"WORCESTER, October 12, 1755. Soon after the Reformation, a few people came "over into this New World for conscience' sake. Per"haps this apparently trivial incident may transfer "the great seat of empire into America. It looks likely "to me, if we can remove the turbulent Gallicks, our "people, according to the exactest computations, will, "in another century, become more numerous than "England herself. Should this be the case, since we "have, I may say, all the naval stores of the nation "in our hands, it will be easy to obtain the mastery "of the seas; and then the united force of all Europe "will not be able to subdue us. [Here we see the first germ of the American Navy.] The only way to "keep us from setting up for ourselves, is to disunite Divide et impera. Keep us in distinct colonies, "and then some great men in each colony, desiring "the monarchy of the whole, they will destroy each "other's influence, and keep the country in equilibrio. "Be not surprised that I am turned politician; the "whole town is immersed in politics. The interests "of nations, and all the dira of war, make the sub 66 us. 66 ject of every conversation. I sit and hear, and, "after having been led through a maze of sage obser❝vations, I sometimes retire, and, by laying things "together, form some reflections pleasing to myself. "The produce of one of these reverics you have read "above." Here we mark the political dawn of the mind of this great man. His country, her resources, her independence, her glory, were the first objects of his thoughts, as they were the last. Here, too, we see the earliest proof of that bold and adventurous turn for speculation, that sagacious flashing into futurity, and that sanguine anticipation, which became so conspicuous in his after life. He calls this letter a reverie; but, connecting it with his ardent character and his future career, there is reason to believe, that it was a reverie which produced in him all the effect of a prophetic vision, and opened to him a perspective which was never afterwards closed. An incident soon occurred to give brighter tinting and stronger consistency to this dream of his youth; and this may be considered as among the most efficient of those means, devised by the wisdom of Providence, to shape the character and point the energies of this high-minded young man to the advancement of the great destiny that awaited his country. The famous question of writs of assistance was argued, in his presence, in Boston, in February, 1761. These writs were a kind of general search- warrants, transferable by manual delivery from one low tool of power to another, and without any return; which put at the mercy of these vulgar wretches, for an indefinite period, the domestic privacy, the peace and comfort, of the most respectable inhabitants in the colony; and even the sanctuary of female delicacy and devotion. The authority of the British tribunals in the province, themselves the instru ments of a tyrant's will, to issue such writs, was the pre cise question to be discussed. The champion in opposition to the power was the great Otis. Of the character of his argument, and its effect upon Mr. Adams, we are not left to conjecture: he has given it to us, himself, in his own burning phraseology. "Otis was a flame of fire! "With a promptitude of classical allusion, 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." And he adds " Every man of an immense "crowded audience appeared to me to go away, as I "did, ready to take arms against writs of assistance." The immense crowded audience," it is probable, left the hall with no impressions beyond the particular subject of debate. They were ready to take arms against writs of assistance. Not so with Mr. Adams. In him the splendid conflagration of Otis" had set fire to a mind whose action it was not easy to restrain within narrow limits; a mind already looking out on the wide expanse of the future, and apparently waiting only for the occasion, to hold up to his countrymen the great revolving light of Independence, above the darkness of the coming storm. In him American Independence was then and there born: and, appealing to his own bosom, he was justified in saying, as he has done, on another occasion, in the most solemn terms, that James Otis, "then and there, first breathed into this nation the breath of life." The flame thus given to his enthusiasm was never permitted to subside. The breach between the two countries grew wider and wider, until, from being an excited spectator, he soon became a vigorous and most efficient actor. In his thirtieth year, he gave to his country, that powerful work "The Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law." It is but to read those extracts from this work which have been recently diffused among us from the North, to see that it was not limited in its purpose to the specific questions which had then arisen. The discussion travels far beyond these questions, and bears all the marks of a profound and comprehensive design, to prepare the country for a separation from Great Britain. It is a review of the whole system of the British institutions, and a most powerful assault upon those heresies, civil and religious, which constituted the outposts of that system. Besides the solid instruction which it conveys on the true theory of government, and the deep and impressive exhortation with which it urges the necessity of correct information to the People, it seems to have been the leading object of the work to disenchant his countrymen of that reverence for the institutions of the parent country which still lingered around their hearts, and to teach them to look upon these institutions, not only with indifference, but with aversion and contempt. Hence those burning sarcasms which he flings into every story of the citadel, until the whole edifice is wrapped in flames. It is, indeed, a work eminently fitted for the speedy regeneration of the country. The whole tone of the essay is so raised and bold, that it sounds like a trumpet-call to arms. And the haughty defiance which he hurls into the face of the oppressors of his country, is so brave and uncompromising, as to leave no doubt that, whatever might be the temper of the rest of the community, the author had already laid his hand upon the altar, and sworn that his country should be free. All this fire, however, was tempered with judgment, and guided by the keenest and most discriminating sagacity; and if his character was marked with the stubborn firmness of the Pilgrim, it was because he was supported by the Pilgrims' conscious integrity. Another incident soon occurred to place these qualities in high relief. In the progress of the quarrel, Great Britain had quartered an army in Boston, to supply the place of argument, and enforce that submission which she could not command. The immediate consequence was collision and affray between the soldiery and the citizens; and, in one of those affrays, on the 5th of November, 1770, the British captain, Preston, gave the fatal order to fire! Several were killed, and many more were wounded. It is easy to imagine the storm that instantly arose. The infuriated populace were, with great difficulty, restrained by the leading men of the town, from sating their vengeance upon the spot. Disappointed of this, they were loud, and even frantic, in their cry for the vengeance of law. Yet there was no murder in the case: for, in this instance it had happened that they were themselves the assailants. Preston was arrested for trial and Mr. Adams then standing in the : |