- "The most foolish mistake we could possibly make
would be to allow the subject races to possess arms.
History shows that all conquerors who have allowed their
subject races to carry arms have prepared their own
downfall by so doing."
~ Adolph Hitler, Hitler's Secret
Conversations 403 (Norman Cameron and R.H. Stevens
trans., 1961)
- "...if raised, whether they could subdue a
Nation of freemen, who know how to prize liberty, and
who have arms in their hands?"
~ Delegate Sedgwick, during the
Massachusetts Convention, rhetorically asking if an
oppressive standing army could prevail, Johnathan
Elliot, ed., Debates in the Several State Conventions
on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, Vol.2 at
97 (2d ed., 1888)
- "As civil rulers, not having their duty to the
people before them, may attempt to tyrannize, and as
the military forces which must be occasionally raised
to defend our country, might pervert their power to the
injury of their fellow citizens, the people are
confirmed by the article in their right to keep and
bear their private arms."
~ Tench Coxe, in `Remarks on the First Part
of the Amendments to the Federal Constitution? under
the Pseudonym `A Pennsylvanian? in the Philadelphia
Federal Gazette, June 18, 1789 at 2 col. 1)
- "The prohibition is general. No clause in the
Constitution could by any rule of construction be
conceived to give to Congress a power to disarm the
people. Such a flagitious attempt could only be made
under some general pretense by a state legislature. But
if in any blind pursuit of inordinate power, either
should attempt it, this amendment may be appealed to as
a restraint on both."
~ William Rawle, A View of the Constitution
125-6 (2nd ed. 1829)
- "I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the
whole people, except for a few public
officials."
~ George Mason, in Debates in Virginia
Convention on Ratification of the Constitution, Elliot,
Vol. 3, June 16, 1788
- "Whereas civil-rulers, not having their duty
to the people duly before them, may attempt to
tyrannize, and as military forces, which must be
occasionally raised to defend our country, might
pervert their power to the injury of their fellow
citizens, the people are confirmed by the article in
their right to keep and bear their private
arms."
~ Tench Coxe, in Remarks on the First Part
of the Amendments to the Federal Constitution
- "The best we can hope for concerning the
people at large is that they be properly
armed."
~ Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers
at 184-188
- If the representatives of the people betray their
constituents, there is then no recourse left but in the
exertion of that original right of self-defense which
is paramount to all positive forms of government, and
which against the usurpations of the national rulers
may be exerted with infinitely better prospect of
success than against those of the rulers of an
individual State. In a single State, if the persons
entrusted with supreme power become usurpers, the
different parcels, subdivisions, or districts of which
it consists, having no distinct government in each, can
take no regular measures for defense. The citizens must
rush tumultuously to arms, without concert, without
system, without resource; except in their courage and
despair.
~ Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No.
28
- "That the said Constitution shall never be
construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just
liberty of the press or the rights of conscience; or to
prevent the people of the United States who are
peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms ...
"
~ Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in
the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at
86-87 (Pierce & Hale, eds., Boston, 1850)
- "[The Constitution preserves] the advantage of
being armed which Americans possess over the people of
almost every other nation...(where) the governments are
afraid to trust the people with arms."
~ James Madison, The Federalist Papers, No.
46
- "To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to
be used at individual discretion, except in private
self-defense, or by partial orders of towns, countries
or districts of a state, is to demolish every
constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that
liberty can be enjoyed by no man; it is a dissolution
of the government. The fundamental law of the militia
is, that it be created, directed and commanded by the
laws, and ever for the support of the laws."
~ John Adams, A Defense of the
Constitutions of the United States 475 (1787-1788)
- "Before a standing army can rule, the people
must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom
in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce
unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the
people are armed, and constitute a force superior to
any band of regular troops that can be, on any
pretense, raised in the United States. A military
force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws,
but such as the people perceive to be just and
constitutional; for they will possess the power, and
jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to
resist the execution of a law which appears to them
unjust and oppressive."
~ Noah Webster, An Examination of the
Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution
(Philadelphia 1787)
- "Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves?
Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each
man against his own bosom. Congress have no power to
disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other
terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright
of an American...[T]he unlimited power of the sword is
not in the hands of either the federal or state
governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever
remain, in the hands of the people."
~ Tenche Coxe, The Pennsylvania Gazette,
Feb. 20, 1788
- "Whereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential
that the whole body of the people always possess arms,
and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use
them; nor does it follow from this, that all
promiscuously must go into actual service on every
occasion. The mind that aims at a select militia, must
be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle; and
when we see many men disposed to practice upon it,
whenever they can prevail, no wonder true republicans
are for carefully guarding against it."
~ Richard Henry Lee, The Pennsylvania
Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788
- "What country can preserve its liberties if
its rulers are not warned from time to time that their
people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take
arms."
~ Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens
Smith, 1787. ME 6:373, Papers 12:356
- "No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of
arms."
~ Thomas Jefferson, Proposal Virginia
Constitution, 1 T. Jefferson Papers, 334,[C.J. Boyd,
Ed., 1950]
- "The right of the people to keep and bear ...
arms shall not be infringed. A well regulated militia,
composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is
the best and most natural defense of a free country
..."
~ James Madison, I Annals of Congress 434,
June 8, 1789
- "What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to
prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane
of liberty .... Whenever Governments mean to invade the
rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt
to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon
their ruins."
~ Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts,
spoken during floor debate over the Second Amendment, I
Annals of Congress at 750, August 17, 1789
- " ... to disarm the people - that was the best
and most effectual way to enslave them."
~ George Mason, 3 Elliot, Debates at
380
- " ... but if circumstances should at any time
oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude,
that army can never be formidable to the liberties of
the people, while there is a large body of citizens,
little if at all inferior to them in discipline and use
of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights
..."
~ Alexander Hamilton speaking of standing
armies in Federalist 29
- "Are we at last brought to such humiliating
and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted
with arms for our defense? Where is the difference
between having our arms in possession and under our
direction, and having them under the management of
Congress? If our defense be the real object of having
those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with
more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own
hands?"
~ Patrick Henry, 3 J. Elliot, Debates in
the Several State Conventions 45, 2d ed. Philadelphia,
1836
- "The great object is, that every man be armed
... Every one who is able may have a gun."
~ Patrick Henry, Elliot, p.3:386
- "O sir, we should have fine times, indeed, if,
to punish tyrants, it were only sufficient to assemble
the people! Your arms, wherewith you could defend
yourselves, are gone ..."
~ Patrick Henry, Elliot p. 3:50-53, in
Virginia Ratifying Convention demanding a guarantee of
the right to bear arms
- "The people are not to be disarmed of their
weapons. They are left in full possession of
them."
~ Zachariah Johnson, delegate to Virginia
Ratifying Convention, Elliot, 3:645-6
- "Certainly one of the chief guarantees of
freedom under any government, no matter how popular and
respected, is the right of citizens to keep and bear
arms ... The right of citizens to bear arms is just one
guarantee against arbitrary government, one more
safeguard, against the tyranny which now appears remote
in America but which historically has proven to be
always possible."
~ Hubert H. Humphrey, Senator, Vice
President, 22 October 1959
- "The militia is the natural defense of a free
country against sudden foreign invasions, domestic
insurrections, and domestic usurpation of power by
rulers. The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms
has justly been considered, as the palladium of the
liberties of the republic; since it offers a strong
moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power
of rulers; and will generally ... enable the people to
resist and triumph over them."
~ Joseph Story, Supreme Court Justice,
Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States,
p. 3:746-7, 1833
- " ... most attractive to Americans, the
possession of arms is the distinction between a freeman
and a slave, it being the ultimate means by which
freedom was to be preserved."
~ James Burgh, 18th century English
Libertarian writer, Shalhope, The Ideological Origins
of the Second Amendment, p.604
- "The right [to bear arms] is general. It may
be supposed from the phraseology of this provision that
the right to keep and bear arms was only guaranteed to
the militia; but this would be an interpretation not
warranted by the intent. The militia, as has been
explained elsewhere, consists of those persons who,
under the laws, are liable to the performance of
military duty, and are officered and enrolled for
service when called upon.... [I]f the right were
limited to those enrolled, the purpose of the guarantee
might be defeated altogether by the action or the
neglect to act of the government it was meant to hold
in check. The meaning of the provision undoubtedly is,
that the people, from whom the militia must be taken,
shall have the right to keep and bear arms, and they
need no permission or regulation of law for the
purpose. But this enables the government to have a well
regulated militia; for to bear arms implies something
more than mere keeping; it implies the learning to
handle and use them in a way that makes those who keep
them ready for their efficient use; in other words, it
implies the right to meet for voluntary discipline in
arms, observing in so doing the laws of public
order."
~ Thomas M. Cooley, General Principles of
Constitutional Law, Third Edition [1898]
- "And that the said Constitution be never
construed to authorize Congress ... to prevent the
people of the United States, who are peaceable
citizens, from keeping their own arms.... "
~ Samuel Adams
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