Quotes by James Otis
ALL PRECEDENTS ARE UNDER THE CONTROUL OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE LAW... No Acts of Parliament can establish such a writ [writ of assistance enabling British search of homes for no reason]: … it would be void‚ 'AN ACT AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION IS VOID.' Vid. Viner. But … 'special' writs may be granted on oath and probable suspicion.
Now one of the most essential branches of English liberty is the freedom of one's house. A man's house is his castle!
If we are not represented, we are slaves.
... 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.
An act against the Constitution is void; an act against natural equity is void.
James Otis's Biography
Biography of the author will be available soon!!!