The Complete Works of Lysander Spooner (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Natural Law, Abolition, and the Radical Defense of Liberty Against Constitutional and State AuthorityBy Lysander Spooner
Length88h 46m
About this audiobook
The Complete Works of Lysander Spooner gathers the writings of one of nineteenth-century America's most uncompromising legal and political thinkers, spanning natural law, abolitionism, constitutional interpretation, economics, individual liberty, and resistance to state authority. Written in a lucid, polemical, and lawyerly style, these essays and treatises belong to the radical reform tradition of antebellum and postbellum America, yet they also anticipate later libertarian and anarchist critiques of centralized power. Spooner (1808–1887) was a Massachusetts lawyer, entrepreneur, abolitionist, and theorist whose life furnished the practical and moral grounds of his thought. His challenge to the U.S. postal monopoly, his opposition to slavery, and his fierce scrutiny of the Constitution all shaped a body of work concerned with consent, justice, and the limits of political obligation. His writings reflect both the reform energies of his age and a deeply personal distrust of coercive institutions. This collection is indispensable for readers interested in American political thought, legal theory, abolitionist literature, or the intellectual origins of libertarianism. It rewards careful study, not merely as historical artifact, but as a sustained provocation to reconsider law, freedom, and moral authority.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A comprehensive Introduction outlines these selected works' unifying features, themes, or stylistic evolutions.
- A Historical Context section situates the works in their broader era—social currents, cultural trends, and key events that underpin their creation.
- A concise Synopsis (Selection) offers an accessible overview of the included texts, helping readers navigate plotlines and main ideas without revealing critical twists.
- A unified Analysis examines recurring motifs and stylistic hallmarks across the collection, tying the stories together while spotlighting the different work's strengths.
- Reflection questions inspire deeper contemplation of the author's overarching message, inviting readers to draw connections among different texts and relate them to modern contexts.
- Lastly, our hand‐picked Memorable Quotes distill pivotal lines and turning points, serving as touchstones for the collection's central themes.
Audiobook details
GenrePolitics and Government
Length88 hrs 46 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 21, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Complete Works of Lysander Spooner (Annotated)
104The Action of the Government.
2Introduction
105First Resolution of the House of Representatives.
3Historical Context
106First Report of the P. O. Committee of the House.
4Synopsis (Selection)
107Second Resolution of the House of Representatives.
5Political Works
108Report of the Postmaster General.
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6No Treason, No. I
109Second Report of the P. O. Committee of the House.
7No Treason. No II - The Constitution
110Report of the Minority of the P. O. Committee of the House of Representatives.
8No Treason. No VI - The Constitution of No Authority
111Report of the P. O. Committee of the Senate.
9Vices are Not Crimes: A Vindication of Moral Liberty
112Debates in Congress in 1844, and 1845.6
10No. 1. Revolution: The Only Remedy for the Oppressed Classes of Ireland, England, and Other Parts of the British Empire
113The Action of Congress in 1843, Contrasted with that in 1844 and 1845.
11Natural Law; or the Science of Justice
114The Example of English Postage.
12Part First.
115Hale and Co’s Letter Mail.
13Chapter II. The Science of Justice (Continued)
116Illegality of the Trial of John W. Webster
14Chapter III. Natural Law Contrasted With Legislation.
117An Essay on the Trial by Jury
15A Letter to Thomas F. Bayard: Challenging his Right
118Chapter I. The Right of Juries to Judge of the Justice of Laws.
16A 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
119Chapter II. The Trial by Jury, as Defined by Magna Carta.
17Section I.
120Chapter III. Additional Proofs of the Rights and Duties of Jurors.
18Section II.
121Chapter IV. The Rights and Duties of Juries in Civil Suits.
19Section III.
122Chapter V. Objections Answered.
20Section IV.
123Chapter VI. Juries of the Present Day Illegal.
21Section V.
124Chapter VII. Illegal Judges.
22Section VI.
125Chapter VIII. The Free Administration of Justice.
23Section VII.
126Chapter IX. The Criminal Intent.
24Section VIII.
127Chapter X. Moral Considerations for Jurors.
25Section IX.
128Chapter XI. Authority of Magna Carta.
26Section X.
129Chapter XII. Limitations Imposed Upon the Majority by the Trial by Jury.
27Section XI.
130Appendix. (pt. 1)
28Section XII.
131Appendix. (pt. 2)
29Section XIII.
132The Law of Intellectual Property; or An Essay on the Right of Authors and Inventors to a Perpetual Property in their Ideas
30Section XIV.
133Part I
31Section XV.
134Chapter I. The Law of Nature in Regard to Intellectual Property.
32Section XVI.
135Chapter II. Objections Answered. (pt. 1)
33Section XVII.
136Chapter II. Objections Answered. (pt. 2)
34Section XVIII.
137Chapter III. Perpetuity and Descent of Intellectual Property.
35Section XIX.
138Chapter IV. The Sale of Ideas.
36Section XX.
139Chapter V. The Policy of Perpetuity in Intellectual Property.
37Section XXI.
140Part II: The Common Law of England
38Section XXII.
141Chapter VI. The Common Law of England Relative to Intellectual Property. (pt. 1)
39Section XXIII.
142Chapter VI. The Common Law of England Relative to Intellectual Property. (pt. 2)
40Section XXIV.
143Articles of Association of the Spooner Copyright Company for Massachusetts
41Section XXV.
144A Letter to Scientist and Inventors, on the Science of Justice, and their Right of Perpetual Property in their Discoveries and Inventions
42Section XXVI.
145Section I.
43Section XXVII.
146Section II.
44Writings on Economics
147Section III.
45Poverty: Its Illegal Causes and Legal Cure
148Section IV.
46Chapter I. Illegal Causes of Poverty.
149Section V.
47Chapter II. Economical Propositions.
150Section VI.
48Chapter III. Economical Results from the Preceding Propositions
151Section VII.
49Chapter IV. Social, Moral, Intellectual, and Political Results from the Preceding Propositions.
152Section VIII.
50Chapter V. The Legal Nature of Debt.
153Section IX.
51Chapter VI. The Legal Nature of Debt.—(Continued.)
154Works on Religion
52A New System of Paper Currency
155The Deist’s Immortality, and an Essay on Man’s Accountability for his Belief
53Chapter I. Outline of the System.
156The Deist’s Reply to the Alleged Supernatural Evidences of Christianity
54Chapter II. Advantages of the System.
157Chapter I. The Early Spread of Christianity.
55Chapter III. Security of the System.
158Chapter II. The Nature and Character of Jesus.
56Chapter IV. Practicability of the System.
159Chapter III. The Alleged Miracles of Jesus.
57Chapter V. Legality of the System.
160Chapter IV. The Prophecies.
58Our Mechanical Industry as Affected by our Present Currency System
161Chapter V. The Resurrection.
59Considerations for Bankers, and Holders of United States Bonds
162Works on Slavery and Abolition
60Chapter I. Explanation of the Author’s New System of Paper Currency.
163A Defence for Fugitive Slaves, against the Acts of Congress of February 12, 1793, and September 18, 1850
61Chapter II. The Author’s System Cannot be Prohibited by the States.
164Act of Congress of 1793.
62Chapter III. The Author’s System Cannot be Taxed, Either by the United States, or the States.
165Act of Congress of 1850.
63Chapter IV. The State Governments Cannot Control, or in Any Manner Interfere With, the Author’s System.
166Chapter I. Unconstitutionality of the Acts of Congress of 1793 and 1850.
64Chapter V. Unconstitutionality of the Legal Tender Acts of Congress.
167Chapter II. The Right of Resistance, and the Right to have the Legality of that Resistance judged of by a Jury.
65Chapter VI. Unconstitutionality of the National Bank Act.
168Chapter III. Liability of United States Officers to be punished, under the State Laws, for executing the acts of 1793 and 1850.
66Chapter VII. Exchanges Under the Author’s System.
169Appendix.
67Appendix.
170B: Authorities for the Right of the Jury to judge of the Law in Criminal Cases.
68A New Banking System: The Needful Capital for Rebuilding the Burnt District
171C.: Mansfield’s argument against the Right of the Jury to judge of the law in criminal cases.
69Chapter I. A New Banking System.
172D: Effect of Trial by Jury, in nullifying other Legislation than the Fugitive Slave Laws.
70Chapter II. Specie Payments.
173A Plan for the Abolition of Slavery, and To the Non-Slaveholders of the South
71Chapter III. No Inflation of Prices.
174Address of the Free Constitutionalists to the People of the United States
72Chapter IV. Security of the System.
175The Unconstitutionality of Slavery
73Chapter V. The System as a Credit System.
176Chapter I. What is Law?
74Chapter VI. Amount of Currency Needed.
177Chapter II. Written Constitutions.
75Chapter VII. Importance of the System to Massachusetts.
178Chapter III. The Colonial Charters.
76Chapter VIII. The True Character of the “National” System.
179Chapter IV. Colonial Statutes.
77Chapter IX. Amasa Walker’s Opinion of the Author’s System
180Chapter V. The Declaration of Independence.
78Our Financiers: Their Ignorance, Usurpations, and Frauds
181Chapter VI. The State Constitutions of 1789.
79The Law of Prices: A Demonstration of the Necessity for an Indefinite Increase of Money
182Chapter VII. The Articles of Confederation.
80Gold and Silver as Standards of Value: The Flagrant Cheat in Regard to Them
183Chapter VIII. The Constitution of the United States. (pt. 1)
81Universal Wealth Shown to be Easily Attainable
184Chapter VIII. The Constitution of the United States. (pt. 2)
82Section I.
185Chapter IX. The Intentions of the Convention.
83Section II.
186Chapter X. The Practice of the Government.
84Section III.
187Chapter XI. The Understanding of the People.
85Section IV.
188Chapter XII. The State Constitutions of 1845.
86Law & Constitution
189Chapter XIII. The Children of Slaves are Born Free.
87“To the Members of the Legislature of Massachusetts.” Worcester Republican
190The Unconstitutionality of Slavery: Part Second
88Supreme Court of United States, January Term, 1839. Spooner vs. M'Connell, et al. (pt. 1)
191Chapter XIV. The Definition of Law.
89Supreme Court of United States, January Term, 1839. Spooner vs. M'Connell, et al. (pt. 2)
192Chapter XV. Ought Judges to Resign Their Seats?
90Constitutional Law Relative to Credit, Currency, and Banking
193Chapter XVI. “The Supreme Power of a State.”
91Chapter I. The Unconstitutionality of All State Laws Restraining Private Banking and the Rates of Interest.
194Chapter XVII. Rules of Interpretation.9 (pt. 1)
92Chapter II. What Bank Charters are Unconstitutional.
195Chapter XVII. Rules of Interpretation.9 (pt. 2)
93Chapter III. What Bank Charters are Constitutional.
196Chapter XVIII. Servants Counted as Units.
94Chapter IV. The Power of Congress Over the Currency.
197Chapter XIX. Slave Representation.
95The Unconstitutionality of the Laws of Congress, Prohibiting Private Mails
198Chapter XX. Why Aliens are Counted as “Three Fifths.”
96Argument
199Chapter XXI. Why the Word’s “Free Persons” were Used.
97The Postmaster General’s Argument
200Chapter XXII. “All Other Persons.”
98Expediency
201Chapter XXIII. Additional Arguments on the Word “Free.”
99Who Caused the Reduction of Postage? Ought he to be Paid?
202Chapter XXIV. Power of the General Government Over Slavery. (pt. 1)
100Letter
203Chapter XXIV. Power of the General Government Over Slavery. (pt. 2)
101Statement.
204Analysis
102The Constitutional Question.
205Reflection
103My Private Mails.
206Memorable Quotes
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