Lysander Spooner: “And they kept great standing armies, and hordes of pimps, spies, and ruffians, to keep the people in subjection.”

They do not tell us that all liberty and order would be destroyed, that society itself would go to pieces, and man go back to barbarism, if it were not for the care, and supervision, and protection, they lavish upon us.

When they have once taken our money, they have the decency to get out of our sight as soon as possible; they do not persist in following us, and robbing us, again and again, so long as we produce anything that they can take from us.

On the contrary, they acknowledge themselves robbers, murderers, and villains, pure and simple.

They do not attempt to deceive us, or mislead us, or reconcile us to their doings, by any such pretences, impostures, or insults as these.