james otis the pre-revolutionist-第2章

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red　a　reputable　work　after　its　kind。

Samuel　Alleyne　Otis；　youngest　brother　of　James；　outlived　nearly　all　the　other　members　of　the　family；　and　was　recognized　as　a　prominent　political　leader。　　He；　also；　had　the　strong　patriotic　and　revolutionary　bent　of　the　family；　was　popular　and　influential；　and　was　honored　with　a　long　term　of　service　as　Secretary　of　the　Senate　of　the　United　States。　　In　this　capacity　he　participated；　April　30；　1789；　in　the　inauguration　of　Washington；　holding　the　Bible　on　which　the　Father　of　his　Country　took　the　oath　of　office。　　The　other　brothers　and　sisters　were　of　less　conspicuous　ability；　and　were　not　so　well　known　to　their　own　and　other　times。

In　New　England　in　the　first　half　of　the　eighteenth　century　the　sentiment　of　education　was　universal。　　Among　the　leading　people；　the　sentiment　was　intense。　　Colonel　Otis；　of　Barnstable；　was　alert　with　respect　to　the　discipline　and　development　of　his　children。　　He　gave　to　them　all；　to　the　sons　especially；　the　best　advantages　which　the　commonwealth　afforded。　　James　Otis　was　assigned　to　the　care　of　Reverend　Jonathan　Russell；　the　minister　at　Barnstable；　who　prepared　the　youth　for　college。　　By　the　middle　of　his　fifteenth　year　he　was　thought　to　be　ready　for　matriculation。　　He　was　accordingly　entered　as　a　freshman　at　Harvard；　in　June；　1739。

Of　the　incidents　of　his　preceding　boyhood；　we　know　but　little。　　A　tradition　exists　that　he　was　more　precocious　than　diligent；　that　his　will　was　strong；　that　his　activities　were　marked　with　a　reckless　audacity；　which；　however；　did　not　distinguish　him　much　from　the　other　promising　New　England　boys　of　his　age。　　Something　of　these　characteristics　are　noticeable　in　his　college　career。　　At　Harvard　he　showed　an　abundance　of　youthful　spirits；　a　strong　social　disposition；　and　a　well…marked　discrimination　between　his　friends　and　his　enemies。　　At　times　he　applied　himself　assiduously；　and　at　other　times　mused　and　read　rather　than　studied。　　On　the　whole　he　did　not　greatly　distinguish　himself　as　a　student。　　His　passion　for　literature　was　marked；　and　he　became　conspicuous　for　his　forensic　abilities。　　Towards　the　end　of　his　course；　his　character　as　a　student　was　intensified；　and　he　was　not　often　seen　away　from　his　books。　　Out　of　term　time；　he　would　return　to　his　father's　home　taking　his　books　with　him。　　At　such　times　he　was　rarely　seen　by　his　former　companions　of　Barnstable；　because　of　his　habit　of　secluding　himself　for　study。

It　is　narrated　that　at　this　period　of　his　life；　young　Otis　gave　strong　evidence　of　the　excitable　temperament　with　which　he　was　endowed。　　In　the　intervals　of　his　study　his　nervous　system；　under　the　stimulus　of　games　or　controversial　dispute；　would　become　so　tense　with　excitement　as　to　provoke　remark。　　Nor　may　we　in　the　retrospect　fail　to　discover　in　this　quality　of　mind　and　temper　the　premonitions　of　that　malady　which　finally　prevailed　over　the　lucid　understanding；　and　rational　activities　of　James　Otis。

The　youth　did　not　much　effect　social　accomplishments。　　He　had　a　passion　for　music　and　learned　to　play　the　violin。　　With　this　instrument　he　was　wont　to　entertain　himself　in　the　intervals　of　study。　　Sometimes　he　would　play　for　company。　　It　was　one　of　his　habits　to　break　off　suddenly　and　rather　capriciously　in　the　midst　of　what　he　was　doing。　　Thus　did　he　with　his　music。　　It　is　narrated　that　on　a　certain　occasion　while　playing　by　invitation　for　some　friends；　he　suddenly　put　aside　the　instrument；　saying　in　a　sort　of　declamatory　manner　as　was　his　wont　

〃So　fiddled　Orpheus　and　so　danced　the　brutes。〃

He　then　ran　into　the　garden；　and　could　not　be　induced　to　play　the　violin　again。

Young　Otis　passed　through　the　regular　classes　at　Harvard　and　was　graduated　in　1743。　　On　that　occasion　he　took　part　in　a　disputation　which　was　one　of　the　exercises　of　his　class。　　Otherwise　his　record　at　the　college　is　not　accented　with　any　special　work　which　he　did。　　At　the　time　of　his　graduation　he　was　in　his　nineteenth　year。　　It　had　been　his　father's　purpose　and　his　own　that　his　profession　should　be　the　law。　　It　does　not　appear；　however；　that　his　college　studies　were　especially　directed　to　this　end。　　At　any　rate；　he　did　not　devote　himself　at　once　to　the　law；　but　assiduously　for　two　years　（1743…45）　to　a　general　course　of　study　chosen　and　directed　by　himself　with　a　view　to　the　further　discipline　of　his　mind　and　the　widening　of　his　information。　　It　was　an　educational　theory　with　Otis　that　such　an　interval　of　personal　and　spontaneous　application　should　intervene　between　a　young　man's　graduation　and　the　beginning　of　his　professional　career。　　Having　pursued　this　course　with　himself　he　insisted　that　his　younger　brother；　Samuel　Alleyne　Otis；　should　take　the　same　course。　　In　one　of　his　letters　to　his　fathera　communication　fortunately　rescued　from　the　holocaust　of　his　correspondencehe　discusses　the　question　and　urges　the　propriety　of　the　young　man's　devoting　a　year　or　two　to　general　study　before　taking　up　his　law　books。　　An　extract　from　the　letter　will　prove　of　interest。　　The　writer　says：　　〃It　is　with　sincerest　pleasure　I　find　my　brother　Samuel　has　well　employed　his　time　during　his　residence　at　home。　　I　am　sure　you　don't　think　the　time　long　he　is　spending　in　his　present　course　of　studies；　since　it　is　past　all　doubt　they　are　not　only　ornamental　and　useful；　but　indispensably　necessary　preparatories　for　the　figure　I　hope　one　day；　for　his　and　your　sake；　as　well　as　my　own；　to　see　him　make　in　the　profession　he　is　determined　to　pursue。　　I　am　sure　the　year　and　a　half　I　spent　in　the　same　way；　after　leaving　the　academy；　was　as　well　spent　as　any　part　of　my　life；　and　I　shall　always　lament　I　did　not　take　a　year　or　two　further　for　more　general　inquiries　in　the　arts　and　sciences；　before　I　sat　down　to　the　laborious　study　of　the　laws　of　my　country。

〃My　brother's　judgment　can't　at　present　be　supposed　to　be　ripe　enough　for　so　severe　an　exercise　as　the　proper　reading　and　well　digesting　the　common　law。　　Very　sure　I　am；　if　he　would　stay　a　year　or　two　from　the　time　of　his　degree；　before　he　begins　with　the　law；　he　will　be　able　to　make　better　progress　in　one　week；　than　he　could　now；　without　a　miracle；　in　six。　　Early　and　short　clerkships；　and　a　premature　rushing　into　practice；　without　a　competent　knowledge　in　the　theory　of　law；　have　blasted　the　hopes；　and　ruined　the　expectations；　formed　by　the　parents　of　most　of　the　students　in　the　profession；　who　have　fallen　within　my　observation　for　these　ten　or　fifteen　years　past。〃

The　writer　of　this　well…timed　communication　then　adds　in　proof　of　his　position；　the　names　of　several　distinguished　jurists　who　postponed　the　beginning　of　their　legal　studies；　or　at　least　their　legal　practice；　to　a　time　of　life　quite　beyond　the　conventional　student　period。　　Mr。　Otis　then　declares　his　conviction　that　a　young　man　may　well　procrastinate　his　legal　studies　until　he　shall　have　attained　the　age　of　thirty　or　even　of　forty　years。　　He　declares　his　belief　that　such　postponement　will　as　a　rule　lead　to　better　result　than　can　be　attained　by　a　youth　who　begins　at　twenty；　however　brilliant　his　genius　may　be。

This　view　of　the　case　was　with　James　Otis　both　theory　and　practice。　　He　began　his　legal　studies　in　1745。　　In　that　year　he　became　a　law　student　under　the　tuition　of　Jeremiah　Gridley　who　at　that　time　was　already　regarded　as　one　of　the　most　able　and　accomplished　lawyers　in　Massachusetts。　　Preceptor　and　student　were　at　the　first　in　accord　in　their　political　and　social　principles。　　At　the　time　of　the　young　man's　law　course；　Gridley　was　a　member　of　the　General　Court　of　Massachusetts。　　He　belonged　to　the　party　called　Whig；　for　the　political　jargon　of　Great　Britain　had　infected　the　Americans　also；　and　they　divided　according　to　the　names　and　principles　of　the　British　partisans　of　the　period。

Judge　Gridley；　while　he　remained　on　the　bench；　took　sides　with　the　colonists　in　their　oncoming　contention　with　the　mother　country。　　Afterwards；　however；　by　accepting　the　appointment　of　Attorney　General　he　became　one　of　the　king's　officers；　and　it　was　in　this　relation　that　he　was　subsequently　brought　face　to　face　with　his　distinguished　pupil　in　the　trial　of　the　most　remarkable　case　which　preceded　the　Revolutions。

Mr。　Otis　devoted　two　years　of　time　to　his　legal　studies　before　beginning　the　practice　of　his　profession。　　The　study　of　law　at　that　time　was　much　more　difficult　than　at　the　present　day。　　The　student　was　obliged　to　begin　de　novo　with　the　old　statutes　and　decisions；　and　to　make　up　the　science　for　himself　by　a　difficult　induction；　which　not　many　young　men　were　able　to　do　successfully。

Law　text…books　were　virtually　unknown。　　Otis　did　not　even　have　access　to　〃Blackstone's　Commentaries。〃　　No　authoritative　works　on　evidence　or　pleading　existed　in　the　English　language。

The　student　must　get　down　his　Acts　of　Parliament；　his　decisions　of　the　King's　Bench；　his　Coke；　his　black…letter　dissertations　on　the　common　law；　and　out　of　these　construct　the　best　he　could　a　legal　system　for　himself。　　To　this　work　Mr。　Otis　devoted　himself　from　1745　to　1747；　after　which　he　left　the　office　of　Judge　Gridley　and　went　to　Plymouth；　where　he　applied　for　admission　to　the　bar；　and　was　accepted　by　the　court。　　He　began　to　practice　in　1748the　year　of　the　treaty　of　Aix…la…Chapelle；　when　the　political　and　historical　status　of　Europe　was　again　fixed　for　a　brief　period。

The　young　attorney　almost　immediately　took　rank　at　the　Plymouth　bar。　　The　old　records　of　the　court　at　that　place　still　show　the　frequent　appearance　of　Otis　for　one　or　the　other　of　the　parties。　　In　this　manner　were　passed　the　years　1748　and　1749。　　It　does　not　appear　that　at　this　time　he　concerned　himself　very　much　with　the　affairs　of　the　town　or　the　larger　affairs　of　the　commonwealth。　　The　tax　records　show　his　name　with　an　entry　to　the　effect　that　in　1748　he　estimated　his　personal　estate　at　twenty　pounds　besides　his　〃faculty；〃　by　which　was　meant；　his　professional　value。

A　few　incidents　of　this　period　in　Otis's　life　have　come　down　by　tradition。　　He　soon　made　a　favorable　impression　on　the　court　and　bar。　　He　gained　the　good　opinion　of　his　fellows　for　both　ability　and　integrity　of　character。　　This　reputation　he　carried　with　him　to　Boston；　whither　he　removed　early　in　the　year　1750。　　He　had　already　acquired　sufficient　character　to　bring　his　services　into　requisition　at　places　somewhat　distant　from　Plymouth。

His　reception　in　Boston　was　accordingly　favorable。　　Beyond　the　limits　of　the　colony　he　became　known　as　an　advocate。　　He　was　sent　for　in　important　cases；　and　showed　such　signal　ability　as　to　attract　the　admiring　attention　of　both　court　and　people。　　Already　at　the　conclusion　of　his　twenty…fifth　year　he　was　a　young　man　of　note；　rising　to　eminence。

There　was　good　ground　for　this　reputation　in　both　his　principles　of　conduct　and　his　legal　abilities。　　From　the　first　he　avoided　the　littleness　and　quibble　which　are　the　bane　of　the　bar。　　He　had　a　high　notion　of　what　a　lawyer　should　be　and　of　the　method　and　spirit　in　which　he　should　conduct　his　cases。　　He　had　as　much　dignity　as　audacity；　a　sense　of　justice　as　keen　as　the　purpose　was　zealous　in　pursuing　it。

It　came　to　be　understood　in　the　courts　of　Boston　when　Otis　appeared　as　an　advocate　that　he　had　a　case　and　believed　in　it。　　He　avoided　accepting　retainers　in　cases；　of　the　justice　of　which　he　was　i