Quote on Arms and the 2nd Admendment
“Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the people’s liberty teeth.”
— George Washington (1732-
“The said constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.”
— Samuel Adams (1722–1803) Father of the American Revolution, Patriot and Statesman
“When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”
— Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of Independence, 3rd President of the U. S.
“Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion in private self defense of the country, the overthrow of tyranny, or private defense.”
— John Adams (1797-
“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.”
— Luke 11:21 RSV
The Second Amendment:
Amendment II: 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.
The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878
“… all male persons in the frontiers capable of bearing arms, shall carry their arms with them and be well provided for their defense when they go to public worship on the Lord’s day, or other times, and also when they go abroad to work, on pain of forfeiting five shillings for each neglect, to be to the use of the town towards the procuring of arms or ammunition.”
— Massachusetts Colony Act, 1706
“Self-defense is a primary law of nature, which no subsequent law of society can abolish; this primeval principle, the immediate gift of the Creator, obliges everyone to remonstrate against the strides of ambition, and a wanton lust of domination, and to resist the first approaches of tyranny, which at this day threaten to sweep away the rights for which the brave Sons of America have fought …”
— Eldridge Gerry (1744–1814) Statesman, Diplomat, 5th Vice President of the U.S.
“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 shall have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-
— Tench Coxe (1755–1824) Political economist, delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress
“No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”
— Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of Independence, 3rd President of the U. S.
“I am thus far a Quaker, that I would gladly agree with all the world to lay aside the use of arms, and settle matters by negotiation: but unless the whole will, the matter ends, and I take up my musket and thank heaven he has put it in my power.”
— Thomas Paine (1736-
“They that can give up liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
— Benjamin Franklin (1706-
“Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in our own possession and under our own 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 (1736-
“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-
— Federal Farmer, Antifederalist Letter, No.18
“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. 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, Father of the U.S. Constitution and author of the Second Amendment
“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-
— Thomas Paine (1736-
“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 (1732–1794) Founding Father
Head Quarters, New York, May 15, 1776:
“The Continental Congress having ordered Friday, the 17th instant, to be observed as a day of “Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer, humbly to supplicate the mercy of Almighty God, that it would please him to pardon all our manifold sins and transgressions, and to prosper the arms of the United Colonies, and finally establish the peace and freedom of America upon a solid and lasting foundation,” the general commands all officers and soldiers to pay strict attention to the orders of the Continental Congress, and, by the unfeigned and pious observance of their religious duties, incline the Lord and Giver of victory to prosper our arms.”
— George Washington (1732-
“To disarm the people [is] …the best and most effectual way to enslave them.”
— George Mason (1725-
“To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-
— John Adams (1797-
“The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference—they deserve a place of honor with all that is good.”
— George Washington (1732-
“Our unalterable resolution would be to be free. They have attempted to subdue us by force, but God be praised! in vain. Their arts may be more dangerous then their arms. Let us then renounce all treaty with them upon any score but that of total separation, and under God trust our cause to our swords.”
— Samuel Adams (1722–1803) Father of the American Revolution, Patriot and Statesman
“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, Author of the Declaration of Independence, 3rd President of the U. S.
“If a well-
— Alexander Hamilton (1755-
“One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them.”
— Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of Independence, 3rd President of the U. S.
“When the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised by an artful man, –
— George Mason (1725-
“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 (1751-
“The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.”
— Tench Coxe (1755-
“The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered as the palladium of the liberties of a republic.”
— Joseph Story (1779-
“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 (1758-
“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace;”
— Luke 11:21 RSV
“The right to keep and bear arms is the one right that allows rights to exist at all.”
— Charlton Heston (1923-
“The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full possession of them.”
— Zacharia Johnson (1788)