Early American Leaders

""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.""

Quote by Noah Webster on armed citizenry vs standing army

""Let the right to bear arms be esteemed sacred, never to be surrendered. Let the ordinary military duty be esteemed a pleasure and not an imposed task or disgusting toil. Remember you are then preparing yourselves to defend your happy country from the foes of its liberties and glory. In the countries of tyrants the citizen is not permitted to bear arms, formidable to none but tyrants. Citizen Soldiers, should ever a foreign or domestic tyrant insult you by daring to command you to deliver up your arms, may you send him back the Spartan answer, Come and take them!""

Quote by Moses Hall Jr. on revolutionary veteran

""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.""

Quote by William Rawle on constitutional prohibition

""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 have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American...[T]he 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.""

Quote by Tench Coxe on militia definition and congressional limits

""THE RIGHT OF SELF-DEFENSE NEVER CEASES. IT IS AMONG THE MOST SACRED, AND ALIKE NECESSARY TO NATIONS AND TO INDIVIDUALS.""

Quote by James Monroe on natural right of self-defense

""THE MILITIA IS THE NATURAL DEFENCE OF A FREE COUNTRY AGAINST SUDDEN FOREIGN INVASIONS, DOMESTIC INSURRECTIONS AND DOMESTIC USURPATIONS OF POWER BY RULERS. IT IS AGAINST SOUND POLICY FOR A FREE PEOPLE TO KEEP UP LARGE MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS AND STANDING ARMIES IN TIME OF PEACE BOTH FROM THE ENORMOUS EXPENSES WITH WHICH THEY ARE ATTENDED AND THE FACILE MEANS WHICH THEY AFFORD TO AMBITIOUS AND UNPRINCIPLED RULERS TO SUBVERT THE GOVERNMENT OR TRAMPLE UPON THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE. 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 THE FIRST INSTANCE ENABLE THE PEOPLE TO RESIST AND TRIUMPH OVER THEM.""

Quote by Justice Joseph Story on palladium of liberty

""Never yield the right to possess arms, and to bear them, if necessary, in defence of your altars and your fire-sides, against domestic tyrants, as well as foreign foes: And never forget, that it will always be easier to drive a hundred legions of foreign invaders into the ocean, than to dispossess one domestic tyrant, who has become firmly seated in power, with the sword and the purse-strings at his command, and a servile majority to obey his nod.""

Quote by Solomon Southwick on domestic vs foreign tyrants