NO TREASON
The Constitution of No Authority
by Lysander Spooner
(Reviewed by Deborah Callahan)
In terms of political theory, No Treason is the single most
radical and devastating paper ever written. Have you ever wasted time trying
to figure out your "rights" under the Constitution? Can you separate your
"right" to freedom of religion from your "right" to equal opportunity under
the law? Well, don 't bother!
The great individualist anarchist Lysander Spooner is a Loompanics hero.
He was a lawyer who lived from 1808 to 1887. Among his deeds was running
his own private postal service from Boston to New York, operating so efficiently
and charging such low rates that Congress passed a special law against
him - and then lowered their own rates to meet Spooner's (by the way, he
charged 5¢).
In 1867, after he had attempted to argue against slavery on Constitutional
grounds, he became convinced that this could not really be done, and that
in fact, the Southern states did have the right to secede. It was at this
time that Spooner penned his greatest work: No Treason: The Constitution
of No Authority.
Spooner applies the principles of Anglo-American common law to the supposed
"contract" between the "people" and the "government" and concludes that
no common law court would accept the "contract" as valid. His arguments
are detailed and thorough (as well as eloquent) and leave no room for counter-claims.
Remember, your "right" to keep and bear arms is promised in the same document
which gives the government the "right" to tax your income!
Loompanics Unlimited is very proud to offer its customers Lysander Spooner's
No Treason, and give it our highest possible recommendation.
1870, 5½ x 8½, 76 pp, notations
by James J. Martin, soft cover.
NO TREASON: $4.95
(ORDER NUMBER 94030)
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