The only security men can have for their political liberty, consists in keeping their money in their own pockets. To-morrow night, when Phoebe doth behold... Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood; That no government, so called, can reasonably be trusted, or reasonably be supposed to have honest purposes in view, any longer than it depends wholly upon voluntary support. Who are ever taxed?

And being, “If any considerable number of the people believe the Constitution to be good, why do they not sign it themselves, and make laws for, and administer them upon, each other; leaving all other persons (who do not interfere with them) in peace? speak thou now. But”, “The most that these members of Congress can say, in favor of their appointment, is simply this: Each one can say for himself: I have evidence satisfactory to myself, that there exists, scattered throughout the country, a band of men, having a tacit understanding with each other, and calling themselves "the people of the United States," whose general purposes are to control and plunder each other, and all other persons in the country, and, so far as they can, even in neighboring countries; and to kill every man who shall attempt to defend his person and property against their schemes of plunder and dominion.”, We’d love your help. ', It cannot be said that the Constitution formed 'the people of the United States,' for all time, into a corporation. And one certain proof that a government is not free, is that it coerces more or less persons to support it, against their will. Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, Individuals only. A man is no less a slave because he is allowed to choose a new master once in a term of years. Of course it had no validity, except as between those who actually consented. What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?

Natural law gives it no aid.

Concordance There is such a thing as a depreciated paper currency. The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind. Unlike crimes, they imply no malice toward others, and no interference with their persons or property.”, “No middle ground is possible on this subject.

If they did not consent, it was of no validity. It does not speak of 'the people' as a corporation, but as individuals. Thus we speak of natural law. Vices are simply the errors which a man makes in his search after his own happiness. Advanced Search But the robbery is none the less a robbery on that account; and it is far more dastardly and shameful. Until they have tried the experiment for themselves, how can they have the face to impose the Constitution upon, or even to recommend it to, others?

… And to speak troth, I have forgot our way:... One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; Ay, by my life; No one's consent could be presumed against him, without his actual consent being given, any more than in the case of any other contract to pay money, or render service. Return to the "Midsummer Night's Dream" menu, Plays He does not pretend to be anything but a robber...Furthermore, having taken your money, he leaves you as you wish him to do.

All, or nearly all, the advantage there is in fixing any constitutional limits to the power of a government, is simply to give notice to the government of the point at which it will meet with resistance. Any government, that is its own judge of, and determines authoritatively for the people, what are its own powers over the people, is an absolute government of course. They have the same passions for fame, power, and money, as minorities; and are liable and likely to be equally - perhaps more than equally, because more boldly - rapacious, tyrannical and unprincipled, if intrusted with power. Goodreads helps you follow your favorite authors. VIII. If two individuals enter into a contract to commit trespass, theft, robbery or murder upon a third, the contract is unlawful and void, simply because it is a contract to violate natural justice, or men's natural rights. Transparent Helena! The Constitution itself, then, being of no authority, on what authority does our government practically rest? vile thing, let loose, It is manifest that the only security against the tyranny of the government lies in forcible resistance to the execution of the injustice; because the injustice will certainly be executed, unless it be forcibly resisted. The two are identical; the one necessarily implying the other. Lysander Spooner Government Quotes It is a natural impossibility for any man to make a binding contract, by which he shall surrender to others a single one of what are commonly called his 'natural, inherent, inalienable rights.'
It is against such men, that all others, who desire nothing but justice for themselves, and are willing to unite to secure it for all others, must combine, if we are ever to have justice established for any.”, “Still another reason why the payment of taxes implies no consent, or pledge, to support the government, is that the taxpayer does not know, and has no means of knowing, who the particular individuals are who compose "the government." There is no other or at least no more accurate definition of a despotism than this. If the jury have no right to judge of the justice of a law of the government, they plainly can do nothing to protect the people against the oppressions of the government; for there are no oppressions which the government may not authorize by law. Yet such is the inconsistency of human nature, that some men—in fact, many men—who will risk their lives for this principle, when their own liberty or property is at stake, will violate it in the most flagrant manner, if they can thereby obtain arbitrary power over the persons or property of others. It is as absurd as it would be to declare truth to be falsehood, or falsehood truth. As well possess'd; my love is more than his;... How now, my love! What makes them slaves is the fact that they now are, and are always hereafter to be, in the hands of men whose power over them is, and always is to be, absolute and irresponsible.6”, “Vices are those acts by which a man harms himself or his property. On what ground can those who pretend to administer it, claim the right to seize men's property, to restrain them of their natural liberty of action, industry, and trade, and to kill all who deny their authority to dispose of men's properties, liberties, and lives at their pleasure or discretion?

A married woman has the same natural right to acquire and hold property, and to make all contracts that she is mentally competent to make reasonably, as has a married man, or any other man. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Poems It is a natural impossibility for any man to make a binding contract, by which he shall surrender to others a single one of what are commonly called his 'natural, inherent, inalienable rights. The necessity for the consent of "the people" is implied in this declaration. Benedict Arnold was a traitor, solely because, while professing friendship for the American cause, he attempted to injure it. The very idea of law originates in men's natural rights.

If taxation without consent is not robbery, then any band of robbers have only to declare themselves a government, and all their robberies are legalized.

And their example and influence have been employed to pervert the whole character of the government. If any man's money can be taken by a so-called government, without his own personal consent, all his other rights are taken with it; for with his money the government can, and will, hire soldiers to stand over him, compel him to submit to its arbitrary will, and kill him if he resists.
They are men of the same nature as minorities.

Individuals only. In either case it is unfit to exist.”, “And yet we have what purports, or professes, or is claimed, to be a contract—the Constitution—made eighty years ago, by men who are now all dead, and who never had any power to bind us, but which (it is claimed) has nevertheless bound three generations of men, consisting of many millions, and which (it is claimed) will be binding upon all the millions that are to come; but which nobody ever signed, sealed, delivered, witnessed, or acknowledged; and which few persons, compared with the whole number that are claimed to be bound by it, have ever read, or even seen, or ever will read, or see.”, “If taxation without consent is not robbery, then any band of robbers have only to declare themselves a government, and all their robberies are legalized.”, “A man's natural rights are his own, against the whole world; and any infringement of them is equally a crime; whether committed by one man, or by millions; whether committed by one man, calling himself a robber, or by millions calling themselves a government.”, “The fact is that the government, like a highwayman, says to a man: Your money, or your life...The government does not, indeed, waylay a man in a lonely place, spring upon him from the road side and, holding a pistol to his head, proceed to rifle his pockets. How chance the roses there do fade so fast? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.

Custom imparts to it no legal sanction. He knows it only through its pretended agents. He does not persist in following you on the road, against your will; assuming to be your rightful 'sovereign,' on account of the 'protection' he affords you.”, “If the jury have no right to judge of the justice of a law of the government, they plainly can do nothing to protect the people against the oppressions of the government; for there are no oppressions which the government may not authorize by law.”, “That no government, so called, can reasonably be trusted, or reasonably be supposed to have honest purposes in view, any longer than it depends wholly upon voluntary support.”, “If any man's money can be taken by a so-called government, without his own personal consent, all his other rights are taken with it; for with his money the government can, and will, hire soldiers to stand over him, compel him to submit to its arbitrary will, and kill him if he resists.”, “The Constitution says: "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Helen, to you our minds we will unfold: If physical power be the fountain of law, then law and force are synonymous terms.