No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority. December 9, Lysander Spooner. The greatest case for anarchist political philosophy ever written. Narrated by. No Treason has ratings and 56 reviews. Marcus said: Long before the the Civil War started, Lysander Spooner was a strong abolitionist and was extreme. 31 quotes from No Treason: The Constitution of No Authority: ‘But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain – that i.
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Shortly after the American Civil War concluded Spooner penned this scathing repudiation of the social contract and the contractarian view of the state in general. It g This little book is an essay broken up into 3 parts which are legitimacy of the constitution, voting and whether that offers consent to living under the constitution and the final part is taxation and expounds upon the idea of “taxation is theft”.
Each one can say for himself: So it was with those who originally adopted the Constitution.
If you are members of that band, you have given me no proof of it, and you have no proof that you ever commissioned me to rob others for your benefit. Until they have tried the experiment for themselves, how can they have the face to impose the Constitution upon, or even recommend it to, others?
Your money, or your life. Second, his claim that no one has ever ‘signed’ the US constitution or had it signed by his duly appointed attorneys is only partially true and to say it is partially true is already quite charitable. And this they call equal rights! We all professed to have known long ago, that the only lyeander objects of government were the maintenance of liberty and justice equally for all.
The fact that the instrument was written for him to sign, or with the hope that he would sign it, goes for nothing. All he knows is that a man comes to Authhority The man to whom he would most naturally fly for protection, may prove an enemy, when the time of trial authoritty. And the only reason why they have never been asked to sign it, has been that it has been known that they never would sign it; that they were neither such fools nor knaves as they must needs have been to be willing to sign it; that at least as it has been practically interpreted it is not what any sensible and honest man wants for himself; nor such as he has any right to impose upon others.
The first and second numbers of this series were published in No Treas Long before the the Civil War started, Lysander Spooner was a strong abolitionist and was extremely active in supporting efforts to free the slaves. He does not pretend to be anything but a robber. And, when their authority is denied, the first use they always make of money, is to hire soldiers to kill or subdue all who refuse them more money.
Online Library of Liberty
Many vote only once in two, three, five, or ten years, in periods of constituution excitement. Neither is it any answer to this view of the case to say that conetitution men holding this absolute, irresponsible power, must be men chosen by the people or portions of them to hold it.
If the people of this country wish to maintain such a government as the Constitution describes, there is no reason in the world why they should not sign the instrument itself, and thus make known their wishes in an open, authentic manner; in such manner as the common sense and experience of mankind have shown to be reasonable and necessary in such cases; and in such manner as to make themselves as they ought to do individually responsible for the acts of the government.
Highly recommended to see a different point of view within the framework of the Civil War era.
We will consent to no Constitution, except such an one as we are neither ashamed nor afraid to sign; and we will authorize np government to do any thing in our name which we are not willing to be personally responsible for. Many votes are usually given for candidates who have no prospect of success.
They say lyysander the person thus designated: The maxim applies here, that what does not appear, does not exist. They are like a bankrupt in the hands of an extortioner. Knaves, a numerous and active class, who see in the government an instrument which they can use for their own aggrandizement or wealth.
No Treason Quotes by Lysander Spooner
This idea was the dominant one on which the war was carried on; and it is the dominant one, now that we have got what is called “peace. This tacit understanding, therefore, among lysandee voters of the country, amounts to nothing as an authority to their agents. Like other confederates in crime, those who use it are not friends, but enemies; and they are afraid to be known, and to have their individual doings known, even to each other.
They can contrive to bring about a sufficient understanding to enable them to act in concert against lyander persons; but beyond this they have no confidence, and no friendship, among themselves.
No Treason Quotes
The fact that many Americans did not agree with cpnstitution government of the United States questions the idea of unanimous consent. And he has no other alternative than these two. Like other confederates in crime, those who use it are not friends, but enemies; and they are afraid to be known, and to have their individual doings known, even to each other.
So far as they are concerned, he only means to be understood as saying that his hopes and motives, in building it, are that they, or at least some of them, may find it for their happiness spolner live in it.