On the death of James Otis, killed by lightning, at Andover, soon after the peace of 1783, written at the time.

When flush'd with conquest and elate with pride,
Britannia's monarch Heaven's high will defy'd;
And, bent on blood, by lust of rule inclin'd,
With odious chains to vex the freeborn mind;
On these young shores set up unjust command,
And spread the slaves of office round the land;
Then Otis rose, and, great in patriot fame,
To list'ning crowds resistance dar'd proclaim.
From soul to soul the bright idea ran,
The fire of freedom flew from man to man,
His pen, like Sidney's, made the doctrine known,
His tongue, like Tully's, shook a tyrant's throne.
Then men grew bold, and, in the public eye,
The right divine of monarchs dar'd to try;
Light shone on all, despotic darkness fled—
And for a SENTIMENT a nation bled.
From men, like Otis, INDEPENDENCE grew,
From such beginnings empire rose to view.
Born for the world, his comprehensive mind
Scann'd the wide politics of human kind:
Bless'd with a native strength and fire of thought,
With Greek and Roman learning richly fraught,
Up to the fountain head he push'd his view,
And from first principles his maxims drew.
'Spite of the times, this truth he blaz'd abroad,
"The people's safety is the law of God."[2]
For this he suffered; hireling slaves combin'd
To dress in shades the brightest of mankind.
And see they come, a dark designing band,
With Murder's heart and Execution's hand.
Hold, villains! Those polluted hands restrain;
Nor that exalted head with blows profane!
A nobler end awaits his patriot head;
In other sort he'll join the illustrious dead.
Yes! when the glorious work which he begun,
Shall stand the most complete beneath the sun—
When peace shall come to crown the grand design,
His eyes shall live to see the work divine.—
The Heavens shall then his generous spirit claim,
"In storms as loud as his immortal fame."[3]
Hark!—the deep thunders echo round the skies!
On wings of flame the eternal errand flies.
One chosen, charitable bolt is sped,
And Otis mingles with the glorious dead.

TO THE SAME.

Quincy, February 13, 1818.

Mr. Niles,

THE American Revolution was not a common event. Its effects and consequences have already been awful over a great part of the globe. And when and where are they to cease?

But what do we mean by the American revolution? Do we mean the American war? The revolution was effected before the war commenced. The revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people. A change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations. While the king, and all in authority under him, were believed to govern in justice and mercy according to the laws and constitution derived to them from the God of nature, and transmitted to them by their ancestors—they thought themselves bound to pray for the king and queen and all the royal family, and all in authority under them; as ministers ordained of God for their good. But when they saw those powers renouncing all the principles of authority, and bent upon the destruction of all the securities of their lives, liberties and properties, they thought it their duty to pray for the continental congress and all the thirteen state congresses, &c.

There might be, and there were others, who thought less about religion and conscience, but had certain habitual sentiments of allegiance and loyalty derived from their education; but believing allegiance and protection to be reciprocal, when protection was withdrawn, they thought allegiance was dissolved.