James Otis
Otis, Adams, Dickinson: The Massachusetts Circular Letter
After John Dickinson urged them to take action in response to the Townshend Acts of 1767, James Otis, Jr. and Samuel Adams drafted the Massachusetts Circular Letter, which was sent to the other colonies – and London – on Feb 11, 1768. What transpired...
The Most Dangerous Character to Liberty?
Who is the greatest threat to liberty? Is it the left or the right? Politicians or their bankers? People who support the “lesser of two evils,” or someone else? James Otis, unsurprisingly, had some strong views on the “most dangerous character to...
Today in History: James Otis Jr was Born
Today in history, on Feb. 5, 1725, James Otis Jr., a Massachusetts patriot who many considered indispensable to the cause of liberty, was born. A fiery orator and fierce defender of traditional Whig principles, Otis’ role as a colonial agitator was truly pivotal. As...
Rights are Not Gifts from Government
“A free people claim their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.” That’s how Thomas Jefferson put it in 1774. And it truly stands the test of time. Rights are not gifts from government. They don’t come from...