto　blood；　but　at　the　same　time；　he　prayed　Almighty　God　it　might　never　so　happen。〃

The　change　from　favorable　conditions　both　in　England　and　in　the　Colonies　to　the　state　of　unrest　depicted　by　these　passages　from　Burke　and　Otis；　had　been　brought　about　by　the　attempt　to　use　strong　measures；　enforced　with　no　just　regard　for　the　welfare　of　the　whole　people。　　The　English　Ministry　failed　to　realize　that　it　is　of　the　utmost　importance　not　to　make　mistakes　in　the　use　of　strong　measures；　that　firmness　is　a　virtue　only　when　it　accompanies　the　most　perfect　wisdom。　　Their　course　of　political　conduct；　combined　with　the　establishment　of　a　system　of　favoritism　both　at　home　and　abroad　like　that　adopted　by　Henry　the　Third　of　France；　produced　results　of　the　same　kind　as　the　latter。

Members　of　parliament　for　the　most　part　were　practically　convinced　that　they　did　not　depend　on　the　affection　or　opinion　of　the　people　for　their　political　being；　and　gave　themselves　over；　with　scarcely　the　appearance　of　reserve；　to　the　influence　of　the　court。　　There　was　thus　developed　both　a　ministry　and　parliament　unconnected　with　the　people；　and　we　have　the　deplorable　picture　of　the　executive　and　legislative　parts　of　a　government　attempting　to　exist　apart　from　their　true　foundationthe　opinion　of　the　people。　　How　signally　such　attempts　have　always　failed　is　a　matter　of　historical　record。　　And　the　steadfast　belief　that　they　always　will　so　fail　constitutes　the　great　force　of　public　opinion　to…day。

Had　the　English　Ministry　and　the　Colonial　Governors；　in　particular　Governor　Bernard　of　Massachusetts；　recognized　certain　cardinal　principles　of　individual　and　national　liberty；　which　were　so　strongly　advocated　by　Burke　and　Otis；　the　course　of　events　in　their　dealing　with　the　colonists　would　in　all　probability　have　been　greatly　different　from　that　actually　developed。　　Burke　declared　that　as　long　as　reputation；　the　most　precious　possession　of　every　individual；　and　as　long　as　opinion；　the　great　support　of　the　state；　depend　entirely　upon　the　voice　of　the　people；　the　latter　can　never　be　considered　as　a　thing　of　little　consequence　either　to　individuals　or　to　governments。　　He　pointed　out　that　nations　are　governed　by　the　same　methods；　and　on　the　same　principles；　by　which　an　individual　without　authority　is　often　able　to　govern　those　who　are　his　equals　or　even　his　superiors；　namely；　by　a　knowledge　of　their　temper；　and　by　a　judicious　management　of　it；　that　is；　when　public　affairs　are　steadily　and　quietly　conducted；　not　when　government　descends　to　a　continued　scuffle　between　the　magistrate　and　the　multitude；　in　which　sometimes　the　one　and　sometimes　the　other　is　uppermost；　each　alternately　yielding　and　prevailing　in　a　series　of　contemptible　victories　and　scandalous　submissions。　　〃The　temper　of　the　people　amongst　whom　he　presides　ought；　therefore；　to　be　the　first　study　of　a　statesman。　　And　the　knowledge　of　this　temper　it　is　by　no　means　impossible　for　him　to　attain；　if　he　has　not　an　interest　in　being　ignorant　of　what　it　is　his　duty　to　learn。〃

Of　course　it　will　not　do　to　think　that　the　people　are　never　in　the　wrong。　They　have　frequently　been　so；　both　in　other　countries　and　in　England；　but　in　all　disputes　between　them　and　their　rulers；　the　presumption　is　at　least　upon　a　par　in　favor　of　the　people。　　History　justifies　us　in　going　even　further；　for　when　popular　discontents　have　been　very　prevalent　something　has　generally　been　found　amiss　in　the　constitution；　or　in　the　conduct　of　the　government。　　As　Burke　declares；　〃the　people　have　no　interest　in　disorder。　　When　they　do　wrong；　it　is　their　error；　and　not　their　crime。　　But　with　the　governing　part　of　the　state　it　is　far　otherwise。　They　certainly　may　act　ill　by　design；　as　well　as　by　mistake。　　*　*　*　If　this　presumption　in　favor　of　the　subjects　against　the　trustees　of　power　be　not　the　more　probable；　I　am　sure　it　is　the　more　comfortable　speculation；　because　it　is　more　easy　to　change　an　administration　than　to　reform　a　people。〃

Very　much　the　same　ideas　are　presented　by　Otis　in　his　article　on　the　〃Rights　of　the　Colonists；〃　and　the　passage　bearing　on　this　present　topic　will　be　given　for　comparison　with　Burke's　treatment。　　The　pamphlet　is　divided　into　four　parts；　treating　respectively　of　the　origin　of　government；　of　colonies　in　general；　of　the　natural　rights　of　colonists；　and　of　the　political　and　civil　rights　of　the　British　colonists。　　The　writer　maintains；　that　government　is　founded　not　as　some　had　supposed　on　compact；　but　as　Paley　afterwards　affirmed；　on　the　will　of　God。　　By　the　divine　will；　the　supreme　power　is　placed　〃originally　and　ultimately　in　the　people；　and　they　never　did；　in　fact；　freely；　nor　can　they　rightfully；　make　an　absolute；　unlimited　renunciation　of　this　divine　right。　　It　is　ever　in　the　nature　of　a　thing　given　in　trust；　and　on　a　condition　the　performance　of　which　no　mortal　can　dispense　with；　namely；　that　the　person　or　persons；　on　whom　the　sovereignty　is　conferred　by　the　people；　shall　incessantly　consult　their　good。　　Tyranny　of　all　kinds　is　to　be　abhorred；　whether　it　be　in　the　hands　of　one；　or　of　the　few；　or　of　the　many。

The　colonies　were　not　at　all　unwilling　to　pay　revenue　to　the　home　government；　if　the　manner　of　payment　was　just　and　right。　　They　were　so　far　from　refusing　to　grant　money　that　the　Assembly　of　Pennsylvania　resolved　to　the　following　effect：　　〃That　they　always　had；　so　they　always　should　think　it　their　duty　to　grant　aid　to　the　crown；　according　to　their　abilities；　whenever　required　of　them　in　the　usual　constitutional　manner。〃　　This　resolution　was　presented　by　Franklin；　who　was　a　member　of　the　Pennsylvania　Assembly；　to　the　Prime　Minister　of　England；　Mr。　Grenville；　before　the　latter　introduced　the　Stamp　Act　into　Parliament。　　Other　colonies　made　similar　resolutions；　and　had　Grenville　instead　of　the　Stamp　Ac