Spencer Heath Archive

Item 885

Random taping by Spencer MacCallum of remarks by Heath at a seminar at the Foundation for Economic Education, Irvington, New York

June 19, 1957

May I say a word about the Common Law of England about that matter? I was very much fascinated, in reading law, to read of the law that was made by the people, and not by representatives or other functionaries. The Common Law of England, from time immemorial, made it a criminal act for any two or more persons to conspire against giving their employment to a person, or giving employment far and wide to any particular person, or patronizing any person. Now they could do this thing: They could singly absent themselves from work — discontinue their employment — they could singly boycott any merchant or employer or whatnot. But if two or more together conspired to do it, it was against the public interest and it was a criminal act under the laws of God and man and not under any legislative laws. All of these laws that Mr. Wolman has been telling us about are attempts to repeal laws of God and the natural laws of men. And we have suffered the consequences. We have the law — plenty of it. The Common Law. But we are /trying to/ abandon it — in favor of judge-made and political, politician-made laws.