And it has no more right to punish a man for taking possession of wilderness land, and cultivating it, without the consent of the government, than it has to punish him for breathing the air, drinking the water, or enjoying the sunshine, without a special grant from the government.
This statement illustrates Spooner's belief that individuals should not need government permission for basic life activities.
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More from Lysander Spooner
The presumption clearly is that all were eligible.
Juries would refuse to enforce a tax against a man who had never agreed to pay it.
It would be a solecism and absurdity in government to allow such consequences as these.
They were even allowed to grant pardon to criminals, and to correct by their clemency the rigors of justice.