Neither can they, without breach of that oath, resign their consciences, or blindly submit to the dictates of others; and therefore ought to receive or reject such advices, as they judge them good or bad. * *Nothing can be more plain and express than the words of the oath are to this purpose.
Spooner insists that jurors must not surrender their conscience to external pressures.
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They do not carry their heads high, above all other men, and demand our reverence and admiration, as statesmen, patriots, and benefactors.
In short, they acknowledge themselves hostes humani generis: enemies of the human race.
They do not tell us of the almshouses, hospitals, schools, churches, etc., which, out of the purest charity and benevolence, they maintain for our benefit, out of the money they take from us.
They do not tell us that we are the freest and happiest people on earth, inasmuch as each of our male adults is allowed one voice in ten millions in the choice of the men, who are to rob, enslave, and murder us.