- The Second Amendment states: "A well regulated militia,
being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people
to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
-
- Quotes
-
- "On every question of construction (of the Constitution)
let us carry our-selves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted,
recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying
what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it,
conform to the probable one in which it was passed." (Thomas Jefferson,
letter to William Johnson, June 12, 1823, The Complete Jefferson, p.
322)
-
- "The whole of the Bill (of Rights) is a declaration
of the right of the people at large or considered as individuals....
It establishes some rights of the individual as unalienable and which
consequently, no majority has a right to deprive them of." (Albert
Gallatin of the New York Historical Society, October 7, 1789)
-
- "The right of the people to keep and bear arms has
been recognized by the General Government; but the best security of that
right after all is, the military spirit, that taste for martial exercises,
which has always distinguished the free citizens of these States....Such
men form the best barrier to the liberties of America" - (Gazette
of the United States, October 14, 1789.)
-
- "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])
-
- "A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the
people themselves... and include all men capable of bearing arms."
(Richard Henry Lee, Additional Letters from the Federal Farmer (1788)
at 169)
-
- "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)
-
- "Americans have the right and advantage of being
armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid
to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, The Federalist Papers
#46 at 243- 244)
-
- "the ultimate authority ... resides in the people
alone," (James Madison, author of the Bill of Rights, in Federalist
Paper #46.)
-
- "Before a standing army can rule, the people must
be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of 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 bands of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the
United States" (Noah Webster in An Examination into the Leading
Principles of the Federal Constitution', 1787, a pamphlet aimed at swaying
Pennsylvania toward ratification, in Paul Ford, ed., Pamphlets on the
Constitution of the United States, at 56(New York, 1888))
-
- "...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))
-
- "...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.)
-
- "Besides the advantage of being armed, which the
Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation. . . Notwithstanding
the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are
carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are
afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, author of
the Bill of Rights, in Federalist Paper No. 46.)
-
- "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)
-
- "Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their
swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright
of an American... The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands
of either the federal or state government, but, where I trust in God it
will ever remain, in the hands of the people" (Tench Coxe, Pennsylvania
Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788)
-
- "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 few public officials." (George Mason, 3 Elliot,
Debates at 425-426) "The Constitution shall never be construed....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, 86-87)
-
- "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole
body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike especially when
young, how to use them." (Richard Henry Lee, 1788, Initiator of the
Declaration of Independence, and member of the first Senate, which passed
the Bill of Rights, Walter Bennett, ed., Letters from the Federal Farmer
to the Republican, at 21,22,124 (Univ. of Alabama Press,1975)..)
-
- "The great object is that every man be armed"
and "everyone who is able may have a gun." (Patrick Henry, in
the Virginia Convention on the ratification of the Constitution. Debates
and other Proceedings of the Convention of Virginia,...taken in shorthand
by David Robertson of Petersburg, at 271, 275 2d ed. Richmond, 1805. Also
3 Elliot, Debates at 386)
-
- "The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons.
They are left in full possession of them." (Zachariah Johnson, 3
Elliot, Debates at 646)
-
- "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 best we can hope for concerning the people
at large is that they be properly armed." (Alexander Hamilton, The
Federalist Papers at 184-8)
-
- "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 (Peirce & Hale, eds., Boston, 1850))
-
- "And what country can preserve its liberties, if
its rulers are not warned from time to time that this people preserve
the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms....The tree of liberty must
be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants"
(Thomas Jefferson in a letter to William S. Smith in 1787. Taken from Jefferson,
On Democracy 20, S. Padover ed.,1939)
-
- "Guard with jealous attention the public liberty.
Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will
preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you
are inevitably ruined" (Patrick Henry, 3 J. Elliot, Debates in the
Several State Conventions 45, 2d ed. Philadelphia, 1836)
-
- "The strongest reason for people to retain the right
to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against
tyranny in government." --(Thomas Jefferson)
-
- "Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution
itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under
independence ... From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day,
events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to insure peace, security
and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable ... The very
atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve
a place of honor with all that is good" (George Washington)
-
- "A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the
species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise
to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind.
Games played with the ball and others of that nature, are too violent
for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore
be the constant companion of your walks.(Thomas Jefferson, Encyclopedia
of T. Jefferson, 318 [Foley, Ed., reissued 1967])
-
- "The supposed quietude of a good mans allures the
ruffian; while on the other hand, arms like laws discourage and keep
the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world
as well as property. The same balance would be preserved were all the
world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not,
others dare not lay them aside...Horrid mischief would ensue were one
half the world deprived of the use of them..." (Thomas Paine, I Writings
of Thomas Paine at 56 [1894])
-
- "...the people are confirmed by the next article
in their right to keep and bear their private arms" (from article
in the Philadelphia Federal Gazette June 18, 1789 at 2, col.2,)
-
- "Those, who have the command of the arms in a country
are masters of the state, and have it in their power to make what revolutions
they please. [Thus,] there is no end to observations on the difference
between the measures likely to be pursued by a minister backed by a standing
army, and those of a court awed by the fear of an armed people." (Aristotle,
as quoted by John Trenchard and Water Moyle, An Argument Shewing, That
a Standing Army Is Inconsistent with a Free Government, and Absolutely
Destructive to the Constitution of the English Monarchy [London, 1697])
-
- "No kingdom can be secured otherwise than by arming
the people. The possession of arms is the distinction between a freeman
and a slave. He, who has nothing, and who himself belongs to another,
must be defended by him, whose property he is, and needs no arms. But
he, who thinks he is his own master, and has what he can call his own,
ought to have arms to defend himself, and what he possesses; else he lives
precariously, and at discretion." (James Burgh, Political Disquisitions:
Or, an Enquiry into Public Errors, Defects, and Abuses [London, 1774-
1775])
-
- "Men that are above all Fear, soon grow above all
Shame." (John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon, Cato's Letters: Or, Essays
on Liberty, Civil and Religious, and Other Important Subjects [London,
1755])
-
- "The difficulty here has been to persuade the citizens
to keep arms, not to prevent them from being employed for violent purposes."
(Dwight, Travels in New-England)
-
- "What country can preserve it's liberties if their
rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the
spirit of resistance. Let them take arms." (Thomas Jefferson to James
Madison, Dec. 20, 1787, in Papers of Jefferson, ed. Boyd et al.)
-
- (The American Colonies were) "all democratic governments,
where the power is in the hands of the people and where there is not
the least difficulty or jealousy about putting arms into the hands of
every man in the country. (European countries should not) be ignorant
of the strength and the force of such a form of government and how strenuously
and almost wonderfully people living under one have sometimes exerted
themselves in defense of their rights and liberties and how fatally it
has ended with many a man and many a state who have entered into quarrels,
wars and contests with them." [George Mason, "Remarks on Annual
Elections for the Fairfax Independent Company" in The Papers of George
Mason, 1725-1792, ed Robert A. Rutland (Chapel Hill, 1970)]
-
- "To trust arms in the hands of the people at large
has, in Europe, been believed...to be an experiment fraught only with
danger. Here by a long trial it has been proved to be perfectly harmless...If
the government be equitable; if it be reasonable in its exactions; if
proper attention be paid to the education of children in knowledge and
religion, few men will be disposed to use arms, unless for their amusement,
and for the defense of themselves and their country." (Timothy Dwight,
Travels in New England and New York [London 1823]
-
- "It is not certain that with this aid alone [possession
of arms], they would not be able to shake off their yokes. But were the
people to posses the additional advantages of local governments chosen
by themselves, who could collect the national will, and direct the national
force; and of officers appointed out of the militia, by these governments
and attached both to them and to the militia, it may be affirmed with
the greatest assurance, that the throne of every tyranny in Europe would
be speedily overturned, in spite of the legions which surround it."
(James Madison, "Federalist No. 46")
-
- "The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms
has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;
since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary
power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the
first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them. And
yet, though this truth would seem so clear, and the importance of a well
regulated militia would seem so undeniable, it cannot be disguised, that
among the American people there is a growing indifference to any system
of militia discipline, and a strong disposition, from a sense of its
burdens, to be rid of all regulations. How it is practicable to keep the
people duly armed without some organization, it is difficult to see. There
is certainly no small danger, that indifference may lead to disgust, and
disgust to contempt; and thus gradually undermine all the protection
intended by this clause of our national bill of rights." (Joseph
Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States; With a Preliminary
Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States before
the Adoption of the Constitution
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