I say I admit that special Writs of Assistance, to search special places, may be granted to certain persons on oath; but I deny that the writ now prayed for can be granted, for I beg leave to make some observations on the writ itself, before I proceed to other Acts of Parliament.

What did James Otis say about the infamous writs of assistance?

I say I admit that special Writs of Assistance, to search special places, may be granted to certain persons on oath; but I deny that the writ now prayed for can be granted, for I beg leave to make some observations on the writ itself, before I proceed to other Acts of Parliament.

What did James Otis argue in court?

Arguing before the Superior Court in Boston, Otis raised the doctrine of natural law underlying the rights of citizens and argued that such writs, even if authorized by Parliament, were null and void.

Who argued against the writs of assistance?

James Otis
Oil on canvas, 118 x 213 in. Commissioned by the Commonwealth under Acts 1900, ch.

Who condemned writs of assistance?

A fiery orator, Otis argued that the writs were “against the fundamental principles of law,” and claimed that even an act of Parliament “against the Constitution is void.” It took two and a half years before the ruling in the case was delivered.

What famous quote did James Otis say?

During the 1760s, Otis led the intellectual attack against British tyranny, composing ringing defenses of liberty that won Americans to the revolutionary cause and helped to inspire the well-known slogan, “No taxation without representation.”

What did James Otis say about the Stamp Act?

In 1764, Otis wrote in “Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved” that “the very act of taxing, exercised over those who are not represented, appears to me to be depriving them of one of their most essential rights, as freemen; and if continued, seems to be in effect an entire disfranchisement of every civil …

Why was the writs of assistance bad?

Otis made the most important argument against the writs, on constitutional grounds. If the writs were made legal by act of Parliament, then the act of Parliament was wrong because Parliament could not make any act that violated a citizen’s natural rights.

What did the writs of assistance do?

writ of assistance, in English and American colonial history, a general search warrant issued by superior provincial courts to assist the British government in enforcing trade and navigation laws.

Why did colonists oppose writs of assistance?

Among the grounds the colonists opposed the writs were that they were permanent and even transferable; the holder of a writ could assign it to another; any place could be searched at the whim of the holder; and searchers were not responsible for any damage they caused.

Why were colonists angry about British officers using writs of assistance?

To enforce the Townshend Acts, British officials used writs of assistance. These allowed tax collectors to search for smuggled goods. Colonist hated the new laws because they took power away from colonial governments. The colonists responded to the Townshend Acts by once again boycotting many British goods.

Where did James Otis say no taxation without representation?

Under the leadership of James Otis’s ally Samuel Adams (1722-1803), the Boston town meeting took up the argument against taxation without representation.

Did James Otis say a man can stand up?

A man shall choose who it is shall rule over him. . . . We give all we have, lives, property, safety, skills . . . we fight, we die, for a simple thing. Only that a man can stand up.” James Otis speaks these words in Chapter VIII.