by:
Bradlee
Dean in
Gun News,
Trending Commentary March 16, 2018
"To disarm the people…[i]s the most effectual way to enslave them."
–
George Mason, referencing advice given to the British Parliament by Pennsylvania
governor Sir William Keith, The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the
Adoption of the Federal Constitution, June 14, 1788
Therefore, it might be well for you to take a couple of minutes and read what
our forefathers had said in their writings during the ratifications to establish
gun rights to Americans as a whole, namely the Second Amendment to the Bill of
Rights. Who knows better what the Second Amendment means than the Founding
Fathers that established our God-given rights?
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.
First, who are the militia?
"I ask who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a
few public officers." – George Mason, Address to the Virginia Ratifying
Convention, June 4, 1788
"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, according to the past and general usuage of the states, all men capable
of bearing arms… "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."
– Richard Henry Lee, Federal Farmer No. 18, January 25,
1788
"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, I Annals of Congress 750, August 17, 1789
Second, look to our American forefathers and how what they established
contradicts the corruptions in the face of the present day criminal politicians
(Psalm 94:20; Luke 22:48; John 8:44).
"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed, as they are in
almost every country 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." – Noah Webster, An
Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution, October 10,
1787
"A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined…"
– George
Washington, First Annual Address, to both House of Congress, January 8, 1790
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."
– Thomas Jefferson,
Virginia Constitution, Draft 1, 1776
"What country can preserve its 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, letter to James Madison, December 20, 1787
"The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They
disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes….
Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants;
they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may
be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." – Thomas Jefferson,
Commonplace Book (quoting 18th century criminologist Cesare Beccaria),
1774-1776
"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 your constant companion of your walks." –
Thomas Jefferson, letter to Peter Carr, August 19, 1785
"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert
that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by
themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." – Thomas
Jefferson, letter to to John Cartwright, 5 June 1824
"On every occasion [of Constitutional interpretation] let us carry ourselves
back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit
manifested in the debates, and instead of trying [to force] what meaning may be
squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, [instead let us] conform to
the probable one in which it was passed." – Thomas Jefferson, letter to William
Johnson, 12 June 1823
"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the
people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments,
to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are
appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more
insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of." –
James Madison, Federalist No. 46, January 29, 1788
"This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty…. The right of
self-defense is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the
study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible.
Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and
bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not
already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction." – St. George Tucker,
Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England, 1803
"The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on the other
hand, arms, like law, discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe,
and preserve order in the world as well as property. The balance ofpower is the
scale of peace. 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. And while a single nation refuses to lay them down, it is proper
that all should keep them up. Horrid mischief would ensue were one-half the
world deprived of the use of them; for while avarice and ambition have a place
in the heart of man, the weak will become a prey to the strong. The history of
every age and nation establishes these truths, and facts need but little
arguments when they prove themselves."
– Thomas Paine, "Thoughts on Defensive
War" in Pennsylvania Magazine, July 1775
"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."
– Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of
the United States, 1833
"For it is a truth, which the experience of ages has attested, that the
people are always most in danger when the means of injuring their rights are in
the possession of those of whom they entertain the least suspicion." – Alexander
Hamilton, Federalist No. 25, December 21, 1787
"If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is
then no resource 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 intrusted 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
"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, Philadelphia Federal Gazette,
June 18, 1789
"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 ruined…. The great object is
that every man be armed. Everyone who is able might have a gun." – Patrick
Henry, Speech to the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 5, 1778
We have heard over and over from criminal anti-gunner politicians that we do
not need 30 round magazines when it comes to our ability to protect
ourselves.
Just a reminder to all, we do not need 30 rounds to hunt with, correct, but
the Second Amendment was not written in case the deer turn against us, it was
given in case our government does.
"
The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until
they try to take it!"
I WILL NOT be disarmed - that I guarantee to my Nation. When government makes
me a criminal by the Pen then criminal to THAT government I shall be. There is
NO authority within the Constitution nor Natural Law for ANY government to be
armed (only by implication thru a perpetual Navy - Article I, Section 8 - is
there any form of perpetual government arms.) There IS NO authority for National
Police or Perpetual Army. Usurpation by the elected or appointed government is
TREASON AGAINST THE PEOPLE!
