He was appalled at the misuse of the Writs of Assistance and based his strong objections on the following reasons:. The legality of the hated Writs of Assistance and the search and seizure powers of the King were challenged by a group of 53 Boston merchants, represented by James Otis.
The case was heard on Tuesday, February 24, James Otis argued that British custom officials armed with a Writ of Assistance:. At the trial James Otis argued that the Writs of Assistance were a form of tyranny. He coined the phrase "A man's home is his castle" to describe the sanctity and privacy that a citizen deserved from his or her government. James Otis argued that the Writs of Assistance were unconstitutional. He based his case on the rights guaranteed in English common law.
Writs of Assistance and the American Revolution James Otis lost the case relating to the Writs of Assistance but he impressed the colonists and prominent leaders such as John Adams. James Otis became a colonial leader and in May he was elected to the General Court of Massachusetts. He wrote numerous papers for the Committee of Correspondence to the other colonies and to the government in England arguing for political freedom, just as he opposed the Writs of Assistance.
Writs of Assistance - Picture of James Otis. This article on James Otis and the Writs of Assistance provides fast facts and information about the early government in Colonial America What were Writs of Assistance? Navigation Laws. The writs of assistance again drew public attention with the enforcement of the Townshend Duties in Courts continued to uphold the constitutionality of the orders into the s, but as time passed and popular passions heated, few officials had the courage to use them.
The writs were one of a list of grievances that the Americans harbored against the Crown and contributed to the process of changing loyal colonists into advocates for independence. See timeline of the American Revolution. About Quizzes. The Speech of Miss Polly Baker. An Exhortation to the Inhabitants of the Province Upon the Peace. A Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law. The Journal of Reverand Charles Woodmason. Selected Poems. An Election Sermon. Imperial Relations. Albany Plan of Union.
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Why was this principle important to the preservation of individual liberty? How did it limit the powers of government?
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