james otis the pre-revolutionist-第6章

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ill　to　my　dying　day　oppose；　with　all　the　powers　and　faculties　God　has　given　me；　all

such　instruments　of　slavery　on　the　one　hand；　and　villainy　on　the　other；　as　this　Writ　of　Assistance　is。

〃It　appears　to　me　the　worst　instrument　of　arbitrary　power；　the　most　destructive　of　English　liberty　and　the　fundamental　principles　of　law；　that　was　ever　found　in　an　English　law…book。　　I　must；　therefore；　beg　your　Honors'　patience　and　attention　to　the　whole　range　of　an　argument；　that　may；　perhaps；　appear　uncommon　in　many　things；　as　well　as　to　points　of　learning　that　are　more　remote　and　unusual；　that　the　whole　tendency　of　my　design　may　the　more　easily　be　perceived；　the　conclusions　better　descend；　and　the　force　of　them　be　better　felt。

〃I　shall　not　think　much　of　my　pains　in　this　case；　as　I　engaged　in　it　from　principle。　　I　was　solicited　to　argue　this　case　as　advocate…general；　and　because　I　would　not；　I　have　been　charged　with　desertion　from　my　office。　　To　this　charge　I　can　give　a　very　sufficient　answer。　　I　renounced　that　office；　and　I　argue　this　case；　from　the　same　principle；　and　I　argue　it　with　the　greater　pleasure；　as　it　is　in　favor　of　British　liberty；　at　a　time　when　we　hear　the　greatest　monarch　upon　earth　declaring　from　his　throne；　that　he　glories　in　the　name　of　Briton；　and　that　the　privileges　of　his　people　are　dearer　to　him　than　the　most　valuable　prerogatives　of　his　crown；　and　it　is　in　opposition　to　a　kind　of　power；　the　exercise　of　which；　in　former　periods　of　English　history；　cost　one　king　of　England　his　head；　and　another　his　throne。

〃I　have　taken　more　pains　in　this　case　than　I　ever　will　take　again；　although　my　engaging　in　this　and　another　popular　case　has　raised　much　resentment。　　But　I　think　I　can　sincerely　declare；　that　I　cheerfully　submit　myself　to　every　odious　name　for　conscience'　sake；　and　from　my　soul　I　despise　all　those　whose　guilt；　malice　or　folly；　has　made　them　my　foes。

〃Let　the　consequences　be　what　they　will；　I　am　determined　to　proceed。　　The　only　principles　of　public　conduct；　that　are　worthy　of　a　gentleman　or　a　man；　are　to　sacrifice　estate；　ease；　health　and　applause；　and　even　life；　to　the　sacred　calls　of　his　country。

〃These　manly　sentiments；　in　private　life；　make　the　good　citizen；　in　public　life；　the　patriot　and　the　hero。　　I　do　not　say　that；　when　brought　to　the　test；　I　shall　be　invincible。　　I　pray　God　I　may　never　be　brought　to　the　melancholy　trial；　but　if　ever　I　should；　it　will　then　be　known　how　far　I　can　reduce　to　practice　principles　which　I　know　to　be　founded　in　truth。　　In　the　meantime；　I　will　proceed　to　the　subject　of　this　writ。〃

After　this　introductory　part　we　are　obliged　to　fall　back　on　the　summary　given　by　Mr。　Adams。　　According　to　his　report；　Otis　in　the　next　place　went　into　fundamentals　and　discussed　the　rights　of　man　in　a　state　of　nature。　　In　this　part；　the　argument　ran　in　an　analagous　vein　to　that　of　Rousseau　in　the　Contrat　Social　that　is；　man　in　the　first　place　is　a　sovereign　subject　only　to　the　higher　laws　revealed　in　his　own　conscience。　　In　this　state　he　has　a　right　to　life；　to　liberty；　to　property。

Here　the　speaker　fell　into　the　manner　of　Jefferson　in　the　opening　paragraphs　of　the　Declaration。　　It　is　to　be　noted　that　Otis　presented　the　truth　absolutely；　he　including　negroes　in　the　common　humanity　to　whom　inalienable　rights　belong。

Mr。　Otis　next　took　up　the　social　compact；　and　showed　that　society　is　the　individual　enlarged　and　generalized。　　This　brought　him　to　the　question　before　the　court；　for　the　conflict　now　on　was　a　struggle　of　society；　endowed　with　inalienable　rights；　against　arbitrary　authority　and　its　abusive　exercise。

The　abusive　exercise　was　shown　in　the　attempts　to　enforce　the　Acts　of　Trade。　　Of　this　kind　was　the　old　Navigation　Act；　and　of　like　character　was　the　Importation　Act。　　It　was　to　enforce　these　that　the　Writs　of　Assistance　had　been　devised。　　Mr。　Otis　then　continued：

〃Your　Honors　will　find；　in　the　old　books　concerning　the　office　of　a　justice　of　the　peace；　precedents　of　general　warrants　to　search　suspected　houses。　　But；　in　more　modern　books；　you　will　find　only　special　warrants　to　search　such　and　such　houses；　specially　named；　in　which　the　complainant　has　before　sworn；　that　he　suspects　his　goods　are　concealed；　and　will　find　it　adjudged；　that　special　warrants　only　are　legal。　　In　the　same　manner；　I　rely　in　it；　that　the　writ　prayed　for　in　this　petition；　being　general；　is　illegal。　　It　is　a　power　that　places　the　liberty　of　every　man　in　the　hands　of　every　petty　officer。

〃I　say；　I　admit　that　special　Writs　of　Assistance；　to　search　special　places；　may　be　granted　to　certain　persons　on　oath；　but　I　deny　that　the　writ　now　prayed　for　can　be　granted；　for　I　beg　leave　to　make　some　observations　on　the　writ　itself；　before　I　proceed　to　other　acts　of　Parliament。

〃In　the　first　place；　the　writ　is　universal；　being　directed　to　'all　and　singular　justices；　sheriffs；　constables；　and　all　other　officers　and　subjects；'　so　that；　in　short；　it　is　directed　to　every　subject　in　the　King's　dominions。　　Every　one；　with　this　writ；　may　be　a　tyrant　in　a　legal　manner；　and　may　control；　imprison；　or　murder；　any　one　within　the　realm。

〃In　the　next　place　it　is　perpetual；　there　is　no　return。　　A　man　is　accountable　to　no　person　for　his　doings。　　Every　man　may　reign　secure　in　his　petty　tyranny；　and　spread　terror　and　desolation　around　him；　until　the　trump　of　the　archangel　shall　excite　different　emotions　in　his　soul。

〃In　the　third　place；　a　person　with　this　writ；　in　the　daytime；　may　enter　all　houses；　shops；　etc。；　at　will；　and　command　all　to　assist　him。

〃Fourthly；　by　this　writ；　not　only　deputies；　etc。；　but　even　their　menial　servants；　are　allowed　to　lord　it　over　us。　　What　is　this　but　to　have　the　curse　of　Canaan　with　a　witness　on　us？　　To　be　the　servant　of　servants；　the　most　despicable　of　God's　creation？

〃Now；　one　of　the　most　essential　branches　of　English　liberty　is　the　freedom　of　one's　house。　　A　man's　house　is　his　castle；　and　whilst　he　is　quiet；　he　is　as　well　guarded　as　a　prince　in　his　castle。　　This　writ；　if　it　should　be　declared　legal；　would　totally　annihilate　this　privilege。　　Custom…house　officers　may　enter　our　houses　when　they　please；　we　are　commanded　to　permit　their　entry。　　Their　menial　servants　may　enter；　may　break　locks；　bars；　and　every　thing　in　their　way；　and　whether　they　break　through　malice　or　revenge；　no　man；　no　court；　can　inquire。　　Bare　suspicion；　without　oath；　is　sufficient。

〃This　wanton　exercise　of　this　power　is　not　a　chimerical　suggestion　of　a　heated　brain。　　I　will　mention　some　facts。　　Mr。　Pew　had　one　of　these　writs；　and；　when　Mr。　Ware　succeeded　him；　he　endorsed　this　writ　over　to　Mr。　Ware；　so　that　these　writs　are　negotiable　from　one　officer　to　another；　and　so　your　Honors　have　no　opportunity　of　judging　the　persons　to　whom　this　vast　power　is　delegated。　　Another　instance　is　this：　　

〃Mr。　Justice　Walley　had　called　this　same　Mr。　Ware　before　him；　by　a　constable；　to　answer　for　a　breach　of　the　Sabbath…day　acts；　or　that　of　profane　swearing。　　As　soon　as　he　had　finished；　Mr。　Ware　asked　him　if　he　had　done。　　He　replied；　'Yes。'　　'Well；　then；'　said　Mr。　Ware；　'I　will　show　you　a　little　of　my　power。　　I　command　you　to　permit　me　to　search　your　house　for　uncustomed　goods；'　and　went　on　to　search　the　house　from　the　garret　to　the　cellar；　and　then　served　the　constable　in　the　same　manner。

〃But　to　show　another　absurdity　in　this　writ；　if　it　be　established；　I　insist　upon　it；　every　person；　by　the　14th　of　Charles　the　Second；　has　this　power；　as　well　as　the　custom…house　officers。　　The　words　are；　'It　shall　be　lawful　for　any　person；　or　persons；　authorized；'　etc。　　What　a　scene　does　this　open。　Every　man　prompted　by　revenge；　ill…humor；　or　wantonness；　to　inspect　the　inside　of　his　neighbor's　house；　may　get　a　Writ　of　Assistance。　　Others　will　ask　it　from　self…defence；　one　arbitrary　exertion　will　provoke　another；　until　society　be　involved　in　tumult　and　in　blood。〃

This　extract　may　serve　to　show　the　Demosthenic　power　of　James　Otis　as　an　orator。　　We　cannot　within　our　limits　present　many　additional　paragraphs　from　his　great　plea　in　the　cause　of　his　countrymen。

To　the　next　division　of　his　argument　he　confuted　the　position　taken　by　Gridley　with　respect　to　the　alleged　legal　precedents　for　the　Writs　of　Assistance。　　He　showed　that　the　writs　were　wholly　different　from　those　provided　for　in　the　time　of　Charles　II。　　Even　if　they　had　not　been　so；　the　epoch　and　the　manner　of　King　Charles　had　passed　away。　　Neither　could　the　Writs　be　justified　by　inferences　and　constructions　deduced　from　any　previous　statutes　of　Parliament。

Besides；　such　odious　Writs　could　never　be　enforced。　　They　could　never　be　enforced　in　the　City　of　the　Pilgrims。　　If　the　King　of　England　should　himself　encamp　with　twenty　thousand　soldiers　on　the　Common　of　Boston；　he　could　not　enforce　such　laws。　　He　assailed　the　sugar　tax　with　unmeasured　invective。　　And　over　and　above　all；　this　despotic　legislation　was　in　direct　conflict　with　the　Charter　of　Massachusetts。

Here　the　orator　broke　forth　in　his　most　impassioned　strain　declaring　that　the　British　King；　the　British　Parliament　and　the　British　nation；　were　all　guilty　of　ingratitude　and　oppression　in　attempting　to　impose　tyrannical　enactment　on　the　people　of　America。　　Thus　he　concluded　his　argument　appeal。

Those　who　heard　the　oration　were　convulsed　with　excitement。　　The　King's　party　was　enraged。　　The　patriots　were　inspired　and　defiant。　　It　was　in　every　respect　a　critical　and　a　historic　hour。

What　would　the　court　do　with　the　case？　　The　action　of　that　body　was　obscure　and　double。　　There　seems　to　have　been　a　disposition　of　the　Associate　Judges　to　decide　for　the　counter…petitioners；　but　Chief　Justice　Hutchinson　induced　them　to　assent　to　his　policy　of　withholding　a　decision。　　He　accordingly　announced　that　the　court　would　decide　the　case　at　the　ensuing　session。　　He　then　wrote　to　the　home　government；　and　the　records　show　that　the　decision　was　rendered　for　the　petitioners。　　That　is；　for　the　Custom　House　officials；　and　in　favor　of　the　Writs。

The　Chief　Justice　is　also　on　record　to　the　effect　that　he　continued　to　issue　the　Writs；　but　if　so；　no　officer　of　the　king　ever　dared　to　present　one　of　them　in　Boston！　　The　famous　（and　infamous）　Writs　of　Assistance　were　as　dead　as　the　mummies　of　Egypt。

It　is　from　this　point　of　view　that　the　character　and　work　of　James　Otis　appear　to　the　greatest　historical　advantage。　　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　his　was　the　living　voice　which　called　to　resistance；　first　Boston；　then　Massachusetts；　then　New　England　and　then　the　world！　　For　ultimately　the　world　heard　the　sound　thereof　and　was　glad。　　The　American　Colonies　resisted；　and　at　length　won　their　independence。　　The　sparks　fell　in　France；　and　the　jets　of　flame　ran　together　in　a　conflagration　the　light　of　which　was　seen　over　Europe；　and　if　over　Europe；　then　over　the　world。　　The　Pre…revolutionist　had　cried　out　and　mankind　heard　him。　　Resistance　to　tyranny　became　obedience　to　God。

We　shall　here　sketch　rapidly　and　briefly　the　unsteady　way　and　unfortunate　decline　of　James　Otis　down　to　the　time　of　the　eclipse　of　his　intellect　and　his　tragic　death。

Three　months　after　he　had；　according　to　John　Adams；　〃breathed　into　the　nation　the　breath　of　life；〃　he　was　chosen　to　represent　Boston　in　the　legislature　of　the　Commonwealth。　　All　of　his　colleagues　were　patriots。　Boston　was　in　that　mood。