All restraints upon man's natural liberty, not necessary for the simple maintenance of justice, are of the nature of slavery, and differ… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The fact is that the government, like a highwayman, says to a man: Your money, or your life. And many, if not… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
It is a natural impossibility for any man to make a binding contract, by which he shall surrender to others a single… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
No body of men can be said to authorize a man to act as their agent, to the injury of a third… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The law does not require a man to cease to be a man, and act without regard to consequences, when he becomes… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The only security men can have for their political liberty, consists in keeping their money in their own pockets. — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
There is perhaps not an enlightened Christian in America who, notwithstanding he may believe that, at the time of Jesus, men were… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
All know the importance of sustaining the hopes of a sick man. The reason of this is that his nervous system is… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
A government that can at pleasure accuse, shoot, and hang men, as traitors, for the one general offence of refusing to surrender… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
And the men who loan money to governments, so called, for the purpose of enabling the latter to rob, enslave, and murder… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The very idea of law originates in men's natural rights. There is no other standard, than natural rights, by which civil law… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Martyrdom is evidence only of a man's honesty - it is no evidence that he is not mistaken. Men have suffered martyrdom… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The Constitution has no inherent authority or obligation. It has no authority or obligation at all, unless as a contract between man… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
And there is no difference, in principle - but only in degree - between political and chattel slavery. The former, no less… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
And yet we have what purports, or professes, or is claimed, to be a contract—the Constitution—made eighty years ago, by men who… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
No principle, that is possible to be named, can be more self-evidently false than this; or more self-evidently fatal to all political… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
For everybody has a natural right to defend his own person and property against aggressors, but also to go to the assistance… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The Rothschilds, and that class of money-lenders of whom they are the representatives and agents - men who never think of lending… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
If those persons, who fancy themselves gifted with both the power and the right to define and punish other men's vices, would… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The 'nations,' as they are called, with whom our pretended ambassadors, secretaries, presidents, and senators profess to make treaties, are as much… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The principle, on which the war was waged by the North, was simply this: That men may rightfully be compelled to submit… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
No man can delegate,... any right of arbitrary dominion over a 3rd person; for that would imply a right in the 1st… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The single despot stands out in the face of all men, and says: I am the State: My will is law: I… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring, and calling themselves a government, can acquire any rights whatever over other… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
A man's 'original and natural right' to make all contracts that are 'intrinsically obligatory,' and to coerce the fulfillment of them, is… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Majorities, as such, afford no guarantees for justice. They are men of the same nature as minorities. They have the same passions… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The principle that the majority have a right to rule the minority, practically resolves all government into a mere contest between two… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
A man's natural rights are his own, against the whole world; and any infringement of them is equally a crime, whether committed… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
A man is none the less a slave because he is allowed to choose a new master once in a term of… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Vices are simply the errors which a man makes in his search after his own happiness. Unlike crimes, they imply no malice… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
A married woman has the same natural right to acquire and hold property, and to make all contracts that she is mentally… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Doing a thing by law, or according to law, is only carrying the law into execution. And punishing a man by, or… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Jesus never instructed men to do what was right because it was right; yet this is the true reason why they should… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Men's moral principles are weak enough without their being made subordinate to selfishness; and their selfishness is quite active enough, without any… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Vices are those acts by which a man harms himself or his property. Crimes are those acts by which one man harms… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Doubtless the most miserable of men, under the most oppressive government in the world, if allowed the ballot, would use it, if… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The apology, that is constantly put forth for the injustice of government, viz., that a man must consent to give up some… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Taking a man's money without his consent, is also as much robbery, when it is done by millions of men, acting in… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Man, no doubt, owes many other moral duties to his fellow men; such as to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
It is self-evident that no number of men, by conspiring, and calling themselves a government, can acquire any rights whatever over other… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind. — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Those who deny the right of a jury to protect an individual in resisting an unjust law of the government, deny him all defence… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
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… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The single despot stands out in the face of all men, and says: I am the State: My will is law: I am your… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
The Rothschilds, and that class of money-lenders of whom they are the representatives and agents - men who never think of lending a shilling… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Who are ever taxed? Individuals only. Who have property that can be taxed? Individuals only. Who can give their consent to be taxed? Individuals… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
Practically and commercially speaking, a dollar is not necessarily a specific thing, made of silver, or gold, or any other single metal, or substance.… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
If the jury have no right to judge of the justice of a law of the government, they plainly can do nothing to protect… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
If it be said that the consent of the strongest party in a nation, is all that is necessary to justify the establishment of… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
In reality there is no such thing as an inflation of prices, relatively to gold. There is such a thing as a depreciated paper… — Lysander Spooner Copy Share Image
