james otis the pre-revolutionist-第6部分

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tely　sought　his　services　as　counsel　to　uphold　their　protest　against　the　Writs。　　For　his　assistant　they　selected　Mr。　Oxenbridge　Thatcher。

Otis　accepted　the　invitation　without　a　fee。　　His　action　involved　the　loss　of　his　official　position　as　well　as　his　means　of　living。

It　chanced　at　this　time　that　his　old　law　preceptor；　Jeremiah　Gridley；　was　selected　as　King's　Attorney；　and　it　fell　to　his　lot　to　take　the　place　which　Otis　would　not　accept。　　Thus　master　and　pupil　were　brought　face　to　face　at　the　bar　in　the　hottest　legal　encounter　which　preceded　our　rupture　with　the　mother　country。

The　trial　that　ensued　has　been　described　by　John　Adams；　an　eye　witness　of　the　whole　proceedings。　　He　gives　in　his　works　a　description　of　the　conduct　of　the　case　as　it　was　presented　for　and　against　the　crown；　and　also　notes　of　Otis's　argument。

After　the　pleas　were　presented　and　other　preliminary　matters　arranged；　Mr。　Gridley　addressed　the　court　in　support　of　the　government's　position。　　He　defended　the　petition　of　the　custom…house　officials　as　both　legal　and　just。　　Two　statutes　of　the　time　of　Charles　II；　empowering　the　court　of　Exchequer　to　issue　writs　such　as　those　which　were　now　denied；　were　adduced。　　He　then　cited　the　statute　of　the　sixth　year　of　Queen　Anne；　which　continued　to　inforce　the　processes　which　had　been　authorized　in　the　twelfth　and　fourteenth　years　of　the　reign　of　Charles。

Still　more　to　the　point　were　the　statutes　of　the　seventh　and　eighth　years　of　William　III；　which　authorized　the　collection　of　revenue　〃in　the　British　plantations〃　by　officers　who　might　search　both　public　and　private　houses　to　find　goods　that　had　evaded　the　duty。　　These　statutes　Mr。　Gridley　claimed　as　a　warrant　for　the　like　usage　in　America。

In　answer　to　Gridley；　Oxenbridge　Thatcher；＇1＇　himself　a　lawyer　of　no　mean　abilities；　spoke　for　the　counter　petitioners。　　His　plea　was　a　strong　confutation　of　Gridley's　arguments。　　After　this　brief　address　Mr。　Otis　rose　to　continue　the　plea　for　the　people。

Of　the　speech　which　followed　we　have　no　complete　record　or　wholly　satisfactory　summary。　　It　is　to　John　Adams；　and　to　the　notes　which　he　made　on　the　occasion；　that　we　must　look　for　our　opinion　of　what　was；　if　we　mistake　not；　the　greatest　and　most　effective　oration　delivered　in　the　American　colonies　before　the　Revolution。

Such　was　the　accepted　belief　of　those　who　heard　Otis；　and　witnessed　the　effect　of　his　tremendous　oratory。

Making　all　allowance　for　exaggeration；　it　seems　to　have　been　one　of　those　inspired　appeals　by　which　History　and　Providence　at　critical　epochs　make　themselves　known　to　mankind。　　John　Adams；　then　twenty…five　years　of　age；　passing　from　his　notes　of　Thatcher's　speech；　says　of　the　greater　actor：

〃But　Otis　was　a　flame　of　fire；　with　a　promptitude　of　classical　allusions；　a　depth　of　research；　a　rapid　summary　of　historical　events　and　dates；　a　profusion　of　legal　authorities；　a　prophetic　glance　of　his　eyes　into　futurity；　and　a　rapid　torrent　of　impetuous　eloquence；　he　hurried　away　all　before　him。　　American　Independence　was　then　and　there　born。　　The　seeds　of　patriots　and　heroes；　to　defend　the　Non　sine　diis　animosus　infans；　to　defend　the　vigorous　youth；　were　then　and　there　sown。　　Every　man　of　an　immense　crowded　audience　appeared　to　me　to　go　away；　as　I　did；　ready　to　take　arms　against　Writs　of　Assistance。　　Then　and　there　was　the　first　scene　of　the　first　act　of　opposition　to　the　arbitrary　claims　of　Great　Britain。　　Then　and　there　the　child　Independence　was　born。　　In　fifteen　years；　that　is　in　1776；　he　grew　up　to　manhood；　and　declared　himself　free。〃

We　may　allow　a　little　for　the　enthusiasm　of　a　young　patriot　such　as　Adams；　but　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　his　unmeasured　eulogy　was　well　deserved。　Such　was　the　description　of　Otis's　speech。

As　to　the　speech　itself　we　have　only　a　second…hand　and　inadequate　report。　　Minot；　in　his　〃History　of　Massachusetts；〃　presents　what　purports　to　be　a　tolerably　full　outline　of　the　great　address。

Mr。　Otis　spoke　for　five　hours；　during　which　time　with　his　rather　rapid　utterance　he　would　perhaps　deliver　an　oration　of　30；000　words。　　Minot's　report　appears　to　have　been　derived　from　Adams'　notes　done　into　full　form　by　an　unknown　writer；　who　probably　put　in　here　and　there　some　rather　florid　paragraphs　of　his　own。　　At　a　subsequent　period；　Adams　took　up　the　subject　and　corrected　Minot's　report；　giving　the　revised　address　to　William　Tudor；　who　used　the　same　in　his　biography　of　James　Otis。　　From　these　sources　we　are　able　to　present　a　fair　abstract　of　what　were　the　leading　parts　of　Otis's　speech。　　In　the　beginning　he　said：　

〃May　it　please　your　Honors：

〃I　was　desired　by　one　of　the　court　to　look　into　the　books；　and　consider　the　question　now　before　them　concerning　Writs　of　Assistance。　　I　have　accordingly　considered　it；　and　now　appear；　not　only　in　obedience　to　your　order；　but　likewise　in　behalf　of　the　inhabitants　of　this　town；　who　have　present　another　petition；　and　out　of　regard　to　the　liberties　of　the　subject。　　And　I　take　this　liberty　to　declare；　that；　whether　under　a　fee　or　not　（for　in　such　a　cause　as　this　I　despise　a　fee）；　I　will　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　t