Founding Fathers Second Amendment Quotes:

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

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

quote laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor thomas jefferson Quotes

- George Mason

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

topic: Strength, Peace, Gun, Handguns, Disarming

Quotation George Mason To disarm the people is the best and most effectual Quotes

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

topic: Country, Gun, Government, Pro Gun, Our Founding Fathers

Quotation Samuel Adams The Constitution shall never be construed to prevent the people Quotes

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 ensure 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's good... A free people ought to be armed.

- George Washington

topic: Gun, People, Evil, Pro Gun, Right To Bear Arms

Quotation Thomas Jefferson The constitutions of most of our States assert that all Quotes

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.

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.

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

- William Rawle

source: William Rawle (1829). “A view of the Constitution of the United States of America”, p.125

topic: Gun, Power, Giving, State Legislatures, Disarming

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

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

The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.

Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks.

topic: Gun Control, People, Southern, Strong Arms, Pro Gun

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

topic: Gun, Companion, Constant, Mind Games, 2 Amendment

- Tench Coxe

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

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

The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to permit the conquered Eastern peoples to have arms. History teaches that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by doing so.

- Adolf Hitler

topic: Mistake, Race, Gun Control, Disarming, Pro Gun

Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property... Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.

- Thomas Paine

topic: Motivation, Fear, Government, 2 Amendment, Patriotic Gun

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

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.

Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion... in private self-defense.

topic: Government, Self, People, Handguns, Recourse

- John Adams

topic: Strength, Peace, Patriotic, Right To Bear Arms, Shooting Guns

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?

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

source: "The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: Volume 3". Book by Jonathan Elliot, 1836.

topic: Real, Hands, Differences, Handguns, Propriety

No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms.

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

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

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.

topic: Second Amendment, Arms, Use, Disarming, Militia

- Richard Henry Lee

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

Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.

- Mahatma Gandhi

topic: Inspirational, Gun, Political, Misdeeds, Pro Gun

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

- Benjamin Franklin

topic: Inspirational, Happiness, Peace, Social Democracy, Power Corruption

For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security.

The great object is that every man be armed.

topic: Military, Mean, Gun, Militia, Founding Fathers Gun

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.

topic: Men, Gun, Second Amendment, 2 Amendment, Patriotic Gun

- George Washington

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

If gun laws in fact worked, the sponsors of this type of legislation should have no difficulty drawing upon long lists of examples of criminal acts reduced by such legislation. That they cannot do so after a century and a half of trying - that they must sweep under the rug the southern attempts at gun control in the 1870-1910 period, the northeastern attempts in the 1920-1939 period, the attempts at both Federal and State levels in 1965-1976 - establishes the repeated, complete and inevitable failure of gun laws to control serious crime.

- Orrin Hatch

source: "The Right to Keep and Bear Arms - Report of the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the Committee on the Judiciary". Book by Dennis DeConcini and Orrin Hatch, February 1982.

topic: Gun, Law, Drawing, Pro Gun, 2 Amendment

...that standing army can never be formidable (threatening) to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in the use of arms.

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.

topic: Army, Gun, People, Militia, Right To Bear Arms

- 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

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.

By calling attention to 'a well regulated militia,' 'the security of the nation,' and the right of each citizen 'to keep and bear arms,' our founding fathers recognized the essentially civilian nature of our economy... The Second Amendment still remains an important declaration of our basic civilian-military relationships in which every citizen must be ready to participate in the defense of his country. For that reason I believe the Second Amendment will always be important.

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

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

- John F. Kennedy

topic: Country, Father, Military, Handguns, Militia

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

topic: Military, Law, People, Military Force, 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

The laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Can it be supposed that those who have the courage to violate the most sacred laws of humanity...will respect the less important and arbitrary ones... 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.

- Cesare Beccaria

topic: Men, Law, Humanity, Disarming, Limiting Freedom

I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery.

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.

source: Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson (1988). “Paine and Jefferson on Liberty”, p.89, Bloomsbury Publishing USA

topic: Gun, Peaceful, Slavery, Pro Gun, 2 Amendment

- Hubert H. Humphrey

source: "Know Your Lawmaker". Guns magazine, p. 4, February 1960.

topic: Freedom, Government, Bears, Disarming, Founding Fathers Second Amendment

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

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

The people have a right to keep and bear arms.

Little more can reasonably be aimed at with respect to the people at large than to have them properly armed.

topic: Gun, People, Arms, Nra, Handguns