Amendment 13 Quotes:

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

source: Joseph Story (1833). “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”, p.708

topic: Country, Strong, People, Insurrection, 2 Amendment

I ask you sir, who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people.

- George Mason

topic: Gun, People, Gun Control, 2 Amendment, Highs And Lows

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 band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States.

- Noah Webster

source: Noah Webster (1787). “An Examination Into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution Proposed by the Late Convention Held at Philadelphia: With Answers to the Principal Objections that Have Been Raised Against the System”, p.43

topic: Army, Europe, Law, Handguns, Pretense

A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves... and include all men capable of bearing arms.

- Richard Henry Lee

source: Richard Henry Lee, Mercy Otis Warren (1962). “An Additional number of letters from the Federal farmer to the Republican, leading to a fair examination of the system of government, proposed by the late Convention: to several essential and necessary alterations in it; and calculated to illustrate and support the principles and positions laid down in the preceding letters. Together with Oberservations on the new Constitution, and on the Federal and State Conventions by a Columbian patriot”

topic: 4th Of July, Men, People, Strong Arms, Amendment 1

A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.

- George Washington

topic: Gun, Government, People, Military Uniform, 2 Amendment

Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . 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

topic: Men, Law, May, Limited Government, Founding

Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.

- Oscar Wilde

topic: Funny, Sarcastic, Freedom, Independence And Freedom, Independence Day Patriotic

Well for one, the 13th amendment to the constitution of the US which abolished slavery - did not abolish slavery for those convicted of a crime.

- Angela Davis

topic: Slavery, Constitution, Crime, Abolish, Amendment 13

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

source: "An Additional Number of Letters to the Republican". Letters by the Federal Farmer (pseudonym of Richard Henry Lee), Letter XVIII, teachingamericanhistory.org. January 25, 1988.

topic: Men, Practice, People, Nra, Strong Arms

Arms, like laws, discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe and preserve order...

- Thomas Paine

topic: Gun, Order, Law, Patriotic Gun, Militia

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

topic: Country, Freedom, People, Lethargy, Social Revolution

To disarm the people... was the best and most effectual way to enslave them.

- George Mason

source: George Mason's address to the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 14, 1788.

topic: Strength, Peace, Gun, Handguns, Disarming

The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed.

- Alexander Hamilton

source: "The Federalist Papers". Book by Alexander Hamilton, essay No. 69, 1787 - 1788.

topic: Gun, People, Gun Control, Handguns, Patriotic Gun

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. - Second Amendment to the Constitution An armed society is a polite society.

- Robert A. Heinlein

topic: People, Second Amendment, Liberty, Fifth Amendment, Militia

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.

- James Madison

source: James Madison, Gaillard Hunt, James Brown Scott (1999). “The Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787: Which Framed the Constitution of the United States of America”, p.690, The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.

topic: Gun, Libertarian Party, Assault Weapons, Fifth Amendment, Militia

The Constitution be never 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

source: Debates of the Massachusetts Convention, 1788.

topic: Gun, Strong Arms, People, Handguns, States Rights

Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.

- Abraham Lincoln

topic: Government, People, Earth, Independence And Freedom, Independence Day

The powers of the sword are in the hands of the yeomanry of America from sixteen to sixty. The militia of these free commonwealths, entitled and accustomed to their arms, when compared with any possible army, must be tremendous and irresistible. 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 has no power to disarm the militia.

- Tench Coxe

source: The Pennsylvania Gazette, February 20, 1788.

topic: Gun, Second Amendment, Arms, Birthright, 2 Amendment

When the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British parliament was advised by an artful man [Sir William Keith], who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people. That it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them. But that they should not do it openly; but to weaken them and let them sink gradually, by totally disusing and neglecting the militia.

- George Mason

source: George Mason's address to the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 14, 1788.

topic: Men, Gun, America, Handguns, Disarming

Militias, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves and include 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

topic: Gun, Men, People, Strong Arms, Militia

Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man gainst 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

- Tench Coxe

topic: Men, Soldier, Arms, Birthright, 2 Amendment

Of the people, by the people, for the people,

- Sun Yat-sen

topic: People, Independence And Freedom, Inspirational Freedom, Inspirational Patriotic, Inspiring Independence Day

The greatest measure of the nineteenth century was passed by corruption, aided and abetted by the purest man in America.

- Thaddeus Stevens

topic: Men, America, Corruption, Amendment 13

That we we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

- Abraham Lincoln

topic: God, Government, People, Perishing, Gettysburg

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

topic: Military, Government, Europe, Disarming, Framers

Is the relinquishment of the trial by jury and the liberty of the press necessary for your liberty? Will the abandonment of your most sacred rights tend to the security of your liberty? Liberty, the greatest of all earlthy blessings - give us that precious jewel, and you may take every things else! . . . Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel.

- Patrick Henry

source: Virginia's U.S. Constitution ratification convention, June 5, 1788.

topic: Freedom, Jealous, Blessing, Individual Liberty, Guards Up

One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them.

- Thomas Jefferson

topic: Love, Strength, Hope, Pro Gun, Patriotic Gun

The balance of power is the scale of peace. The same balance would be preserved were all the world not 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 ... the weak will become prey to the strong.

- Thomas Paine

topic: Strong, Gun, Balance, Pro Gun, Balance Of Power