If a jury have not the right to judge between the government and those who disobey its laws, and resist its oppressions, the government is absolute, and the people, legally speaking are slaves.
Spooner asserts that if juries cannot judge government actions, then the government holds absolute power over the people.
Share
More from Lysander Spooner
There is no more absurdity in giving a jury a veto upon the laws, than there is in giving a veto to each of these other tribunals.
They are every day committing errors, which would be crimes, but for their ignorance of the law.
It would be a solecism and absurdity in government to allow such consequences as these.
And the right is practically established only when and because the government, no longer exists to call it in question.