james otis the pre-revolutionist-第25节

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s'　chamber。

After　the　court　was　opened；　Otis　rose；　and　moved　that　they　should　adjourn　to　Faneuil　Hall。

With　a　significant　expression　of　loathing　and　scorn；　he　observed；　〃that　the　stench　occasioned　by　the　troops　in　the　hall　of　legislation　might　prove　infectious；　and　that　it　was　utterly　derogatory　to　the　court　to　administer　justice　at　the　points　of　bayonets　and　mouths　of　cannon。〃


JAMES　OTIS　AT　THE　BATTLE　OF　BUNKER　HILL。

In　the　sketch　of　the　life　of　James　Otis；　as　presented　in　Appleton's　〃Cyclopedia　of　American　Biography；〃　an　interesting　account　is　given　of　the　part　James　Otis　played　in　the　noted　battle　of　Bunker　Hill；　in　June；　1775。

The　minute　men　who；　hastening　to　the　front；　passed　by　the　house　of　the　sister　of　James　Otis；　with　whom　he　was　living；　at　Watertown；　Mass。

At　this　time　he　was　harmlessly　insane；　and　did　not　need　special　watching。

But；　as　he　saw　the　patriotic　farmers　hurrying　by　and　heard　of　the　rumor　of　the　impending　conflict；　he　was　suddenly　seized　with　a　martial　spirit。　　Without　saying　a　word　to　a　single　soul；　he　slipped　away　unobserved　and　hurried　on　towards　Boston。　　On　the　roadside　he　stopped　at　a　farmhouse　and　borrowed　a　musket；　there　being　nothing　seemingly　in　his　manner　to　suggest　mental　derangement。　　Throwing　the　musket　upon　his　shoulder　he　hastened　on；　and　was　soon　joined　by　the　minute　men　coming　from　various　directions。　　〃Falling　in〃　with　them；　he　took　an　active　part　in　that　eventful　contest　until　darkness　closed　in　upon　the　combatants。　　Then；　wearied　beyond　description；　though　he　was；　he　set　out　for　home　after　midnight。　　He　afterwards　pursued　his　sad　and　aimless　life；　as　though　nothing　unusual　had　occurred。


INFLUENCE　OF　THE　BATTLE　OF　BUNKER　HILL

Two　days　before　the　battle　of　Bunker　Hill　Washington　had　been　appointed　by　the　Continental　Congress　Commander　in　Chief。

The　news　of　the　battle　was　brought。　　Foreseeing　the　significance　of　the　result　he　said；　〃The　liberties　of　the　country　are　safe。〃

Four　days　afterward　Thomas　Jefferson　entered　Congress　and　the　next　day　news　was　brought　of　the　Charlestown　conflict。　　〃This　put　fire　into　his　ideal　statesmanship。〃　　Patrick　Henry　hearing　of　it　said；　〃I　am　glad　of　it；　a　breach　of　our　affections　was　needed　to　rouse　the　country　to　action。〃

Franklin　wrote　to　his　English　friends：　〃England　has　lost　her　colonies　forever。〃


THE　ANCESTORS　OF　JAMES　OTIS。

Carlyle　says：　〃I　never　knew　a　clever　man　who　came　out　of　entirely　stupid　people。〃　　James　Otis's　great　qualities　〃were　an　inheritance；　not　an　accident；　and　inheritance　from　the　best　blood　of　old　England。〃　　Many　years　ago；　when　George　Ticknor　of　Boston　was　a　guest　of　Lady　Holland；　at　the　famous　Holland　House；　in　London；　her　ladyship　remarked　to　him；　in　her　not　very　engaging　way：

〃I　understand；　Mr。　Ticknor；　that　Massachusetts　was　settled　by　convicts。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Mr。　Ticknor；　〃I　thought　I　was　somewhat　familiar　with　the　history　of　my　State；　but　I　was　not　aware　that　what　you　say　was　the　case。〃

〃But；〃　he　continued；　〃I　do　now　remember　that　some　of　your　ladyship's　ancestors　settled　in　Boston；　for　there　is　a　monument　to　one　of　them　in　King's　Chapel。〃

James　Otis　inherited　that　sturdy　New　England　pride　which　puts　manhood　above　dukedoms　and　coronets。

〃A　king　may　make　a　belted　knight；　　A　marquis；　duke　and　a'　that；　But　an　honest　man's　aboon　his　might。〃

From　a　race　of　the　true　kings　of　men　he　was　descended；　who　conquered　out　of　the　jaws　of　the　wilderness　the　priceless　inheritance　of　American　privilege　and　freedom。　　And　while　kings　at　home　were　trying　to　crush　out　the　liberties　of　their　subjects；　or　were　dallying　with　wantons　in　the　palaces　built　out　of　the　unrequited　toil　of　the　long…suffering　and　downtrodden　people；　these　men　of　iron　were　the　pioneers　of　American　civilization；　at　a　time；　which　Holmes　so　graphically　describes：

〃When　the　crows　came　cawing　through　the　air　　To　pluck　the　Pilgrim's　corn；　　　And　bears　came　snuffing　round　the　door　　Wherever　a　babe　was　born；　　　And　rattlesnakes　were　bigger　round　　Than　the　butt　of　the　old　ram's　horn　　　The　deacon　blew　at　meeting　time；　　On　every　Sabbath　morn。〃


COL。　BARRE　ON　JAMES　OTIS。

In　the　debate　on　the　Boston　Port　Bill　in　Parliament；　April　15th；　1774；　Colonel　Barre　referred　to　the　ruffianly　attack　made　on　Mr。　Otis；　and　his　treatment　of　the　injury；　in　a　manner　that　reflects　honor　on　both　of　the　orators。

〃Is　this　the　return　you　make　them？〃　inquired　the　British　statesman。

〃When　a　commissioner　of　the　customs；　aided　by　a　number　of　ruffians；　assaulted　the　celebrated　Mr。　Otis；　in　the　midst　of　the　town　of　Boston；　and　with　the　most　barbarous　violence　almost　murdered　him；　did　the　mob；　which　is　said　to　rule　that　town；　take　vengeance　on　the　perpetrators　of　this　inhuman　outrage　against　a　person　who　is　supposed　to　be　their　demagogue？

〃No；　sir；　the　law　tried　them；　the　law　gave　heavy　damages　against　them；　which　the　irreparably　injured　Mr。　Otis　most　generously　forgave；　upon　an　acknowledgment　of　the　offense。

〃Can　you　expect　any　more　such　instances　of　magnanimity　under　the　principle　of　the　Bill　now　proposed？〃


THE　GENEROSITY　OF　OTIS。

He　was　distinguished　for　generosity　to　both　friends　and　foes。　　Governor　Hutchinson　said　of　him：　　〃that　he　never　knew　fairer　or　more　noble　conduct　in　a　speaker；　than　in　Otis；　that　he　always　disdained　to　take　advantage　of　any　clerical　error；　or　similar　inadvertence；　but　passed　over　minor　points；　and　defended　his　causes　solely　on　their　broad　and　substantial　foundations。〃


JOHN　ADAMS　ON　OTIS。

But　in　that　contest　over　the　〃Writs　of　Assistance；〃　there　was　something　nobler　exhibited　than　superiority　to　mercenary　consideration。

〃It　was；〃　says　the　Venerable　President；　John　Adams；　〃a　moral　spectacle　more　affecting　to　me　than　any　I　have　since　seen　upon　the　stage；　to　observe　a　pupil　treating　his　master　with　all　the　deference；　respect；　esteem；　and　affection　of　a　son　to　a　father；　and　that　without　the　least　affectation；　while　he　baffled　and　confounded　all　his　authorities；　confuted　all　his　arguments；　and　reduced　him　to　silence！

〃The　crown；　by　its　agents；　accumulated　construction　upon　construction；　and　inference　upon　inference；　as　the　giants　heaped　Pelion　upon　Ossa；　but　Otis；　like　Jupiter；　dashed　this　whole　building　to　pieces；　and　scattered　the　pulverized　atoms　to　the　four　winds；　and　no　judge；　lawyer；　or　crown　officer　dared　to　say；　why　do　ye　so？

〃He　raised　such　a　storm　of　indignation；　that　even　Hutchinson；　who　had　been　appointed　on　purpose　to　sanction　this　writ；　dared　not　utter　a　word　in　its　favor；　and　Mr。　Gridley　himself　seemed　to　me　to　exult　inwardly　at　the　glory　and　triumph　of　his　pupil。〃


OTIS　COMPARED　WITH　RANDOLPH。

〃The　wit　exemplified　by　Mr。　Otis　in　debate；〃　says　Dr。　Magoon；　〃was　often　keen　but　never　malignant；　as　in　John　Randolph。　　The　attacks　of　the　latter　were　often　fierce　and　virulent；　not　unfrequently　in　an　inverse　proportion　to　the　necessity　of　the　case。

〃He　would　yield　himself　up　to　a　blind　and　passionate　obstinacy；　and　lacerate　his　victims　for　no　apparent　reason　but　the　mere　pleasure　of　inflicting　pangs。

〃In　this　respect；　the　orator　of　Roanoke　resembled　the　Sicilian　tyrant　whose　taste　for　cruelty　led　him　to　seek　recreation　in　putting　insects　to　the　torture。　　If　such　men　cannot　strike　strong　blows；　they　know　how　to　fight　with　poisonous　weapons；　thus　by　their　malignity；　rather　than　by　their　honorable　skill；　they　can　bring　the　noblest　antagonist　to　the　ground。

〃But　Mr。　Otis　pursued　more　dignified　game　and　with　a　loftier　purpose。

〃He　indeed　possessed　a　Swiftian　gift　of　sarcasm；　but；　unlike　the　Dean　of　St。　Patrick's；　and　the　forensic　gladiator　alluded　to　above；　he　never　employed　it　in　a　spirit　of　hatred　and　contempt　towards　the　mass　of　mankind。

〃Such　persons　should　remember　the　words　of　Colton；　that；　'Strong　and　sharp　as　our　wit　may　be；　it　is　not　so　strong　as　the　memory　of　fools；　nor　so　keen　as　their　resentment；　he　that　has　strength　of　mind　to　forgive；　is　by　no　means　weak　enough　to　forget；　and　it　is　much　more　easy　to　do　a　cruel　thing　than　to　say　a　severe　one。'〃


ORATORICAL　POWERS

Many　of　the　most　effective　orators；　of　all　ages；　have　not　been　most　successful　in　long　and　formal　efforts。　　Nor　have　they　always　been　close　and　ready　debaters。　　〃Sudden　bursts　which　seemed　to　be　the　effect　of　inspirationshort　sentences　which　came　like　lightning；　dazzling；　burning；　striking　down　everything　before　themsentences　which；　spoken　at　critical　moments；　decided　the　fate　of　great　questionssentences　which　at　once　became　proverbs　sentences　which　everybody　still　knows　by　heart〃in　these　chiefly　lay　the　oratorical　power　of　Mirabeau　and　Chatham；　Patrick　Henry　and　James　Otis。E。　L。　Magoon。


THE　ELOQUENCE　OF　OTIS。

Otis　was　naturally　elevated　in　thought；　and　dwelt　with　greatest　delight　in　the　calm　contemplation　of　the　lofty　principles　which　should　govern　political　and　moral　conduct。

And　yet　he　was　keenly　suspectible　to　excitement。　　His　intellect　explored　the　wilderness　of　the　universe　only　to　increase　the　discontent　of　those　noble　aspirations　of　his　soul　which　were　never　at　rest。

In　early　manhood　he　was　a　close　student；　but　as　he　advanced　in　age　he　became　more　and　more　absorbed　in　public　action。

As　ominous　storms　threatened　the　common　weal；　he　found　less　delight　in　his　library　than　in