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James Otis

James Otis Quotes

Lawyer

James Otis, born on February 5, 1725, and died on May 23, 1783, was an influential American lawyer. He is known for his significant role in the American Revolutionary War and his famous defense in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

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All Men Law Liberty Writs Of Assistance Assistance Ifs May Natural Property Tyrants

Famous James Otis Quotes

“A man's house is his castle; and whilst he is quiet, he is as well guarded as a prince in his castle.”

Property Rights

Author:James Otis

“[Slave] trade ... is the most shocking violation of the law of nature, has a direct tendency to diminish ... liberty, and makes every dealer in it a tyrant, from the director of an African company to the petty chapman [peddler].... It is a clear truth, that those who every day barter away other men's liberty will soon care little for their own.”

Men Littles Care Law Company Liberty Clear Directors Direct Trade Slave Tendencies Tyrants Shocking Diminish Petty Laws Of Nature Violation Dealer Slave Trade Peddler

Author:James Otis

“What must be the wealth that avarice, aided by power, cannot exhaust!”

Author:James Otis

“Dew depends not on Parliament.”

Depends Parliament Dew

Author:James Otis

“The people's safety is the law of God.”

People Law Safety

Author:James Otis

“The supreme power cannot take from any man any part of his property, without his consent in person, or by representation.”

Men Persons Property Supreme Representation Consent Supreme Power

Author:James Otis

“A man's house is his castle.”

Men Home House Castles

Author:James Otis

“Let the consequences be what they will, I am determined to proceed.”

Consequence Determined I Am Determined

Author:James Otis

“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.”

Thinking Made I Can Soul Names Conscience Guilt Sake My Soul Folly Despise Submit Foe Sincerely Malice

Author:James Otis

“Taxation without representation is tyranny.”

Tyranny Tyrants Representation Taxation Taxation Without Representation

Author:James Otis

“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.”

Hands Given Dying Slavery Instruments Faculty Assistance Villainy Writs Of Assistance

Author:James Otis

“These manly sentiments, in private life, make the good citizen; in public life, the patriot and the hero.”

Hero Citizens Sentiments Patriot Private Life Public Life Manly Good Citizen

Author:James Otis

“I pray God I may never be brought to the melancholy trial, but if ever I should, it will be then known how far I can reduce to practice, principles, which I know to be founded in truth.”

Ifs Knows Should May I Can Known Principles Practice Praying Trials Melancholy I Pray Praying To God

Author:James Otis

“Every man may reign secure in his petty tyranny, and spread terror and desolation around him, until the trump of the archangel shall excite different emotions in his soul.”

Men May Different Soul Emotion Trump Terror Spread Every Man Tyranny Secure Tyrants Reign Petty Desolation Archangel Different Emotions Writs Of Assistance

Author:James Otis

“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.”

Men Country Principles Sacrifice Sacred Worthy Ease Gentleman Estates Applause

Author:James Otis

“Every one with this writ may be a tyrant in a legal manner, also may control, imprison, or murder any one within the realm.”

Ifs May Murder Realms Tyrants

Author:James Otis

“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 presented another petition, and out of regard to the liberties of the subject.”

Order Liberty Subjects Towns Regard Obedience Behalf Petitions

Author:James Otis

“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.”

Looks May Book Honor Please Court Assistance Eugenics Your Honor Writs Of Assistance

Author:James Otis

“My dear sister, I hope, when God Almighty in his righteous providence shall take me out of time into eternity, that it will be by a flash of lightning.”

Eternity Dear Take Me Righteous Flash Providence Lightning Almighty Sister Dear God Dear Sister

Author:James Otis

“There can be no prescription old enough to supersede the Law of Nature and the grant of God Almighty, who has given to all men a natural right to be free, and they have it ordinarily in their power to make themselves so, if they please.”

Ifs Men Enough Government Law Given Natural Freedom Please Grants Almighty Laws Of Nature Prescriptions

Author:James Otis

“The colonists are by the law of nature free-born, as indeed all man are, white or black...It is a clear truth that those who every day barter away other men's liberty will soon care little for their own.”

Men Littles Care Law Black Born White Liberty Clear Laws Of Nature Colonists

Author:James Otis

“Can there be any liberty where property is taken away without consent?”

Freedom Liberty Taken Property Consent

Author:James Otis

“Every British Subject born on the continent of America, or in any other of the British dominions, is by the law of God and nature, by the common law, and by act of parliament, (exclusive of all charters from the crown) entitled to all the natural, essential, inherent and inseparable rights of our fellow subjects in Great- Britain.”

“Parliaments are in all cases to declare what is good for the whole; but it is not the declaration of parliament that makes it so.”

Whole Cases Congress Declaration Parliament Legislature

Author:James Otis

“One of the most essential branches of English liberty is the freedom of one's house. A man's house is his castle.”

Men House Liberty Essentials Property Revolutionary Branches Castles American Revolution

Author:James Otis

“I am forced to get my living by the labour of my hand; and the sweat of my brow... for bitter bread, earned under the frowns of some who have no natural or divine right to be above me, and entirely owe their grandeur and honor to grinding the faces of the poor.”

Hands Faces Natural Poor Divine Honor Bread Bitter Labour Sweat Grandeur Brows Divine Right

Author:James Otis

“Government is founded not on force, as was the theory of Hobbes; nor on compact, as was the theory of Locke and of the revolution of 1688; nor on property, as was the assertion of Harrington. It springs from the necessities of our nature, and has an everlasting foundation in the unchangeable will of God.”

Government Force Theory Revolution Spring Foundation Property Gods Will Everlasting Assertion Compact Unchangeable Hobbes

Author:James Otis

“An act against the Constitution is void; an act against natural equity is void.”

Natural Constitution Void Equity

Author:James Otis

“[The passage of the Sugar Act] set people a thinking, in six months, more than they had done in their whole lives before.”

People Thinking Done Whole Revolution Months Six Whole Life Passages Sugar Six Months American Revolution

Author:James Otis

“No parts of his Majesty's dominions can be taxed without their consent.”

Revolution Consent Majesty Dominion American Revolution Taxation Without Representation

Book:A vindication of the British colonies: By James Otis, Esq; of Boston..

Source: A vindication of the British colonies: By James Otis, Esq; of Boston..

“And I take this opportunity to declare, that... 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 ever was found in an English law book.”

“Now one of the most essential branches of English liberty, is the freedom of one's house. A man's house is his castle; and while he is quiet, he is as well guarded as a prince in his castle. This writ of assistance, if it should be declared legal, would totally annihilate this privilege.”

Ifs Men Should Wells Law House Liberty Quiet Essentials Privilege Branches Assistance Castles Guarded Writs Of Assistance

Author:James Otis

“A man is accountable to no person for his doings.”

Men Persons Doings Writs Of Assistance

Author:James Otis

“I do not say that, when brought to the test, I shall be invincible.”

Tests Invincible Writs Of Assistance

Author:James Otis

About the Author

Born: February 5, 1725
Died: May 23, 1783
Known for: Lawyer
Quotes: 34

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Men Law Liberty Writs Of Assistance Assistance Ifs May Natural Property Tyrants

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A vindication of the British colonies: By James Otis, Esq; of Boston..Related source material

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