4. What was the original intent of the Second Amendment?
It is not questionable the original intent was that the
people had specifically prohibited the Federal Government from
prohibiting citizen ownership.
"False is the idea of utility...that would take fire from men
because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has
no remedy for evils, except destruction (of liberty). The laws
that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such nature. They
disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to
commit crimes...such laws serve rather to encourage than to
prevent homocides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with
greater confidence than an armed man."
Thomas Jefferson 'Commonplace Book' 1775
"As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people
duly 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 arms."
- Tench Coxe in "REMARKS ON THE FIRST PART OF THE
AMENDMENTS TO THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION." Under the pseudonym "A
Pennsylvanian" in the Philidelphia Federal Gazette, June 18, 1789
at 2 col 1.
"On every question of construction (of the Constitution)
let us carry ourselves 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," p322
"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 enforceunjust laws by the sword;
because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a
force superior to any bands of regular troops..."
- Noah Webster, "An Examination into the Leading Principles
of the Federal Constitution" (1787) in Pamphlets on the
Constitution fo the United States (P. Ford, 1888)
"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
"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
"When firearms go, all goes - we need them every hour" -
President George Washington
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -
Thomas Jefferson
"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
"I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people,
except for a few public officials." - George Mason
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of
the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of
those in power than by violent and sudden usurptions" -- James
Madison
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" - Benjamin
Franklin
"God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are
always ready to guard and defend it." - Daniel Webster
"Congress may give us a select militia which will, in fact,
be a standing army -- or congress, afraid of a general militia,
may say there shall be no militia at all. when a select militia
is formed; the people in general may be disarmed." - John Smilie
"If the laws of the union were oppressive, they could not
carry them into effect, if the people were possessed of the
proper means of defense." - William Lenoir
"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
"Whenever people...entrust the defense of their country to a
regular, standing army, composed of mercenaries, the power of
that country will remain under the direction of the most wealthy
citizens..." - "A Framer" in the independent gazetteer, 1791
"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
"Every corner of this land knows firearms, and more than 99
99/100 percent of them by their silence indicate they are in safe
and sane hands." - George Washington
"Firearms stand next in importance to the constitution
itself. The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere
restrains evil influence - they deserve a place of honor with all
that's good." - George Washington
"We, the people are the rightful masters of both congress and
the courts - not to overthrow the constitution, but to overthrow
men who pervert the constitution." - A. Lincoln
"The great object is that every man be armed.... everyone who
is able may have a gun." - Patrick Henry
"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." - Patrick Henry
"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." - Noah Webster
"The constitution shall never be construed....to prevent the
people of the united states who are peaceable citizens from
keeping their own arms." - Alexander Hamilton
"Our legislators are not sufficiently appraised of the
rightful limits of their power; that their true office is to
declare and enforce our natural rights and duties, and to take
none of them from us." -- Thomas Jefferson