james otis the pre-revolutionist-第15章

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into　Parliament。　　Other　colonies　made　similar　resolutions；　and　had　Grenville　instead　of　the　Stamp　Act；　applied　to　the　King　for　proper　requisitional　letters　to　be　circulated　among　the　colonies　by　the　Secretary　of　State；　it　is　highly　probable　that　he　would　have　obtained　more　money　from　the　colonies　by　their　voluntary　grants　than　he　himself　expected　from　the　stamps。　　Such　at　any　rate　is　the　claim　of　Franklin；　who　was　surely　in　a　position　to　feel　the　pulse　of　the　colonies　better　than　any　other　one　man。　　〃But　he　（Grenville）　chose　compulsion　rather　than　persuasion；　and　would　not　receive　from　their　good…will　what　he　thought　he　could　obtain　without　it。　　Thus　the　golden　bridge　which　the　Americans　were　charged　with　unwisely　and　unbecomingly　refusing　to　hold　out　to　the　minister　and　parliament；　was　actually　held　out　to　them；　but　they　refused　to　walk　over　it。〃

The　action　of　the　English　Ministry　in　the　matter　of　the　tea　tax　in　particular；　and　of　the　whole　question　of　American　taxation　in　general；　is　thus　spoken　of　by　Burke　in　his　famous　address　in　the　House　of　Commons：

〃There　is　nothing　simple；　nothing　manly；　nothing　ingenious；　open；　decisive；　or　steady；　in　the　proceeding；　with　regard　either　to　the　continuance　or　the　repeal　of　the　taxes。　　The　whole　has　an　air　of　littleness　and　fraud。　*　*　*　There　is　no　fair　dealing　in　any　part　of　the　transaction。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　　〃No　man　ever　doubted　that　the　commodity　of　tea　could　bear　an　imposition　of　three…pence。　　But　no　commodity　will　bear　three…pence；　or　will　bear　a　penny；　when　the　general　feelings　of　men　are　irritated；　and　two　millions　of　people　are　resolved　not　to　pay。　　The　feelings　of　the　colonists　were　formerly　the　feelings　of　Great　Britain。　　Theirs　were　formerly　the　feelings　of　Mr。　Hampden　when　called　upon　for　the　payment　of　twenty　shillings。　　Would　twenty　shillings　have　ruined　Mr。　Hampden's　fortune？　　No；　but　the　payment　of　half　twenty　shillings；　on　the　principle　it　was　demanded；　would　have　made　him　a　slave。　　*　*　*　It　is　then　upon　the　principle　of　this　measure；　and　nothing　else；　that　we　are　at　issue。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　　〃I　select　the　obnoxious　colony　of　Massachusetts　Bay；　which　at　this　time　（but　without　hearing　her）　is　so　heavily　a　culprit　before　parliamentI　will　select　their　proceedings　even　under　circumstances　of　no　small　irritation。　　For；　a　little　imprudently；　I　must　say；　Governor　Bernard　mixed　in　the　administration　of　the　lenitive　of　the　repeal　no　small　acrimony　arising　from　matters　of　a　separate　nature。　　Yet　see；　Sir；　the　effect　of　that　lenitive；　though　mixed　with　these　bitter　ingredients；　and　how　this　rugged　people　can　express　themselves　on　a　measure　of　concession。

〃'If　it　is　not　in　our　power；'　（say　they　in　their　address　to　Governor　Bernard）；　〃in　so　full　a　manner　as　will　be　expected；　to　show　our　respectful　gratitude　to　the　mother　country；　or　to　make　a　dutiful　and　affectionate　return　to　the　indulgence　of　the　king　and　parliament；　it　shall　be　no　fault　of　ours；　for　this　we　intend；　and　hope　we　shall　be　able　fully　to　effect。'

〃Would　to　God　that　this　tender　had　been　cultivated；　managed；　and　set　in　action；　other　effects　than　those　which　we　have　since　felt　would　have　resulted　from　it。　　On　the　requisition　for　compensation　to　those　who　had　suffered　from　the　violence　of　the　populace；　in　the　same　address　they　say；　'The　recommendation　enjoined　by　Mr。　Secretary　Conway's　letter；　and　in　consequence　thereof　made　to　us；　we　will　embrace　the　first　convenient　opportunity　to　consider　and　act　upon。'　　They　did　consider；　they　did　act　upon；　it。　　They　obeyed　the　requisition。　　I　know　the　mode　has　been　chicaned　upon；　but　it　was　substantially　obeyed；　and　much　better　obeyed　than　I　fear　the　parliamentary　requisition　of　this　session　will　be；　though　enforced　by　all　your　rigour；　and　backed　with　all　your　power。　　In　a　word；　the　damages　of　popular　fury　were　compensated　by　legislative　gravity。　　Almost　every　other　part　of　America　in　various　ways　demonstrated　their　gratitude。　　I　am　bold　to　say；　that　so　sudden　a　calm　recovered　after　so　violent　a　storm　is　without　parallel　in　history。　　To　say　that　no　other　disturbance　should　happen　from　any　other　cause；　is　folly。　　But　as　far　as　appearances　went；　by　the　judicious　sacrifice　of　one　law；　you　procured　an　acquiescence　in　all　that　remained。　　After　this　experience；　nobody　shall　persuade　me；　when　a　whole　people　are　concerned；　that　acts　of　lenity　are　not　means　of　conciliation。〃


〃0PP0SITI0N　T0　ARBITRARY　POWER；〃　By　John　Wilkes；　1763。

While　Otis　and　other　patriots　were　opposing　the　arbitrary　measures　of　the　English　Ministry　in　their　dealings　with　the　Colonies；　certain　men　in　England　were　equally　as　ardent　in　their　opposition　to　such　a　course　whether　pursued　at　home　or　abroad。　　Most　prominent　among　these　were　Edmund　Burke　and　John　Wilkes；　both　members　of　Parliament。　　In　this　connection　the　following　extracts　frown　Wilkes'　article　on　〃Opposition　to　Arbitrary　Power〃　will　be　of　interest。　　This　article　appeared　in　the　famous　No。　45　of　〃The　North　Briton；〃　edited　by　Wilkes；　who　was　very　clever　but　somewhat　profligate。

*　*　*　〃In　vain　will　such　a　minister　（referring　to　Lord　Bute）；　or　the　foul　dregs　of　his　power；　the　tools　of　corruption　and　despotism；　preach　up　in　the　speech　that　spirit　of　concord；　and　that　obedience　to　the　laws；　which　is　essential　to　good　order。　　They　have　sent　the　spirit　of　discord　through　the　land；　and　I　will　prophesy；　that　it　will　never　be　extinguished；　but　by　the　extinction　of　their　power。　　Is　the　spirit　of　concord　to　go　hand　in　hand　with　the　Peace　and　Excise；　through　this　nation？　　Is　it　to　be　expected　between　an　insolent　Excisemen；　and　a　peer；　gentleman；　freeholder；　or　farmer；　whose　private　houses　are　now　made　liable　to　be　entered　and　searched　at　pleasure？　　The　spirit　of　concord　hath　not　gone　forth　among　men；　but　the　spirit　of　liberty　has；　and　a　noble　opposition　has　been　given　to　the　wicked　instruments　of　oppression。　　A　nation　as　sensible　as　the　English；　will　see　that　a　spirit　of　concord　when　they　are　oppressed；　means　a　tame　submission　to　injury；　and　that　a　spirit　of　liberty　ought　then　to　arise；　and　I　am　sure　ever　will；　in　proportion　to　the　weight　of　the　grievance　they　feel。　　Every　legal　attempt　of　a　contrary　tendency　to　the　spirit　of　concord　will　be　deemed　a　justifiable　resistance；　warranted　by　the　spirit　of　the　English　constitution。

〃A　despotic　minister　will　always　endeavor　to　dazzle　his　prince　with　high…flown　ideas　of　the　prerogative　and　honor　of　the　crown；　which　the　minister　will　make　a　parade　of　firmly　maintaining。　　I　wish　as　much　as　any　man　in　the　kingdom　to　see　the　honor　of　the　crown　maintained　in　a　manner　truly　becoming　Royalty。

*　*　*　*　The　prerogative　of　the　crown　is　to　exert　the　constitutional　powers　entrusted　to　it　in　a　way　not　of　blind　favor　and　partiality；　but　of　wisdom　and　judgment。　　This　is　the　spirit　of　our　constitution。　　The　people　too　have　their　prerogative；　and　I　hope　the　fine　words　of　Dryden　will　be　engraven　on　our　hearts：　　'Freedom　is　the　English　Subject's　Prerogative。'〃


JOSEPH　WARREN'S　OPINION　OF　GOVERNOR　BERNARD；　OTIS'S　PRINCIPAL　ENEMY。

Governor　Bernard's　bad　temper　and　bad　taste　in　dealing　with　the　legislature　may　justly　be　ranked　among　the　principal　causes　which　gradually；　but　effectually；　alienated　the　affections　of　the　people　of　Massachusetts；　first　from　the　persons　immediately　charged　with　the　government　of　the　province；　and　finally；　from　the　royal　authority　and　whole　English　dominion。　　〃With　an　arrogant　and　self…sufficient　manner；　constantly　identifying　himself　with　the　authority　of　which　he　was　merely　the　representative；　and　constantly　indulging　in　irritating　personal　allusions；　he　entirely　lost　sight　of　the　courtesy　and　respect　due　to　a　co…ordinate　branch　of　the　government；　and　made　himself　ridiculous；　while　he　was　ruining　the　interests　of　the　sovereign　whom　he　was　most　anxious　to　serve。　　Even　Hutchinson；　as　we　learn　from　the　third　volume　of　his　History；　though　he　was　attached　to　the　same　policy；　and　favored　the　same　measures；　censures　the　tone　of　Bernard's　messages　as　ungracious；　impolitic；　and　offensive。〃

Popular　animosity　against　Governor　Bernard　waxed　exceedingly　strong　during　the　controversy　concerning　the　circular　letter　sent　by　the　Massachusetts　Assembly　to　each　House　of　Representatives　in　the　thirteen　Colonies；　in　which　the　Colonies　were　urged　to　concert　a　uniform　plan　for　remonstrance　against　the　government　policy。　　Bernard　sent　advices　to　England　declaring　that　stringent　measures　were　imperative。　　Among　those　who　were　particularly　vehement　in　their　denunciation　of　Bernard's　character　and　conduct　was　Joseph　Warren；　a　young　physician　of　twenty…seven　years；　Otis's　brother…in…law；　for　some　time　a　writer　for　the　papers；　who　was　even　more　drastic　than　Otis　in　his　arraignment　of　Bernard's　tactics　as　governor；　and　who　caused　somewhat　of　a　sensation　by　publishing　the　following　in　the　〃Boston　Gazette〃　of　February　29；　1768。　　（Warren　was　killed　while　serving　as　a　volunteer　aide　at　the　battle　of　Bunker　Hill。）

〃We　have　for　a　long　time　known　your　enmity　to　this　Province。　　We　have　had　full　proof　of　your　cruelty　to　a　loyal　people。　　No　age　has；　perhaps；　furnished　a　more　glaring　instance　of　obstinate　perseverance　in　the　path　of　malice。　　*　*　*　Could　you　have　reaped　any　advantage　from　injuring　this　people；　there　would　have　been　some　excuse　for　the　manifold　abuses　with　which　you　have　loaded　them。　　But　when　a　diabolical　thirst　for　mischief　is　the　alone　motive　of　your　conduct；　you　must　not　wonder　if　you　are　treated　with　open　dislike；　for　it　is　impossible；　how　much　soever　we　endeavor　it；　to　feel　any　esteem　for　a　man　like　you。　　*　*　*　Nothing　has　ever　been　more　intolerable　than　your　insolence　upon　a　late　occasion　when　you　had；　by　your　jesuitical　insinuations；　induced　a　worthy　minister　of　state　to　form　a　most　unfavorable　opinion　of　the　Province　in　general；　and　some　of　the　most　respectable　inhabitants　in　particular。　　You　had　the　effrontery　to　produce　a　letter　from　his　Lordship　as　a　proof　of　your　success　in　calumniating　us。　　*　*　*　We　never　can　treat　good　and　patriotic　rulers　with　too　great　reverence。　　But　it　is　certain　that　men　totally　abandoned　to　wickedness　can　never　merit　our　regard；　be　their　stations　ever　so　high。

'If　such　men　are　by　God　appointed；　The　Devil　may　be　the　Lord's　anointed。'　A　TRUE　PATRIOT。

Hutchinson　tried　to　induce　the　grand　jury　to　indict　Warren　for　libel　on　account　of　this　intemperate　attack。　　The　jury；　however；　returned　〃ignoramus；〃　and　the　Governor　had　to　bear　the　affront；　which　was　but　one　of　a　series　directed　against　him　during　his　remaining　days　in　America。

On　the　other　hand；　direct　attacks　were　also　made　against　Otis；　and　some　were　marked　by　scurrility　and　coarseness　of　language；　which　could　not　fail　to　arouse　a　man　of　his　temper　and　fine　sense　of　honor。　　How　he　did　regard　them　appears　from　the　following　extract　from　a　letter　to　his　sister；　Mrs。　Warren：

〃Tell　my　dear　brother　Warren　to　give　himself　no　concern　about　the　scurrilous　piece　in　Tom　Fleet's　paper。　　It　has　served　me　as　much　as　the　song　did　last　year。　　The　tories　are　all　ashamed　of　this；　as　they　were　of　that；　the　author　is　not　yet　certainly　known；　though　I　think　I　am　within　a　week　of　detecting　him　for　certain。　　If　I　should；　I　shall　try　to　cure　him　once　for　all；　by　stringing　him　up；　not　bodily；　but　in　such　a　way