james otis the pre-revolutionist-第8章

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　written　by　a　Halifax　gentleman　and　addressed　to　a　Rhode　Island　friend。　　The　latter　personage　was　unknown；　the　former　was　ascertained　to　be　a　certain　Mr。　Howard。　　The　so…called　〃Letter〃　was　written　with　much　ability　and　in　a　bitter　spirit。

To　this　Otis　replied　with　great　asperity；　and　with　his　power　of　invective　untrammeled。　　He　called　his　pamphlet　〃A　Vindication　of　the　British　Colonies　against　the　Aspersions　of　the　Halifax　Gentleman；　in　his　Letter　to　a　Rhode　Island　Friend。〃　　A　single　passage　from　the　work　may　serve　to　show　the　cogency　of　the　writer's　style　and　especially　his　anticipation　of　the　doctrines　of　the　Declaration　of　Independence。

〃Is　the　gentleman；〃　said　he；　〃a　British…born　subject　and　a　lawyer；　and　ignorant　that　charters　from　the　crown　have　usually　been　given　for　enlarging　the　liberties　and　privileges　of　the　grantees；　not　for　limiting　them；　much　less　for　curtailing　those　essential　rights；　which　all　his　Majesty's　subjects　are　entitled　to；　by　the　laws　of　God　and　nature；　as　well　as　by　the　common　law　and　by　the　constitution　of　their　country？

〃The　gentleman's　positions　and　principles；　if　true；　would　afford　a　curious　train　of　consequences。　　Life；　liberty；　and　property　are；　by　the　law　of　nature；　as　well　as　by　the　common　law；　secured　to　the　happy　inhabitants　of　South　Britain；　and　constitute　their　primary；　civil；　or　political；　rights。〃

The　other　pamphlet　bearing　date　of　September　4；　1765；　was　entitled　〃Considerations　on　Behalf　of　the　Colonists；　in　a　Letter　to　a　Noble　Lord。〃　　In　this　the　writer　discusses　the　question　of　Taxation　and　in　particular　the　specious　claim　of　the　British　Ministry　that　the　home　government　might　justly　tax　the　colonists　to　defray　the　expenses　of　the　French　and　Indian　War。

In　answer　to　this　Otis　says；　in　a　manner　worthy　of　an　American　patriot　in　the　year　1898；　〃The　national　debt　is　confessed　on　all　hands　to　be　a　terrible　evil；　and　may　in　time　ruin　the　state。　　But　it　should　be　remembered；　that　the　colonies　never　occasioned　its　increase；　nor　ever　reaped　any　of　the　sweet　fruits　of　involving　the　finest　kingdom　in　the　world　in　the　sad　calamity　of　an　enormous；　overgrown　mortgage　to　state　and　stock…jobbers。〃

The　period　here　under　consideration　was　that　in　which　the　Stamp　Act　was　nominally　in　force。　　The　law　required　all　legal　business　to　be　done　on　stamped　paper。　　Therefore　no　legal　business　was　done。

Hutchinson　in　his　History　says：　　〃No　wills　were　proved；　no　administrations　granted；　no　deeds　nor　bonds　executed。〃　　Of　course　matters　could　not　go　on　in　this　manner　forever。　　Governor　Bernard　was　induced　to　call　the　legislature　together。　　When　that　body　convened　an　answer　to　the　Governor's　previous　message　was　adopted　by　the　House；　and　the　answer　was　the　work　of　James　Otis。　　An　extract　will　show　the　temper　of　the　people　at　that　juncture：

〃The　courts　of　justice　must　be　open；　open　immediately；　and　the　law；　the　great　rule　of　right；　in　every　county　in　the　province；　executed。　　The　stopping　the　courts　of　justice　is　a　grievance　which　this　House　must　inquire　into。　　Justice　must　be　fully　administered　through　the　province；　by　which　the　shocking　effects　which　your　Excellency　apprehended　from　the　people's　non…compliance　with　the　Stamp　Act　will　be　prevented。〃

Meanwhile　the　public　agitation　continued；　the　newspapers　teemed　with　controversy。　　The　administration　was　firm；　but　patriotism　was　rampant。　　The　party　of　the　people　adopted　the　policy　of　embarrassing　the　government　as　much　as　possible。　　Then　came　the　news　of　the　repeal　of　the　act；　and　the　jubilation　of　the　people　to　which　we　have　already　referred　came　after。

When　the　legislature　met　in　May　of　1767；　James　Otis　was　chosen　speaker；　but　his　election　was　vetoed　by　the　Governor。　　The　House　was　obliged　to　submit；　which　it　did　in　sullen　temper；　and　then　chose　Thomas　Cushing　for　its　presiding　officer。　　The　other　elections　indicated　the　patriotic　purpose　of　the　House。

There　was　almost　a　deadlock　between　the　legislative　and　executive　departments。　　Governor　Bernard　addressed　the　representatives　in　a　supercilious　and　dogmatic　manner；　which　they　for　their　part　resented　with　scant　courtesy。

On　one　occasion　they　said　（the　language　being　Otis's）　in　a　concluding　paragraph：　　〃With　regard　to　the　rest　of　your　Excellency's　speech；　we　are　sorry　we　are　constrained　to　observe；　that　the　general　air　and　style　of　it　savor　much　more　of　an　act　of　free　grace　and　pardon；　than　of　a　parliamentary　address　to　the　two　Houses　of　Assembly；　and　we　most　sincerely　wish　your　Excellency　had　been　pleased　to　reserve　it；　if　needful；　for　a　proclamation。〃

The　state　papers　on　affairsat　least　that　portion　of　them　emanating　from　the　legislative　departmentwere；　up　to　the　year　1769；　nearly　all　prepared　by　Mr。　Otis；　but　it　was　generally　necessary　to　tone　down　the　first　drafts　of　his　work。　　For　this　duty　the　speaker　（Thomas　Cushing）　and　Samuel　Adams　were　generally　selected。　　It　was　reckoned　necessary　to　put　the　damper　on　the　fire！

The　popular　tendency　at　this　time　was　illustrated　in　a　proposition　made　by　Mr。　Otis　to　open　the　gallery　of　the　House　to　such　of　the　people　as　might　wish　to　hear　the　debates。

Otis　continued　his　correspondence；　a　great　deal　of　which　was　official。　　His　style　and　spirit　suited　the　temper　of　the　representatives；　and　they　kept　him　occupied　as　chairman　of　a　committee　to　answer　messages　from　the　Government；　and；　indeed；　messages　from　anybody　who　might　assail　the　patriot　party。

In　the　meantime　the　animosity　between　him　and　the　Governor　of　the　province　waxed　hot。　　The　Governor　constantly　charged　the　patriot　leader　with　being　an　incendiary；　and　the　latter　replied　in　a　manner　to　convict　Governor　Bernard　of　despotic　usages　and　a　spirit　hostile　to　American　liberty。

The　next　measure　adopted　by　Parliament　inimical　to　the　colonies　was　the　act　of　1767　imposing　duties　on　glass；　paper；　painters'　colors；　and　tea；　and　appointing　a　commission　for　the　special　purpose　of　collecting　the　revenues。　The　commissioners　so　appointed　were　to　reside　in　the　colonies。

This　measure；　hardly　less　odious　than　the　Stamp　Act；　was　strangely　enough　resisted　with　less　vehemence。　　Several　of　the　popular　leaders　were　disposed　to　counsel　moderation。　　Among　these　was　Otis　himself。　　But　nearly　all　outside　of　the　official　circles　were　united　against　the　new　act。　　They　formed　associations　and　signed　agreements　not　to　use　any　of　the　articles　on　which　the　duty　was　imposed。　　This　was　equivalent　to　making　the　act　of　no　effect。

In　the　legislative　assembly　of　1768；　Mr。　Otis　was　appointed　with　Samuel　Adams　to　prepare　an　important　paper　on　the　state　of　public　affairs。　　This　they　did　by　drawing　up　a　petition　which　has　been　regarded　as　one　of　the　ablest　of　its　kind。

There　is　some　controversy　as　to　who　actually　wrote　this　famous　paper；　but　it　appears　to　have　been　done　mostly　by　Mr。　Otis；　though　the　refining　hand　of　Samuel　Adams　may　be　clearly　seen　in　the　style。　　The　publication　of　the　paper　still　further　strained　the　relations　between　Governor　Bernard　and　the　representative　branch。

Meanwhile；　the　news　of　the　assembling　of　the　Colonial　Congress　in　New　York　had　produced　a　sensation　in　England；　and　the　petition　of　the　Massachusetts　legislature　added　to　the　temper　of　the　ministry。　　In　May　of　1768；　Bernard　sent　to　the　assembly　a　requisition　that　that　body　should　rescind　the　resolution　which　they　had　passed　for　sending　a　circular　letter　to　the　other　colonies。

To　this　Mr。　Otis；　acting　for　the　assembly；　prepared　a　reply　which；　while　it　was　not　less　severe；　was　more　respectful　and　concessive　than　were　most　of　his　communications。　　At　the　conclusion　he　says：

〃We　have　now　only　to　inform　your　Excellency；　that　this　House　have　voted　not　to　rescind；　as　required；　the　resolution　of　the　last　House；　and　that；　upon　a　decision　on　the　question；　there　were　ninety…two　nays　and　seventeen　yeas。〃

In　this　manner　the　controversy　dragged　on　through　the　years　1768…69；　but　in　the　summer　of　the　former　year　an　event　occurred　which　roused　the　people　to　a　high　pitch　of　excitement。　　Some　of　the　custom…house　officers　seized　a　vessel　belonging　to　John　Hancock。　　For　this　they　were　assailed　by　a　mob　which　burned　the　boat　of　the　collector　of　customs。　　The　officers　fled　to　the　castle。　　It　was　for　this　business　that　a　body　of　British　soldiers　was　first　sent　to　Boston。

On　the　12th　of　September；　1768；　a　great　meeting　was　held　in　Faneuil　Hall；　but　the　crowd　was　such　as　to　make　necessary　and　adjournment　to　Sewall's　Meeting…house。　　James　Otis　was　moderator　of　the　meeting。　　The　presence　of　British　soldiers；　evidently　sent　to　Boston　to　enforce　the　decrees　of　an　arbitrary　government；　was　sufficient　to　bring　into　play　all　the　elements　of　patriotism。

The　British　soldier's　coat　in　the　old　town　was　of　the　same　color　as　the　scarf　which　the　picador　shakes　in　the　face　of　the　enraged　animal！　　The　effect　in　either　case　was　the　same。

At　the　meeting　just　mentioned；　Mr。　Otis　presided　and　spoke。　　A　report　of　what　occurred　was　written　（presumptively　by　some　enemy　of　the　patriots）；　and　was　sent　as　a　report　to　the　British　ministry。　　In　this　Otis　was　charged　with　saying；　〃In　case　Great　Britain　is　not　disposed　to　redress　our　grievances　after　proper　application；　the　people　have　nothing　more　to　do；　but　to　gird　the　sword　on　the　thigh　and　shoulder　the　musket。〃　　Doubtless　this　report　was　a　perversion　of　the　truth。

Other　meetings　were　held；　and　resolutions　were　the　order　of　the　day。　　On　the　22nd　of　June；　Faneuil　Hall　was　again　crowded。　　James　Otis；　Thomas　Cushing；　Samuel　Adams；　and　John　Hancock　were　selected　as　representatives　to　meet　Committees　of　other　towns　in　a　convention。　　At　this　meeting　it　was　voted　that　the　people　should　arm　themselves。　　The　convention　met　with　delegates　present　from　nearly　ninety　towns。　　The　movement　against　the　ministerial　scheme　had　already　become　revolutionary。

Meanwhile　in　1768；　the　general　assembly　was　unceremoniously　prorogued　by　Governor　Bernard；　but　in　May　of　the　following　year；　the　body　was　re…convened。　　On　the　meeting　day　the　building　was　surrounded　with　British　troops。

Otis　made　an　address；　declaring　that　free　legislation　would　be　impossible　in　the　presence　of　an　armed　soldiery。　　He　moved　the　appointment　of　a　committee　to　remonstrate　with　the　Governor；　and　to　request　the　withdrawal　of　the　soldiers。　　To　this　the　Governor　replied　evasively　that　he　had　not　the　authority　to　order　the　withdrawal　of　the　military。　　Otis　in　answer　reported　that　the　Governor's　reply　was　according　to　English　law；　more　impossible　than　the　thing　which　the　Assembly　had　petitioned　for。

The　matter　resulted　in　the　adjournment　of　the　body　to　meet　at　Cambridge；　in　the　chapel　of　Harvard　College。　　Assembled　at　that　place　the　legislature　was　addressed　by　Otis　with　impassioned　eloquence。　　The　people　as　well　as　the　legislators　were　gathered。

〃The　times　are　dark　and　trying；〃　said　the　speaker。　　〃We　may　soon　be　called　on　in　turn　to　act　or　to　suffer。〃　　〃You；〃　he　continued；　〃should　study　and　emulate　the　models　of　ancient　patriotism。　　To　you　your　country　may　one　day　look　for　support；　and　you　should　recollect　that　the　noblest　of　all　duties　is　to　serve　that　country；　and　if　necessary　to　devote　your　lives　in　her　cause。〃　

The　House　soon　prepared　a　paper　to　be　sent　to　the　British　Ministry　denouncing　the　administration　of　Governor　Bernard　and　protesting　against　the　further　p