Lysander Spooner

There is, consequently, in these latter countries, almost literally, no diversity of industry, no science, no skill, no invention, no machinery, no manufactures, no production, and no wealth; but everywhere miserable poverty, ignorance…

But let those who would say this, tell us why it is that, in order to prevent men from loaning their promissory notes, for circulation as money, it has always been necessary for governments to prohibit it, either by penal enactments, or…

These penal enactments and prohibitory taxation are acknowledgments that, but for them, the notes would be loaned to any extent that would be profitable to the lenders.

But freedom would doubtless give us ten, twenty, most likely fifty, times as much money as we have now, if so much could be kept in circulation.

And laborers would at least have ten, twenty, or fifty times better chances for hiring capital, than they have now.

To pursue these topics further would exclude other matters of great importance, as showing how the government acts the part of robber and tyrant in all its legislation on contracts; and that the whole purpose of all its acts is that the…

But how futile have been all expectations of justice from the judiciary, may be seen in the conduct of the courts--and especially in that of the so-called Supreme Court of the United States--in regard to men's natural right to make their…

This provision, then, of the constitution of the United States, not only implies that there are contracts that have an obligation, but it also implies that the people have the right to enter into all such contracts, and have the benefit of…

It can neither give, nor take away, the right to enter into any contract whatever, that has that "obligation.

This provision is certainly one of the most important--perhaps the most important--of all the provisions of the constitution of the United States, as protective of the natural rights of the people to make their own contracts, or provide…

And what color of excuse have any of these courts offered for thus upholding all these violations of justice, of men's natural rights, and even of that constitution which they had all sworn to support?

If the authority be vested in the government, the governmnt is absolute, and the people have no liberties except such as the government sees fit to indulge them with.