h sides of the water suggested that Otis
should be proceeded against for treason, but the British
Attorney-General declared the "writs of assistance" illegal, and there,
for a time, the matter ended.

When, in January, 1763, preliminaries of peace between France and
England were signed, the people of Boston rejoiced, and Otis, as their
spokesman, said: "The true interests of Great Britain and her
plantations are mutual, and what God in His providence has united, let
no man dare attempt to pull asunder." Governor Bernard, however, who
inferred from this strain of remark that the province would soon recover
its reputation for loyalty, seriously overrated its significance. When
the General Assembly of Massachusetts met in 1764, Otis, as chairman of
the Committee of Correspondence, drew up the draft of an address to
Parliament, to prevent the passage of the Stamp Act; but it was not
presented. The act passed into law, and Boston was immediately caught in
a whirlwind of popular indignation and excitement. The mob burnt the
effigy of Oliver, who, in an evil moment, had accepted the office of
Distributor of Stamps, and he, deeming discretion the better part of
valor, resigned his post immediately thereafter, under Liberty-tree. The
house of Hutchinson, Lieutenant Governor, was demolished, while Bernard,
the chief offender, was left undisturbed. Mobocracy, however, was not a
pleasant contemplation to the sober and law-abiding people of Boston,
and next day the inhabitants of the town assembled in Faneuil Hall and
denounced the authors of outrage and violence.

The Stamp Act Congress, originally proposed by Otis, met in New York,
October 19, 1765. He, together with Timothy Ruggles and Colonel
Partridge, were delegated to attend as the representatives of
Massachusetts. Otis took a prominent and influential part in the
deliberations of the Congress, and was one of the committee chosen to
draft an address to Parliament praying for the repeal of the obnoxious
law, which had nearly brought business to a stand-still in many of the
colonies, for, as Hutchinson remarks, "No wills were proved, no
administrations granted, no deeds nor bonds executed." Agitation and
appeal were successful. Parliament beat a retreat and dropped the
attempt to tax the American colonies, like a red-hot poker.[H] But the
breach between the popular party and the friends and representatives of
the government was destined never to be healed. Between Hutchinson a