Early colonial resistance sought rights within empire, not independence

Evidence

Resting his argument squarely on the rights of American colonists as British subjects, Otis could hardly repudiate imperial ties. Quite to the contrary, his pamphlet embraced them. “The colonists,” he wrote, “will never think of independency. Were they inclined to it, they know the blood and the treasure it would cost, if ever effected; and when done, it would be a thousand to one if their liberties did not fall a sacrifice to the victor.” Qualifying this assertion ever so slightly, Otis added, “Could the choice of independency be offered the colonies or subjection to Great Britain upon any terms above absolute slavery, I am convinced they would accept the latter.” Trusting Parliament to repeal its unconstitutional enactments once shown the error of its way, he all but took revolution off the table. In short, Otis made rights, not independence, the rallying cry for American patriots. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 33

Categorization

• XREF: Directly relevant to how the Declaration’s independence claim emerged as a later escalation rather than an original aim. — connects to: The patriot movement’s founding pamphlet demanded rights, not independence — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 31; Colonial oppression itself generated the revolutionary resistance that opposed it — Cedric J. Robinson, Black Marxism_ The Making of the Black…, 827; Initial slave insurgents sought freedom within the French empire, not independence — Dubois, Laurent, Avengers of the New World_ The Story of…, 26 (+2 more)
• QUESTION: When and why did rights-within-empire rhetoric tip over into the independence demand the Declaration states?

Broader Connections

• Initial slave insurgents sought freedom within the French empire, not independence #exemplifies (0.95) — Dubois, Laurent, Avengers of the New World_ The Story of…, 26
• Colonial oppression itself generated the revolutionary resistance that opposed it #complicates (0.85) — Cedric J. Robinson, Black Marxism_ The Making of the Black…, 827
• Imperialism itself generated the resistance and revolution that opposed it #complicates (0.75)