james otis the pre-revolutionist-第25部分

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8。　He　was　fitted　for　College　by　the　Rev。　Jonathan　Russell　of　Barnstable；　and　was　so　industrious　in　his　studies　that　he　was　ready　in　his　fifteenth　year　to　enter　as　a　freshman　at　Harvard　in　June；　1739。　

9。　There　is　grave　reason　for　believing　that　his　excessive　devotion　to　study　at　this　early　period；　had　much　to　do　with　his　nervous　and　excitable　condition　in　succeeding　years。　　

10。　〃Make　haste　slowly〃　is　the　translation　of　a　Latin　motto；　which　parents　and　teachers　ought　to　observe　in　the　education　of　children。　　

11。　Far　better　is　it　for　the　student　to　take　time　in　making　a　thorough　preparation　for　the　great　work　of　life；　than　to　rush　through　his　preparatory　course　at　the　great　risk　of　health　and　strength。　　Let　him　aim　ever　be　to　present　〃a　sound　mind　in　a　sound　body。〃　　

12。　James　Otis　was　graduated　from　college　in　1743；　after　completing　a　four　years　successful　course。　　

13。　After　graduation　he　wisely　gave　nearly　two　years　to　the　pursuits　of　general　literature　and　science　before　entering　upon　the　law。　　

14。　In　this；　he　set　a　good　example　to　the　young　men　of　the　present　day；　who　are　so　strongly　tempted　to　enter　at　once　upon　professional　life；　without　laying　a　broad　and　deep　foundation　for　future　usefulness。　　

15。　James　Otis　was　very　fond　of　the　best　poets；　and　〃in　the　zealous　emulation　of　their　beauties；〃　says　Dr。　Magoon；　〃he　energized　his　spirit　and　power　of　expression。　　

16。　〃He　did　not　merely　read　over　the　finest　passageshe　pondered　themhe　fused　them　into　his　own　soul；　and　reproduced　their　charms　with　an　energy　all　his　own。〃　　

17。　In　1745　he　entered　the　law　office　of　Jeremiah　Gridley；　in　Boston；　who　was　then　one　of　the　most　distinguished　lawyers　in　the　country。　　

18。　He　began　the　practice　of　law　in　Plymouth；　in　1748；　but　soon　found　that　he　was　〃cabined；　cribbed　and　confined〃　in　the　opportunity　to　rise　in　such　a　small　place。　　

19。　In　1750　he　removed　to　Boston；　and　there　finding　full　scope　for　his　powers；　soon　rose　to　the　foremost　rank　in　his　profession。

20。　He　justly　won　the　high　place　so　generally　accorded　him；　by　his　learning；　his　integrity；　and　his　marvelous　eloquence。　　

21。　In　acting　successfully　as　counsel　for　the　three　men　who　were　accused　of　piracy　in　Halifax；　he　received　a　well　earned　fee；　which　was　the　largest　that　had　ever　been　paid　to　a　Massachusetts　lawyer。　　

22。　Like　James　A。　Garfield；　he　kept　up　a　lively　interest　in　classical　studies　during　his　entire　professional　career。　　

23。　James　Otis　married　Miss　Ruth　Cunningham；　daughter　of　a　Boston　merchant；　early　in　1755。　　

24。　The　marriage　was　not　in　all　respects　a　happy　one；　partly　on　account　of　political　differences。　　While　he　became　an　ardent　patriot；　she　remained　a　staunch　loyalist　until　her　death　on　Nov。　15；　1789。　　

25。　Another　reason　for　the　want　of　complete　domestic　felicity　was　the　peculiar　character　of　his　genius；　which；　so　often　glowing；　excitable　and　irregular；　must　have　frequently　demanded　a　home　forbearance　almost　miraculous。　　

26。　The　elder　daughter；　Elizabeth；　married　a　Captain　Brown　of　the　British　army；　and　ended　her　days　in　England。　　27。　The　younger　daughter；　Mary；　married　Benjamin；　the　eldest　son　of　the　distinguished　General　Lincoln。　　

28。　In　1761；　when　he　was　thirty…six　years　of　age　his　great　political　career　began；　by　his　determined　opposition　to　the　〃Writs　of　Assistance。〃　　

29。　He　said　with　an　eloquence　that　thrilled　every　heart；　〃A　man's　house　is　his　castle；　and　while　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。〃　　

30。　〃I　am　determined　to　sacrifice　estate；　ease；　health；　applause　and　even　life；　to　the　sacred　calls　of　my　country　in　opposition　to　a　kind　of　power；　the　exercise　of　which　cost　one　king　his　head　and　another　his　throne。〃　　

31。　In　1762　he　published　a　pamphlet　entitled；　〃The　Rights　of　the　Colonies　Vindicated；〃　which　attracted　great　attention　in　England　for　its　finished　diction　and　masterly　arguments。　　

32。　In　this　production　he　firmly　took　the　unassailable　position；　that　in　all　questions　relating　to　the　expenditure　of　public　money；　the　rights　of　a　Colonial　Legislature　were　as　sacred　as　the　rights　of　the　House　of　Commons。　　

33。　Some　of　the　Parliamentary　leaders　in　England　spoke　of　the　work　with　contempt。　　Lord　Mansfield；　the　great　English　legal　luminary；　who　had　carefully　read　it；　rebuked　them　for　their　attitude　towards　it。　　

34。　But　they　rejoined；　as　quoted　by　Bancroft；　〃The　man　is　mad！〃　　〃What　then？〃　answered　Mansfield。　　〃One　mad　man　often　makes　many。　　Massaniello　was　madnobody　doubted　ityet　for　all　that　he　overturned　the　government　of　Naples。〃　　

35。　In　June；　1765；　Mr。　Otis　proposed　the　calling　of　a　congress　of　delegates　from　all　the　colonies　to　consider　the　Stamp　Act。　　

36。　In　that　famous　Congress　which　met　in　October；　1765；　in　New　York；　he　was　one　of　the　delegates；　and　was　appointed　on　the　committee　to　prepare　an　address　to　the　Commons　of　England。　　

37。　In　1767　he　was　elected　Speaker　of　the　Massachusetts　Assembly。　　Governor　Bernard　took　a　decidedly　negative　position　against　the　fiery　orator；　whom　he　feared　as　much　as　he　did　the　intrepid　Sam　Adams。　　

38。　But　Bernard　could　not　put　a　padlock　upon　the　lips　of　Otis。　　When　the　king；　who　was　greatly　offended　at　the　Circular　Letter　to　the　colonies；　which　requested　them　to　unite　in　measures　for　redress　demanded　of　Bernard　to　dismiss　the　Assembly　unless　it　should　rescind　its　action；　Otis　made　a　flaming　speech。　　

39。　His　adversaries　said；　〃It　was　the　most　violent；　abusive　and　treasonable　declaration　that　perhaps　was　ever　uttered。〃　　

40。　In　the　debate　which　ensued　upon　this　royal　order；　Otis　said：　　〃We　are　asked　to　rescind；　are　we？　　Let　Great　Britain　rescind　her　measures；　or　the　colonies　are　lost　to　her　forever。〃　　

41。　Otis　carried　the　House　triumphantly　with　him；　and　it　refused　to　rescind　by　a　vote　of　ninety…two　to　seventeen。　　

42。　In　the　summer　of　1769　he　attacked　some　of　the　revenue　officers　in　an　article　in　〃The　Boston　Gazette。〃　　A　few　evenings　afterwards；　while　sitting　in　the　British　coffee…house　in　Boston；　he　was　savagely　assaulted　by　a　man　named　Robinson；　who　struck　him　on　the　head　with　a　heavy　cane　or　sword。　　

43。　The　severe　wound　which　was　produced　so　greatly　aggravated　the　mental　disease　which　had　before　been　somewhat　apparent；　that　his　reason　rapidly　forsook　him。　　

44。　Otis　obtained　a　judgment　of　L2；000　against　Robinson　for　the　attack；　but　when　the　penitent　officer　made　a　written　apology　for　his　irreparable　offense；　the　sufferer　refused　to　take　a　penny。　

45。　In　1771　he　was　elected　to　the　legislature；　and　sometimes　afterward　appeared　in　court　and　in　the　town　meeting；　but　found　himself　unable　to　take　part　in　public　business。　　

46。　In　June；　1775；　while　living　in　a　state　of　harmless　insanity　with　his　sister；　Mercy　Warren；　at　Watertown；　Mass。；　he　heard；　according　to　Appleton's　〃Cyclopedia　of　American　Biography；〃　the　rumor　of　battle。　　On　the　17th　he　slipped　away　unobserved；　〃borrowed　a　musket　from　some　farmhouse　by　the　roadside；　and　joined　the　minute　men　who　were　marching　to　the　aid　of　the　troops　on　Bunker　Hill。〃　

47。　〃He　took　an　active　part　in　that　battle；　and　after　it　was　over　made　his　way　home　again　after　midnight。〃　　

48。　The　last　years　of　his　life　were　spent　at　the　residence　of　　Mr。　Osgood　in　Andover。　　For　a　brief　season　it　seemed　as　though　his　reason　was　restored。　　He　even　undertook　a　case　in　the　Court　of　Common　Pleas　in　Boston；　but　found　himself　unequal　to　the　exertion　demanded　of　him。　　

49。　He　had　been　persuaded　to　dine　with　Governor　Hancock　and　some　other　friends。　　〃But　the　presence　of　his　former　friends　and　the　revived　memories　of　previous　events；　gave　a　great　shock　to　his　broken　mind。〃　　He　was　persuaded　to　go　back　at　once　to　the　residence　of　Mr。　Osgood。　　

50。　After　his　mind　had　become　unsettled　he　said　to　Mrs。　Warren；　〃My　dear　sister；　I　hope；　when　God　Almighty　in　his　righteous　providence　shall　take　me　out　of　time　into　eternity；　that　it　will　be　by　a　flash　of　lightning；〃　and　this　wish　he　often　repeated。　　

51。　Six　weeks　exactly　after　his　return；　on　May　23；　1783；　while　standing　in　the　side　doorway　during　a　thunder…shower；　with　his　cane　in　his　hand；　and　telling　the　assembled　family　a　story；　he　was　struck　by　lightning　and　instantly　killed。　　Not　one　of　the　seven　or　eight　persons　in　the　room　was　injured。　　〃No　mark　of　any　kind　could　be　found　on　Otis；　nor　was　there　the　slightest　change　or　convulsion　on　his　features。〃　　

52。　His　remains　were　brought　to　Boston　and　interred　in　the　Granary　Burying　Ground　with　every　mark　of　respect；　a　great　number　of　the　citizens　attending　his　funeral。　　

53。　James　Otis　sowed　the　seeds　of　liberty　in　this　new　world　without　living　to　see　the　harvest；　and　probably　without　ever　dreaming　what　magnificent　crops　would　be　produced。　　

54。　When　the　usurpations　of　un…English　parliamentarians　and　their　allies　at　home；　became　as　burdensome；　as　they　were　unjust　he　defended　his　countrymen；　in　whose　veins　flowed　the　best　of　English　blood；　with　an　eloquence　whose　ultimate　influence　transcended　his　own　sublime　aspirations。　

55。　　He　taught；　in　the　ominous　words；　which　King　James's　first　House　of　Commons　addressed　to　the　House　of　Lords；　immediately　after　the　monarch　had　been　lecturing　them　on　his　own　prerogative；　that　〃There　may　be　a　People　without　a　king；；　but　there　can　be　no　king　without　a　people。〃　　

56。　〃Fortunately　for　civil　liberty　in　England　and　America；　in　all　countries　and　in　all　times；〃　as　Edward　Everett　Hale　says；　〃none　of　the　Stuarts　ever　learned　in　time　what　this　ominous　sentence　meansot　James　I；　the　most　foolish　of　them；　nor　Charles　I；　the　most　false；　nor　Charles　II；　the　most　worthless；　nor　James　II；　the　most　obstinate。〃　　

57。　It　could　be　said　of　Otis　as　Coleridge　said　of　O'Connell；　〃See　how　triumphant　in　debate　and　action　he　is。　　And　why？　　Because　he　asserts　a　broad　principle；　acts　up　to　it；　rests　his　body　upon　it；　and　has　faith　in　it。〃


PROGRAMME　FOR　A　JAMES　OTIS　EVENING。

1。　Music　　2。　Vocal　Music〃Remember　the　Maine。〃　　3。　Essay　〃The　True　Relation　of　England　as　a　Nation　to　the　Colonies。〃　　4。　Vocal　or　Instrumental　Music。　　5。　Essay〃Writs　of　Assistance；　and　Otis'　Relation　to　Them。〃　　6。　Music。　　7。　A　Stereopticon　Lecture；　illustrating　the　Famous　Build