james otis the pre-revolutionist-第17部分

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l；　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　as　shall　gibbet　his　memory　in　terrorem。　　It　lies　between　Bernard；　Waterhouse；　and　Jonathan　Sewall。　　The　first；　they　say；　has　not　wit　enough　to　write　anything；　the　second　swears　off；　and　the　third　must　plead　guilty　or　not　guilty　as　soon　as　I　see　him。　　Till　matters　are　settled　in　England；　I　dare　not　leave　this　town；　as　men's　minds　are　in　such　a　situation；　that　every　nerve　is　requisite　to　keep　them　from　running　to　some　irregularity　and　imprudence；　and　some　are　yet　wishing　for　an　opportunity　to　hurt　the　country。〃


OTIS'S　AFFECTION　FOR　ENGLAND　IN　SPITE　OF　HIS　OPPOSITION　TO　THE　ARBITRARY　MEASURES　OF　HER　MINISTRY。　By　Charles　K。　Edmunds；　Ph。　D。

Otis　defended　the　rights　of　his　countrymen　by　vindicating　their　enjoyment　of　English　liberty；　not　by　asserting　the　demand　for　American　independence。　　He；　however；　sowed　the　seed　without　knowing　what　kind　of　harvest　it　was　to　produce；　for　his　writings　and　speeches　did　more　than　those　of　any　other　man　toward　preparing　the　minds　of　others　for　the　final　separation　from　England。　　That　such　was　his　purpose　he　steadfastly　repudiated；　and　the　following　quotations　from　his　pen　exhibit　full　well　his　attachment　to　the　mother　country　and　to　the　principles　of　her　constitution。

When　in　January；　1763；　the　joyful　news　was　received　at　Boston　that　the　preliminaries　of　peace　between　Great　Britain　and　France　had　been　signed；　and　that　Canada　was　permanently　annexed　to　the　former　country；　the　colonists　justly　rejoiced；　and　a　town　meeting　was　held　of　which　Otis　was　chosen　moderator。　　In　the　course　of　his　speech；　Otis　declared　in　his　usual　earnest　way　that　〃the　true　interests　of　Great　Britain　and　her　plantations　are　mutual；　and　what　God　in　his　providence　united；　let　no　man　dare　attempt　to　pull　asunder。〃　　Similar　sentiments　expressed　by　other　leaders　among　the　various　Colonies　might　be　quoted。　　We　give　one　more　from　Otis's　pamphlet　on　the　〃Rights　of　the　Colonies；〃　published　in　1765。　　In　speaking　of　the　colonists；　he　says：　　〃Their　loyalty　has　been　abundantly　proved；　especially　in　the　late　war。　　Their　affection　and　reverence　for　their　mother　country　are　unquestionable。　　They　yield　the　most　cheerful　and　ready　obedience　to　her　laws；　particularly　to　the　power　of　that　august　body；　the　Parliament　of　Great　Britain；　the　supreme　legislative　of　the　kingdom　and　its　dominions。　　These；　I　declare；　are　my　own　sentiments　of　duty　and　loyalty。〃　　He　angrily　repels　the　charge　that　the　Colonies　were　seeking　for　independence；　insisting　that　the　people　had　a　〃natural　and　almost　mechanical　affection　for　Great　Britain　which　they　conceive　under　no　other　sense；　and　call　by　no　other　name；　than　that　of　home。　　We　all　think　ourselves　happy　under　Great　Britain。　　We　love；　esteem；　and　reverence　our　mother　country；　and　adore　our　King。　　And　could　the　choice　of　independency　be　offered　the　colonies　or　subjection　to　Great　Britain　on　any　terms　above　absolute　slavery；　I　am　convinced　they　would　accept　the　latter。〃

In　1769　he　wrote：　　〃The　cause　of　America　is；　in　my　humble　opinion；　the　cause　of　the　whole　British　empire；　an　empire　which；　from　my　youth；　I　have　been　taught　to　love　and　revere；　as　founded　in　the　principles　of　natural　reason　and　justice；　and　upon　the　whole；　best　calculated　for　general　happiness　of　any　yet　risen　in　the　world。　　In　this　view　of　the　British　empire；　my　Lord；　I　sincerely　pray　for　its　prosperity；　and　sincerely　lament　all　adverse　circumstances。　　Situated　as　we　are；　my　Lord；　in　the　wilderness　of　America；　a　thousand　leagues　distant　from　the　fountains　of　honor　and　justice；　in　all　our　distresses；　we　pride　ourselves　in　loyalty　to　the　King；　and　affection　to　the　mother　country。〃


OTIS　AS　A　PROPHET。

Otis　was　not　much　given　to　general　speculations　upon　the　future；　but　there　is　something　very　striking　in　the　following　language；　taken　from　his　pamphlet　〃The　Rights　of　the　Colonies；〃　if　we　consider　how　soon　after　there　occurred　the　two　great　crises　in　the　world's　affairs；　the　American　and　French　revolutions。　　〃I　pretend　neither　to　the　spirit　of　prophecy；　nor　to　any　uncommon　skill　in　predicting　a　crisis；　much　less　to　tell　when　it　begins　to　be　nascent；　or　is　fairly　midwived　into　the　world。　　But　I　should　say　the　world　was　at　the　eve　of　the　highest　scene　of　earthly　power　and　grandeur；　that　has　ever　yet　been　displayed　to　the　view　of　mankind。　　The　cards　are　shuffling　fast　through　all　Europe。　　Who　will　win　the　prize　is　with　God。　　This；　however；　I　know；　detur　digniori。　　The　next　universal　monarchy　will　be　favorable　to　the　human　race；　for　it　must　be　founded　on　the　principles　of　equity；　moderation；　and　justice。〃


JAMES　OTIS。　＇1725　…　1783。＇　By　G。　Mercer　Adam＇3＇

The　character　and　life…work　of　few　men　belonging　to　the　pre…Revolutionary　era　are　better　worth　studying　than　are　those　of　James　Otis；　the　patriot…orator　of　Massachusetts；　who　took　so　prominent　a　part　in　opposing　England's　obnoxious　Stamp　Act　and　in　arousing　the　American　Colonies　to　a　sense　of　the　outrage　done　them　by　the　issue　of　the　arbitrary　Writs　of　Assistance。　　Though　the　records　of　his　personal　life　are　somewhat　meagre；　sufficient　is　known　of　Otis's　public　career　to　interest