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John Adams, the second president of the United States, would have approved the ACLU’s effort to provide legal representation to prisoners in Guantanamo. More than two centuries ago, he represented five British soldiers accused of carrying out what came to be known as the Boston Massacre. British troops had occupied Boston since 1768, a source of mounting tension. On March 5, 1770, a small group of Bostonians, gathered to taunt a British sentry, grew to a mob of hundreds. Several soldiers and their captain came to the assistance of the besieged sentry, and when pelted with rocks and snowballs, opened fire, killing five of the taunters. The captain and his soldiers were indicted by the colonial government for murder. No lawyers would represent them — until Adams, an outspoken critic of the British, agreed to take the case, risking infamy and even death. He wrote in his diary: “The part I took in defense of captain Preston and the soldiers, procured me anxiety, and obloquy enough. It was, however, one of the most gallant, generous, manly and disinterested actions of my whole life, and one of the best pieces of service I ever rendered my country. Judgment of death against those soldiers would have been as foul a stain upon this country as the executions of the Quakers or witches, anciently.” Captain Preston and six of his men were acquitted while two others who were convicted of manslaughter were sentenced to be branded with an “m” on their thumbs. Read More
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