--- title: "4 Ballots Quotes By Lysander Spooner" description: "4 Ballots quotes by Lysander Spooner. Plus more from Lysander Spooner and more Ballots sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/lysander-spooner-3260_ballot_the-secret-ballot-makes-a-secret-governm_1167726.png" --- > [The secret ballot makes a secret government; and a secret government is a secret band of robbers and murderers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-secret-ballot-makes-a-secret-government-and-a-secret-government/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/lysander-spooner-3260_ballot_the-secret-ballot-makes-a-secret-governm_1167726.png) > [The strong are always free by virtue of their superior strength. So long as government is a mere contest as to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-strong-are-always-free-by-virtue-of-their-superior-strength-so/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/095/lysander-spooner-3260_ballots_the-strong-are-always-free-by-virtue-of_2420803.png) > [Doubtless the most miserable of men, under the most oppressive government in the world, if allowed the ballot, would use it, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/doubtless-the-most-miserable-of-men-under-the-most-oppressive/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/lysander-spooner-3260_ballots_doubtless-the-most-miserable-of-men-unde_2550739.jpg) > [What is the motive to the secret ballot? This, and only this: Like other confederates in crime, those who use it are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/what-is-the-motive-to-the-secret-ballot-this-and-only-this-like-other/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/lysander-spooner-3260_ballots_what-is-the-motive-to-the-secret-ballot_2581934.jpg) ## Other authors on Ballots - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b016/author-malcolm-x-62876.jpg) Malcolm X 15 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballots/malcolm-x/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b021/author-rush-limbaugh-81741.jpg) Rush Limbaugh 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballots/rush-limbaugh/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b013/author-jill-stein-49626.jpg) Jill Stein 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballots/jill-stein/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b012/author-jay-leno-47716.jpg) Jay Leno 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballots/jay-leno/) - [Abraham Lincoln 5 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballots/abraham-lincoln/) ## More by Lysander Spooner > [Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-if-it-can-be-legalized-at-all-can-be-legalized-only-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/those-who-deny-the-right-of-a-jury-to-protect-an-individual-in/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [I was put into jail as I was going to the shoemaker's to get a shoe which was mended. When I was let out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/i-was-put-into-jail-as-i-was-going-to-the-shoemaker-s-to-get-a-shoe/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The single despot stands out in the face of all men, and says: I am the State: My will is law: I am your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-single-despot-stands-out-in-the-face-of-all-men-and-says-i-am-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The Rothschilds, and that class of money-lenders of whom they are the representatives and agents - men who never think of lending a shilling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-rothschilds-and-that-class-of-money-lenders-of-whom-they-are-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Who are ever taxed? Individuals only. Who have property that can be taxed? Individuals only. Who can give their consent to be taxed? Individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/who-are-ever-taxed-individuals-only-who-have-property-that-can-be/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [There can be no criminal intent in resisting injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/there-can-be-no-criminal-intent-in-resisting-injustice/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Practically and commercially speaking, a dollar is not necessarily a specific thing, made of silver, or gold, or any other single metal, or substance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/practically-and-commercially-speaking-a-dollar-is-not-necessarily-a/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [If the jury have no right to judge of the justice of a law of the government, they plainly can do nothing to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/if-the-jury-have-no-right-to-judge-of-the-justice-of-a-law-of-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [If it be said that the consent of the strongest party in a nation, is all that is necessary to justify the establishment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/if-it-be-said-that-the-consent-of-the-strongest-party-in-a-nation-is/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [In reality there is no such thing as an inflation of prices, relatively to gold. There is such a thing as a depreciated paper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/in-reality-there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-inflation-of-prices/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [And there is no difference, in principle - but only in degree - between political and chattel slavery. The former, no less than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/and-there-is-no-difference-in-principle-but-only-in-degree-between/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The Constitution has no inherent authority or obligation. It has no authority or obligation at all, unless as a contract between man and man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-constitution-has-no-inherent-authority-or-obligation-it-has-no/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [These so-called governments are in reality only great bands of robbers and murderers, organized, disciplined, and constantly on the alert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/these-so-called-governments-are-in-reality-only-great-bands-of/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballots/lysander-spooner/#itemlist", "name": "4 Ballots Quotes By Lysander Spooner", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The secret ballot makes a secret government; and a secret government is a secret band of robbers and murderers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lysander Spooner" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-secret-ballot-makes-a-secret-government-and-a-secret-government/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/lysander-spooner-3260_ballot_the-secret-ballot-makes-a-secret-governm_1167726.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/lysander-spooner-3260_ballot_the-secret-ballot-makes-a-secret-governm_1167726.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/257/lysander-spooner-3260_ballot_the-secret-ballot-makes-a-secret-governm_1167726.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The secret ballot makes a secret government; and a secret government is a secret band of robbers and…” — Lysander Spooner", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The strong are always free by virtue of their superior strength. 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