The Online Library of Liberty
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Liberty and the Constitution in the Work of Lysander Spooner
This List Is By:
Liberty Fund Staff
Liberty Fund, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
In this discussion we want to explore what the nineteenth century American legal theorist and abolitionist, Lysander Spooner (1808-1887), thought about liberty and the American constitution. We will do so by looking through the lens of his writings on the monopoly enjoyed by the Post Office, the constitutionality of slavery, the authority of the U.S. constitution itself, and his ideas about natural law. The Online Library of Liberty has all of Spooner’s writings online. We do not have the following readings:
Session 2: The Unconstitutionality of Slavery: Round One
Wendell Phillips, The Constitution: A Pro-slavery Compact: Extracts from the Madison Papers, Etc. (1844)
Session 3: The Unconstitutionality of Slavery: Round One
Wendell Phillips, Review of Lysander Spooner’s Essay on the Unconstitutionality of Slavery (1847)
Session 4: Is the Constitution of No Authority?
Randy E. Barnett, “Libertarianism and Legitimacy: A Reply to Huebert”, Journal of Libertarian Studies, vol. 19, no. 4, 19 Fall 2005.
Session 6: A Modern Appreciation of Spooner
Roderick T. Long, Inside and Outside Spooner’s Natural Law Jurisprudence (2007).
For additional reading see Lysander Spooner (1808-1887).
Session 1: The Unconstitutionality of the Postal Monopoly
Lysander Spooner, The Unconstitutionality of the Laws of Congress, prohibiting Private Mails (New York: Tribune Printing Establishment, 1844).
Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/2231 on 2010-03-29
The text is in the public domain.
Session 2: The Unconstitutionality of Slavery: Round One
Lysander Spooner, The Unconstitutionality of Slavery (Boston: Bela Marsh, 1860).
Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/2206 on 2010-03-29
The text is in the public domain.
Session 3: The Unconstitutionality of Slavery: Round Two
Lysander Spooner, The Unconstitutionality of Slavery: Part Second (Boston: Bela Marsh, 1860).
Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/2207 on 2010-03-29
The text is in the public domain.
Session 4: Is the Constitution of No Authority? Reading One
Lysander Spooner, No Treason. No. I. (Boston: Published by the Author, 1867).
Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/2195 on 2010-03-29
The text is in the public domain.
Session 4: Is the Constitution of No Authority? Reading Two
Lysander Spooner, No Treason. No. VI. The Constitution of No Authority (Boston: Published by the Author, 1870).
Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/2194 on 2010-03-29
The text is in the public domain.
Session 5: Radical to the End: Natural Rights, Government, John Marshall, and the Lost Constitution. Reading One
Lysander Spooner, Natural Law; or the Science of Justice: A Treatise on Natural Law, Natural Justice, Natural Rights, Natural Liberty, and Natural Society; showing that all Legislation whatsoever is an Absurdity, a Usurpation, and a Crime. Part First. (Boston: A. Williams & Co., 1882).
Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/2182 on 2010-03-29
The text is in the public domain.
Session 5: Radical to the End: Natural Rights, Government, John Marshall, and the Lost Constitution. Reading Two
Lysander Spooner, A Letter to Grover Cleveland, on his false Inaugural Address, the Usurpations and Crimes of Lawmakers and Judges, and the consequent Poverty, Ignorance, and Servitude of the People (Boston: Benjamin R. Tucker Publisher, 1886).
Accessed from oll.libertyfund.org/title/2224 on 2010-03-29
The text is in the public domain.