james otis the pre-revolutionist-第20章

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s　indeed　a　great　gun；　from　whom　in　the　time　of　the　Stamp　Act　had　been　sent　the　most　powerful　bolts　against　unconstitutional　oppression。　　With　lashings　parted；　however；　as　the　storm　grew　violent　he　plunged　dangerously　from　side　to　side；　almost　sinking　the　ship；　all　the　more　an　object　to　dread　from　the　calibre　that　had　once　made　him　so　serviceable。　　It　was　a　melancholy　sight；　and　yet　a　great　relief；　when　his　friends　saw　him　at　last　bound　hand　and　foot；　and　carried　into　retirement。

〃Bowdoin；　also；　was　not　firm　in　health；　and　though　most　active　and　useful　in　the　Council；　had　thus　far　done　little　elsewhere。　　Hawley；　far　in　the　interior；　was　often　absent　from　the　centre　in　critical　times；　and　somewhat　unreliable　through　a　strange　moodiness。　　Cushing　was　weak。　　Hancock　was　hampered　by　foibles　that　some　times　quite　canceled　his　merits。　　Quincy　was　a　brilliant　youth；　and；　like　a　youth；　sometimes　fickle。　　We　have

seen　him　ready　to　temporize；　when　to　falter　was　destruction；　as　at　the　time　of　the　casting　over　of　the　tea；　again　in　unwise　fervor；　he　would　counsel　assassination　as　a　proper　expedient。　　Warren；　too；　could　rush　into　extremes　of　rashness　and　ferocity；　wishing　that　he　might　wade　to　the　knees　in　blood；　and　had　just　reached　sober；　self…reliant　manhood　when　he　was　taken　off。

〃John　Adams　showed　only　an　intermittent　zeal　in　the　public　cause　until　the　preliminary　work　was　done；　and　Benjamin　Church；　half…hearted　and　venal；　early　began　the　double…dealing　which　was　to　bring　him　to　a　traitor's　end。　　There　was　need　in　this　group　of　a　man　of　sufficient　ascendency；　thorough　intellect　and　character；　to　win　deference　from　allwise　enough　to　see　always　the　supreme　end；　to　know　what　each　instrument　was　fit　for；　and　to　bring　all　forces　to　bear　in　the　right　waya　man　of　consummate　adroitness；　to　sail　in　torpedo…sown　waters　without　exciting　an　explosion；　though　conducting　wires　of　local　prejudice；　class　sensitiveness；　and　personal　foible　on　every　hand　led　straight　down　to　magazines　of　wrath　which　might　shatter　the　cause　in　a　momenta　man　having　resources　of　his　own　to　such　an　extent　that　he　could　supplement　from　himself　what　was　wanting　in　othersalways　awake；　though　others　might　want　to　sleep；　always　at　work　though　others　might　be　tireda　man　devoted；　without　thought　of　personal　gain　or　fame；　simply　and　solely　to　the　public　cause。　　Such　a　man　there　was；　and　his　name　was　Samuel　Adams。〃


OTIS　AND　ADAMS。

Professor　Hosmer　thus　compares　Otis　and　Adams：

〃Otis'　power　was　so　magnetic　that　a　Boston　town　meeting；　upon　his　mere　entering；　would　break　out　into　shouts　and　clapping；　and　if　he　spoke　he　produced　effects　which　may　be　compared　with　the　sway　exercised　by　Chatham；　whom　as　an　orator　he　much　resembled。　　Long　after　disease　had　made　him　utterly　untrustworthy；　his　spell　remained。　　He　brought　the　American　cause　to　the　brink　of　ruin；　because　the　people　would　follow　him；　though　he　was　shattered。

〃Of　this　gift　Samuel　Adams　possessed　little。　　He　was　always　in　speech；　straightforward　and　sensible；　and　upon　occasion　could　be　impressive；　but　his　endowment　was　not　that　of　the　mouth　of　gold。

〃While　Otis　was　fitful；　vacillating　and　morbid；　Samuel　Adams　was　persistent；　undeviating；　and　sanity　itself。　　While　Samuel　Adams　never　abated　by　a　hair　his　opposition　to　the　British　policy；　James　Otis；　who　at　the　outset　had　given　the　watch…word　to　the　patriots；　later；　after　Parliament　had　passed　the　Stamp　Act；　said：

〃'It　is　the　duty　of　all　humbly　and　silently　to　acquiesce　in　all　the　decisions　of　the　supreme　legislature。　　Nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine　in　a　thousand　will　never　entertain　the　thought　but　of　submission　to　our　sovereign；　and　to　the　authority　of　Parliament　in　all　possible　contingencies。'〃


OTIS　AS　AN　AUTHOR。

In　1762；　a　pamphlet　appeared；　bearing　the　following　title：　〃A　Vindication　of　the　Conduct　of　the　House　of　Representatives；　of　the　Province　of　the　Massachusetts　Bay：　　more　particularly　in　the　last　session　of　the　General　Assembly。　By　James　Otis；　Esq。；　a　Member　of　said　House。

〃Let　such；　such　only；　tread　this　sacred　floor；　　Who　dare　to　love　their　country　and　be　poor。　　Or　good　though　rich；　humane　and　wise　though　great；　　Jove　give　but　these；　we've　naught　to　fear　from　fate。

Boston；　printed　by　Edes　and　Gill。〃

Instead　of　copious　quotations　from　this　patriotic　work；　we　present　the　following　judgment　upon　its　merits　by　one　best　qualified　to　estimate　its　worth。　　〃How　many　volumes；〃　says　John　Adams；　〃are　concentrated　in　this　little　fugitive　pamphlet；　the　production　of　a　few　hurried　hours；　amidst　the　continual　solicitation　of　a　crowd　of　clients；　for　his　business　at　the　bar　at　that　time　was　very　extensive；　and　of　the　first　importance；　and　amidst　the　host　of　politicians；　suggesting　their　plans　and　schemes！

〃Look　over　the　Declarations　of　Rights　and　Wrongs　issued　by　Congress　in　1774。

〃Look　into　the　Declaration　of　Independence　in　1776。

〃Look　into　the　writings　of　Dr。　Price　and　Dr。　Priestley。

〃Look　into　all　the　French　constitutions　of　government；　and　to　cap　the　climax；　look　into　Mr。　Thomas　Paine's　'Common　Sense；　Crisis；　and　Rights　of　Man；'　what　can　you　find　that　is　not　to　be　found　in　solid　substance　in　this　Vindication　of　the　House　of　Representatives？〃


THE　TOWN　MEETING。

Another　important　feature　in　the　unfolding　of　our　free　institutions；　was　the　system　of　town　meetings　which　began　to　be　held　as　early　as　1767。

〃The　chief　arena　of　James　Otis'　and　Sam　Adams'　influence；〃　as　Governor　Hutchinson　wrote　to　Lord　Dartmouth；　〃was　the　town　meeting；　that　Olympian　race…course　of　the　Yankee　athlete。〃

Writing　to　Samuel　Adams　in　1790　John　Adams；　looking　back　to　the　effect　of　these　events；　says：

〃Your　Boston　town　meetings　and　our　Harvard　College　have　set　the　universe　in　motion。〃

One　held　in　October　of　1767　was　presided　over　by　James　Otis；　and　was　called　to　resist　new　acts　of　British　aggression　on　colonial　rights。　　On　September　12；　1768；　a　town　meeting　was　held；　which　was　opened　with　a　prayer　by　Dr。　Cooper。　　Otis　was　chosen　moderator。

The　petition　for　calling　the　meeting　requested；　that　inquiry　should　be　made　of　his　Excellency；　for　〃the　grounds　and　reasons　of　sundry　declarations　made　by　him；　that　three　regiments　might　be　daily　expected；〃　etc。

A　committee　was　appointed　to　wait　upon　the　governor；　urging　him　in　the　present　critical　state　of　affairs　to　issue　precepts　for　a　general　assembly　of　the　province；　to　take　suitable　measures　for　the　preservation　of　their　rights　and　privileges；　and　that　he　should　be　requested　to　favor　the　town　with　an　immediate　answer。

In　October　several　ship…loads　of　troops　arrive。

The　storm　thickens。

Another　town　meeting　is　called；　and　it　is　voted　that　the　several　ministers　of　the　Gospel　be　requested　to　appoint　the　next　Tuesday　as　a　day　of　fasting　and　prayer。

The　day　arrives；　and　the　place　of　meeting　is　crowded　by　committees　from　sixty…two　towns。

They　petition　the　governor　to　call　a　General　Court。　　Otis　appeared　in　behalf　of　the　people；　under　circumstances　that　strongly；　attest　his　heroism。

Cannon　were　planted　at　the　entrance　of　the　building；　and　a　body　of　troops　were　quartered　in　the　representatives'　chamber。

After　the　court　was　opened；　Otis　rose；　and　moved　that　they　should　adjourn　to　Faneuil　Hall。

With　a　significant　expression　of　loathing　and　scorn；　he　observed；　〃that　the　stench　occasioned　by　the　troops　in　the　hall　of　legislation　might　prove　infectious；　and　that　it　was　utterly　derogatory　to　the　court　to　administer　justice　at　the　points　of　bayonets　and　mouths　of　cannon。〃


JAMES　OTIS　AT　THE　BATTLE　OF　BUNKER　HILL。

In　the　sketch　of　the　life　of　James　Otis；　as　presented　in　Appleton's　〃Cyclopedia　of　American　Biography；〃　an　interesting　account　is　given　of　the　part　James　Otis　played　in　the　noted　battle　of　Bunker　Hill；　in　June；　1775。

The　minute　men　who；　hastening　to　the　front；　passed　by　the　house　of　the　sister　of　James　Otis；　with　whom　he　was　living；　at　Watertown；　Mass。

At　this　time　he　was　harmlessly　insane；　and　did　not　need　special　watching。

But；　as　he　saw　the　patriotic　farmers　hurrying　by　and　heard　of　the　rumor　of　the　impending　conflict；　he　was　suddenly　seized　with　a　martial　spirit。　　Without　saying　a　word　to　a　single　soul；　he　slipped　away　unobserved　and　hurried　on　towards　Boston。　　On　the　roadside　he　stopped　at　a　farmhouse　and　borrowed　a　musket；　there　being　nothing　seemingly　in　his　manner　to　suggest　mental　derangement。　　Throwing　the　musket　upon　his　shoulder　he　hastened　on；　and　was　soon　joined　by　the　minute　men　coming　from　various　directions。　　〃Falling　in〃　with　them；　he　took　an　active　part　in　that　eventful　contest　until　darkness　closed　in　upon　the　combatants。　　Then；　wearied　beyond　description；　though　he　was；　he　set　out　for　home　after　midnight。　　He　afterwards　pursued　his　sad　and　aimless　life；　as　though　nothing　unusual　had　occurred。


INFLUENCE　OF　THE　BATTLE　OF　BUNKER　HILL

Two　days　before　the　battle　of　Bunker　Hill　Washington　had　been　appointed　by　the　Continental　Congress　Commander　in　Chief。

The　news　of　the　battle　was　brought。　　Foreseeing　the　significance　of　the　result　he　said；　〃The　liberties　of　the　country　are　safe。〃

Four　days　afterward　Thomas　Jefferson　entered　Congress　and　the　next　day　news　was　brought　of　the　Charlestown　conflict。　　〃This　put　fire　into　his　ideal　statesmanship。〃　　Patrick　Henry　hearing　of　it　said；　〃I　am　glad　of　it；　a　breach　of　our　affections　was　needed　to　rouse　the　country　to　action。〃

Franklin　wrote　to　his　English　friends：　〃England　has　lost　her　colonies　forever。〃


THE　ANCESTORS　OF　JAMES　OTIS。

Carlyle　says：　〃I　never　knew　a　clever　man　who　came　out　of　entirely　stupid　people。〃　　James　Otis's　great　qualities　〃were　an　inheritance；　not　an　accident；　and　inheritance　from　the　best　blood　of　old　England。〃　　Many　years　ago；　when　George　Ticknor　of　Boston　was　a　guest　of　Lady　Holland；　at　the　famous　Holland　House；　in　London；　her　ladyship　remarked　to　him；　in　her　not　very　engaging　way：

〃I　understand；　Mr。　Ticknor；　that　Massachusetts　was　settled　by　convicts。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Mr。　Ticknor；　〃I　thought　I　was　somewhat　familiar　with　the　history　of　my　State；　but　I　was　not　aware　that　what　you　say　was　the　case。〃

〃But；〃　he　continued；　〃I　do　now　remember　that　some　of　your　ladyship's　ancestors　settled　in　Boston；　for　there　is　a　monument　to　one　of　them　in　King's　Chapel。〃

James　Otis　inherited　that　sturdy　New　England　pride　which　puts　manhood　above　dukedoms　and　coronets。

〃A　king　may　make　a　belted　knight；　　A　marquis；　duke　and　a'　that；　But　an　honest　man's　aboon　his　might。〃

From　a　race　of　the　true　kings　of　men　he　was　descended；　who　conquered　out　of　the　jaws　of　the　wilderness　the　priceless　inheritance　of　American　privilege　and　freedom。　　And　while　kings　at　home　were　trying　to　crush　out　the　liberties　of　their　subjects；　or　were　dallying　with　wantons　in　the　palaces　built　out　of　the　unrequited　toil　of　the　long…suffering　and　downtrodden　people；　these　men　of　iron　were　the　pioneers　of　American　civilization；　at　a　time；　which　Holmes　so　graphically　describes：

〃When　the　crows　came　cawing　through　the　air　　To　pluck　the　Pilgrim's　corn；　　　And　bears　came　snuffing　round　the　door　　Wherever　a　babe　was　born；　　　And　rattlesnakes　were　bigger　round　　Than　the　butt　of　the　old　ram's　horn　　　The　deacon　blew　at　meeting　time；　　On　every　Sabbath　morn。〃


COL。　BARRE　ON　JAMES　OTIS。

In　the　debate　on　the　Boston　Port　Bill