But the doctrine of Mansfield is, that the body of the people, from whom jurors are taken, are responsible to a law, which it is agreed they cannot understand.
Lysander Spooner: “But the doctrine of Mansfield is, that the body of the people, from whom jurors are taken, are responsible to a law…”
Editor's note · Context
Spooner critiques the doctrine that holds people accountable to laws they cannot understand.
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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.
For all these reasons, they are not only modest and sensible, but really frank, honest, and honorable villains, contrasted with these courts of injustice, and the lawmakers by whom these courts are established.
They acknowledge it to be our unquestioned right and duty to kill them, if we can; that they expect nothing else, than that we will kill them, if we can; and that we are only fools and cowards, if we do not kill them, by any and every…
They do not carry their heads high, above all other men, and demand our reverence and admiration, as statesmen, patriots, and benefactors.