james otis the pre-revolutionist-第18部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s　of　his　personal　life　are　somewhat　meagre；　sufficient　is　known　of　Otis's　public　career　to　interest　students　of　his　country's　history　and　entitle　him　to　the　admiration　of　all；　as　one　of　the　most　earnest　and　eloquent　advocates　of　Liberty　in　the　Nation's　youth…time；　and　a　sturdy　and　noble　defender　of　its　cause　at　the　critical　era　of　England's　injustice　and　oppression。　　No　man　of　the　period；　it　may　be　hazarded；　did　more　yeoman　service　than　Otis　did　in　the　cause　of　American　Freedom；　or　was　more　sensible　of　the　rights　of　the　Colonists　and　of　the　injustice　done　them　by　the　Motherland　in　her　assaults　on　their　civil　and　political　status　in　the　years　preceding　the　Revolution。　　Not　only　was　he　one　of　the　most　fearless　asserters　of　the　great　principles　for　which　our　forefathers　fought　and　bled；　but　few　men　better　than　he　saw　more　clearly　the　malign　character　of　the　arbitrary　acts　imposed　upon　the　Colonies　that　brought　about　separation　and　laid　the　foundation　of　American　independence。　　In　resisting　the　enforcement　of　these　Acts；　Otis　was　actuated　not　only　by　disinterested　and　patriotic　motives；　but　by　a　statesmanlike　discernment　of　their　unconstitutional　character　and　the　wrong　they　would　inflict；　in　being　inconsistent　with　the　foundation　charter　of　the　Massachusetts　Colony。　　Like　many　of　the　Revolutionary　fathers；　Otis　was　not　at　heart　a　rebel；　or　from　the　outset　disloyal　to　the　Crown　in　its　administration　of　the　affairs　of　the　Colonies。　　His　occupancy　of　the　Crown　post　of　Advocate…General　and　his　own　well…known　integrity　and　conscientiousness　forbid　that　idea；　not　to　speak　of　his　pride　in　the　fact　that　his　ancestors　were　English　and　for　generations　had　held　high　judicial　offices　and　militia　appointments　in　the　gift　of　the　King　and　the　ministry　of　the　period。　　But　though　by　tradition　and　training；　at　the　outset　of　his　career；　a　subject　of　monarchy　and　a　true　man　in　his　official　relations　with　England；　Otis　was　at　the　same　time　ardent　in　his　interests　for　the　wellbeing　of　the　Colonies　and　zealous　for　their　rights　and　privileges。　　When　these　came　into　conflict；　the　stand　he　took　was　staunchly　patriotic；　even　to　the　sacrifice　of　his　office　and　its　emoluments；　while　in　espousing　the　popular　cause　against　the　King　and　the　ministry　he　stood　forth；　as　John　Adams　expressed　it；　as　〃a　flame　of　fire；〃　full　of　consuming　zeal　for　his　country　and　an　ardent　upholder　of　its　rights　and　prerogatives。　　In　assuming　this　attitude；　that　Otis's　zeal　and　energy　were　at　times　unrestrained　and　his　language　occasionally　unguarded　and　overvehement；　is　doubtless　true；　but　this　was　certainly　excusable　in　a　man　of　his　ardent　temperament　and　strength　of　character；　while　the　situation　of　affairs　was　such　as　to　call　not　only　for　patriotic　enthusiasm；　but　for　righteous　indignation　and　heated　denunciation；　in　a　cause　that　stirred　to　the　depths　the　heart　and　brain　of　an　impetuous　and　commanding　orator。　　Nor　do　we　well　to　forget　what　this　consuming；　patriotic　passion　and　heated　vindication　of　his　country's　rights　cost　Otis；　in　the　responsibility　he　felt　and　the　solicitation　he　manifested；　especially　in　the　middle　and　later　stages　of　his　strenuous　career；　for　the　cause　he　had　so　keenly　at　heart。　　Pathetic　is　the　story　of　the　ailment　that　clouded　his　closing　years；　and　only　exculpatory　can　be　the　judgment　now　passed　upon　the　man　and　his　work　when　we　consider　what　the　strain　was　that　he　had　long　and　anxiously　borne　and　that　revealed　its　effects　in　periods　of　sad　mental　alienation　and　incipient　madness。　　To　speak　and　write　strongly　on　taxation　and　its　injustice；　in　the　case　of　the　Colonies；　might　well；　however；　disturb　the　mental　equilibrium　of　even　a　strong　man；　and　the　more　so　when　actively　protesting；　as　Otis　long　continued　to　protest；　against　unlawful　encroachments　upon　the　liberties　of　the　Colonies　and　the　other　arbitrary　acts　that　then　characterized　the　administration　of　the　Crown。　　Whatever　it　cost　Otis　personally　to　engage　in　this　defence；　the　result；　as　we　all　now　know　and　admit；　was　only　and　wholly　beneficentin　the　defeat　of　an　unrighteous　autocracy；　and　the　emancipation　of　a　Continent　from　a　fettering　and　baleful　administration。

This　herald　of　and　actor　in　the　great　drama　of　his　time　was　born　at　West　Barnstable；　formerly　known　as　the　Great　Marshes；　in　Massachusetts；　on　the　5th　of　February；　1723。　　He　was　one　of　thirteen　children；　his　father　being　Colonel　James　Otis　（born　in　1702）；　the　son　of　Judge　John　Otis；　whose　immediate　ancestor　had　emigrated　from　England　in　the　preceding　century　and　settled　in　New　England　at　the　town　of　Hingham；　calling　the　region　after　the　old　home　of　the　family　in　the　Motherland。　　This　John　Otis；　who　was　born　in　A。D。　1657；　became　a　prominent　man　in　the　Settlement；　was　a　member　of　the　Council　of　the　Colony；　and　ultimately　became　Chief…Justice　of　the　Common　Pleas　and　Probate　Court。　　Otis's　own　father　（Colonel　James　Otis）　likewise　became　a　lawyer　and　publicist；　a　colonel　in　the　local　militia；　and　rose　to　a　high　post　in　the　judiciary　and　was　a　member　of　the　Council　of　Massachusetts。　　He　married　Mary　Alleyne　and　transmitted　to　the　future　patriot；　the　subject　of　this　sketch；　the　talents　and　many　of　the　characteristics　of　his　progenitors。　　A　brother　of　our　hero；　Samuel　Alleyne　Otis；　rose　to　prominence　in　the　politics　of　the　State　and　as　Secretary　of　the　Senate　administered　to　Washington　the　oath　of　office　as　President；　holding　the　Bible　on　which　he　was　sworn　as　honored　chief　of　the　future　nation。　　A　sister；　Mercy；　an　ardent　and　loyal　patriot；　married　the　notable　republican；　James　Warren　of　Plymouth；　and　lived　herself　to　write　a　compend　of　the　〃History　of　the　American　Revolution；〃　together　with　a　collection　of　patriotic　verse。

James　Otis；　whom　we　know　as　one　of　the　most　eloquent　orators　of　the　Revolutionary　era　and　an　ardent　promoter　of　American　independence；　was　educated　for　his　career　at　Harvard；　which　institution　he　entered　as　a　freshman　in　1739；　having　previously　been　prepared　for　college　by　the　Rev。　Jonathan　Russell。　　His　university　course；　so　far　as　can　be　gathered　from　any　account　of　it　that　has　come　down　to　us；　was　not　a　notable　one；　though　he　had　a　fair　scholastic　career　and　graduated　at　the　age　of　nineteen　in　1743。　　While　popular　after　a　fashion　at　college；　he　was　a　bit　of　a　recluse　and　a　diligent　student　of　literature；　with　a　predilection；　it　is　said；　for　music；　playing　well　on　the　violin。　　After　graduating；　he　wisely　spent　two　years　in　general　reading　before　entering　upon　the　study　of　the　law；　which　he　did　in　1745　under　James　Gridley；　a　prominent　jurist　of　Massachusetts　and　sometime　Crown　Attorney…General。　　Three　years　later；　he　was　admitted　to　the　bar；　and　in　1748　began　to　practice　his　profession　at　Plymouth；　Mass。　　In　1750；　he　removed　to　Boston；　and　there　became　known　as　an　advocate　of　note　and　high　promise；　actuated　by　nice　professional　instincts；　with　a　fine　sense　of　honor；　and　keenly　appreciating；　it　is　recorded；　his　responsibilities　in　his　relations　with　his　clients；　which　led　him　to　accept　only　such　cases　as　he　could　conscientiously　defend　and　take　retainers　from。

This　characteristic　scruple　in　the　lawyer　gave　him　a　high　standing　in　his　profession；　and　naturally　led　to　success　at　the　bar；　besides　winning　for　him　the　respect　and　admiration　of　troops　of　warm　and　attached　friends。

About　this　time　he　appears　to　have　developed　uncommon　gifts　as　an　orator；　and　his　rather　irascible　nature　gave　scope　to　his　keen　wit　and　powers　of　sarcasm。　　His　extensive　reading　and　ultimate　study　of　good　literary　models　naturally　bore　fruit　in　the　practice　of　the　forensic　art　and　gave　him　prestige　at　the　bar；　as　well　as；　later　on；　in　taking　to　public　life　and　to　the　advocacy　of　the　rights　of　the　Colonists　in　the　controversy　with　the　Crown。

In　1755；　when　he　had　attained　his　thirtieth　year；　Otis　married　Ruth　Cunningham；　the　daughter　of　an　influential　Boston　merchant。　　The　lady；　from　all　accounts；　was　undemonstrative　and　devoid　of　her　husband's　patriotic　ardor；　traits　that　did　not　tend　to　domestic　felicity　or　lead；　on　the　wife's　part；　to　a　commanding　influence　over　her　vehement　and　somewhat　eccentric　husband。　　The　fruit　of　the　union　was　one　son　and　two　daughters。　　The　son　entered　the　navy；　but　unhappily　died　in　his　eighteenth　year。　　One　of　the　daughters；　the　elder　of　the　two；　probably　under　the　mother's　influence；　angered　her　father　by　espousing　the　English　cause　and　marrying　a　Captain　Brown；　a　British　officer　on　duty　at　Boston。　　The　marriage　was　a　source　of　irritation　and　unhappiness　to　Otis；　who；　after　his　son…in…law　had　fought　and　been　wounded　at　Bunker　Hill；　withdrew　with　his　wife　to　England；　and　was　there　disowned　and　cut　off　by　the　irate　patriot；　whose　affection　was　also　dried　up　for　the　erring　daughter。　　The　younger　daughter；　on　the　other　hand；　was　a　devoted　and　patriotic　woman；　who　shared　her　father's　enthusiasm　for　the　popular　cause。　　She　married　Benjamin　Lincoln　of　Boston；　but　early　became　a　widow。

By　this　time；　Otis　had　become　not　only　a　man　eminent　in　his　profession　in　Boston；　but　a　powerful　factor　in　the　public　life　of　the　city。　　The　New　England　commonwealth　was　then　beginning　to　be　greatly　exercised　over　the　aggressions　of　the　Motherland；　and　this　was　keenly　watched　by　Otis；　who　took　a　lively　and　patriotic　interest　in　Colonial　affairs。　　Beyond　his　profession；　which　had　closely　engrossed　him；　he　had　heretofore　taken　little　part　in　public　life；　his　leisure；　indeed；　he　had　employed　more　as　a　student　of　books　rather　than　of　national　affairs；　as　his　work　on　the　〃Rudiments　of　Latin　Prosody；〃　published　in　1760；　bears　witness。　　As　the　era　of　a　conflict　with　England　neared；　he　however　altered　in　this　respect；　and　became　a　zealous　advocate　of　non…interference　on　the　part　of　the　Crown　in　the　affairs　of　the　Colonies　and　an　ardent　protester　against　English　oppression　and　injustice。　　Soon　grievances　arose　in　the　relations　between　the　Colonies　and　England　which　gave　Otis　the　right　to　denounce　the　Motherland　and　excite　dissaffection　among　the　people　of　the　New　World。　　These　grievances　arose　out　of　the　strained　commercial　relations　between　the　two　countries　and　the　attempt　of　England　to　devise　and　enforce　irritating　schemes　of　Colonial　control。　　Of　these　causes　of　outcry　in　the　New　World　the　two　chief　were　the　revival　and　rigid　execution　of　the　English　Navigation