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！
outcry in the New World the two chief were the revival and rigid execution of the English Navigation Acts； designed to limit the freedom of the American Colonies in trading with West Indian ports in American built vessels； and the insistence； on the part of the Crown and the British government； that the Colonies should be taxed for the partial support of English garrisons in the country。 In the development of trade in the New World； the Colonies reasonably felt that they should not be harassed by the mother country； and so they permitted commerce to expand as it would； and when this was enjoined by England they naturally resented interference by her and began to evade the laws which she imposed upon the young country and bid defiance to the Crown customs officers in the measures resorted to in the way of restriction and imposed penalty。 This attitude of the Colonists in ignoring or defying English laws was soon now specially emphasized when the Crown resorted to more stringent measures to curb Colonial trade and impose heavy customs duties on articles entering New World ports。 Flagrant acts of evasion followed； and defiant smuggling at length brought its legal consequencesin the issue by the English Court of Exchequer of search warrants； or Writs of Assistance； as they were called； by which it was sought to put a stop to smuggling； by resorting to humiliating arbitrary measures sure to be resented by the Colonies。 These Writs of Assistance empowered the King's officers； or others delegated by them； to board vessels in port and enter and search warehouses； and even the private homes of the Colonists； for contraband goods and all importations that had not paid toll to His Majesty's customs。 This attempted rigid execution of the Acts of Trade； together with other arbitrary measures on the part of the Crown which followed； such as the imposition of the Stamp Act； and the coercive levy of taxes to pay part of the cost of maintaining English troops in the Colonies； was soon to cost England dear and end in the loss of her possessions in America and the rise of the New World Republic。
One of the most active men in the Colonies to oppose this Colonial policy of England was； as we know； the patriot James Otis； at the time Advocate…General of the Crown； who took strong ground against the Writs of Assistance； arguing that they were not only arbitrary and despotic in their operation； but unconstitutional in their imposition on the Colony； since they were irreconcilable with the Colonial charters and a violation of the rights and prerogatives of the people。 Rather than uphold them as a Crown officer； Otis resigned his post of Advocate…General； and became a fervent pleader of the popular cause and denouncer of the legal processes by which the Crown sought to impose； with its authority； its obnoxious trammellings and restrictions without the consent of and in defiance of the inalienable rights of the American people。 Otis not only resisted the enforcement by the King's officers of the odious warrants and denounced their arbitrary character； but inveighed hotly against English oppression and all attempts of the Crown and its deputy in the province； the Lieutenant…Governor of Massachusetts； to restrict the liberties of the people and impose unconstitutional laws upon the Colony。 The Writs of Assistance were； of course； defended by the representatives of the Crown in the Colony； and on the plea that without some such legal process the laws could not be executed； and that similar writs were in existence in England and made use of there on the authority of English statutes。 The pleas against them advanced by Otis took cognizance of the fact that the Writs were irreconcilable with the charter of the Massachusetts Colony； that English precedent for their enforcement had no application in America； and that taxation by the Motherland and compulsory acts of the nature of the Writs did open violence to the rights and liberties of the people and were inherently arbitrary and despotic； being imposed without the consent of the Colonies and to their grave hurt and detriment。 In pleading the Colonial cause against the Writs； Otis struck a chord in the heart of the people which tingled and vibrated； while stirring up such opposition to them that the authorities were fain to hold their hand and await instructions from the English ministry as to their withdrawal or enforcement。 The response of the home government was that they should be enforced； but little advantage was taken of this mandate in the Colonies； since opposition to the Writs had； thanks to the patriot Otis's denunciation of them； became almost universal； while the people had been roused to a sharp sense of their situation； in view of the tyrannous attitude of England towards the Colonies； and the next step taken by the Crown； under Prime Minister Grenville； in threatening them with the no less hated Stamp Tax。 This new fiscal infatuation on the part…of the English ministry strained the relations of the Colonies toward the Crown to almost the point of rupture。 It was； moreover； an unwise exhibition of English stubbornness and impolicy； since it revealed the mistake which England fell into at the time of considering the Settlements of the New World as Colonial possessions to be held solely for the financial benefit of the mother country； rather than for their own advancement and material well…being。 It is true； that the Seven Years' War； which had been waged chiefly for the protection of the American dependencies of the Crown； had left a heavy burden of debt upon England which she naturally looked to the Colonies in some measure to repay。 But the Colonies had ready their argument they objected to being taxed without their consent； and without representation in the British Parliament； besides being； as they thought； sufficiently oppressed by the burden of customs' duties already imposed upon them。 The spirit of resistance therefore grew； and was ere long to take a more determined and； to England； fatal form； for the Stamp Act； though later on repealed； was passed； in spite of the protests of the Colonial Assemblies and the increasing soreness of feeling in America against the mother country。
The like service James Otis did for the community of the New World in opposing the Writs of Assistance he also did in opposing the enforcement of the Stamp Actremonstrances suggested by the patriot's love of independence； and which； besides numberless letters； speeches and addresses； drew from the pre…Revolutionist's trenchant pen several able pamphlets； one vindicating the action of the Massachusetts House of Representatives； of which Otis was now a member； in protesting against England's intolerance in laying grievous taxation on the Colonies； and the others upholding the rights of the Colonies in resisting the Crown's misgovernment； as well as its purpose to tax the Colonies to defray some of the cost England had incurred in prosecuting the French and Indian war。 In these patriotic services and labors； Otis； as a public man； took an active and zealous part； besides conducting a large correspondence as chairman of the House Committee of the Legislature on subjects relating to the weal of the whole country。 Nor were his duties confined to these matters alone； for we find him at this period engaged in controversies first with Governor Hutchinson； and then with his successor； Governor Bernard； both of whom deemed Otis an arch…rebel and incendiarya man not only without the pale of considerate treatment by lawfully constituted authority in the Colonies； but the object of contumely and loathing by the obsequious loyalists of the Motherland and all who desired her continued dominance and supremacy in the country。 History has happily long since done justice to James Otis and seen him in a fairer and far more worthy lightthe light not only of a patriot lover of liberty； but an ardent and invincible defender of his country against autocratic encroachment； and a fearless asserter of the principles which have become the foundation stone of the American nation。 In his masterful way； Otis was at times heedlessly bitter and inveterate in his prejudices against the mother country and the King's officers in the Colony； but we must remember the strength as well as the ardor of his affection for his native land and the righteousness of the cause he lovingly espoused and so nobly advocated。 We must remember also the antagonisms he naturally aroused； and the hatreds of which he was the object； on the part of loyal authority in the Colony which feared while it traduced him。 This is shown in the mishap that befell him in a British coffeehouse in Boston； where he was roughly assaulted by a man named Robinson； an ally of the revenue officers whom he had denounced in an article in the Boston Gazette； an attack that left its traces in the mental ailment which afterwards distressingly incapacitated him and shortened his bright public career。 He nevertheless lived to see the fruition of his hopes； in the throwing off by the Colonies of all allegiance to Britain and take part himself in the battle of Bunker Hill。 The harvest reaped by his country from the seeds of liberty he had planted in his day was such as might well ch