A TEA Party Anniversary Of Sorts

Started by kit saginaw, May 24, 2016, 07:52:56 PM

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kit saginaw

James Otis Jr. declared, on May 24th, 1764:  Taxation without representation is tyranny, as a part of his case against British Customs Houses in Boston.

Customs officials had had the power to enter any establishment or home they wanted, looking for 'smuggled contraband'. 

Customs agents were ordered to go get all kinds of stuff, if some bigwig wanted something for a party or personal gain...   " Go get me a bottle of 'smuggled' burgundy from somewhere. "

But the permit for doing-so ran out and the custom-houses had to argue for a new one.  Otis argued against them for five hours, but lost.  In doing-so, he won the hearts of American newspaper-readers and hearing-attendee, John Adams.

Otis also popularized:  A man's home is his castle in the same argument.