Quotes - Page 5

""By the eighteenth century, the right to possess arms, both for personal protection and as a counterbalance against state power, had come to be viewed as one of the fundamental rights of Englishmen on both sides of the Atlantic. Sir William Blackstone, whose Commentaries on the Laws of England greatly influenced American legal thought both before the Revolution and well into the nineteenth century, listed the right to possess arms as one of the five auxiliary rights of English subjects without which their primary rights could not be maintained: 'The fifth and last auxiliary right of the subject, that I shall at present mention, is that of having arms for their defence, suitable to their condition and degree and such as are allowed by law. Which is also declared by the same statute... and is indeed a public allowance, under due restrictions, of the natural right of resistance and self-preservation, when the sanctions of society and laws are found insufficient to restrain the violence of oppression.'""

Quote by Sir William Blackstone on auxiliary rights

""Conceived it to be the privilege of every citizen, and one of his most essential rights, to bear arms, and to resist every attack upon his liberty or property, by whomsoever made. The particular States, like private citizens, have a right to be armed, and to defend by force of arms, their rights, when invaded.""

Quote by Roger Sherman on citizen and state rights

""Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed.""

Quote by House Debate #2: Individual Arms on quote

""The right [to bear arms] is general. It may be supposed from the phraseology of this provision that the right to keep and bear arms was only guaranteed to the militia; but this would be an interpretation not warranted by the intent. The militia, as has been explained elsewhere, consists of those persons who, under the laws, are liable to the performance of military duty, and are officered and enrolled for service when called upon.... [I]f the right were limited to those enrolled, the purpose of the guarantee might be defeated altogether by the action or the neglect to act of the government it was meant to hold in check. The meaning of the provision undoubtedly is, that the people, from whom the militia must be taken, shall have the right to keep and bear arms, and they need no permission or regulation of law for the purpose.""

Quote by Thomas M. Cooley on individual right interpretation

""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.""

Quote by Senate Discussion: Constitutional Language on quote

""Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: First, a right to life; secondly to liberty; thirdly to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can.""

Quote by Samuel Adams on natural rights

""THE SAFETY OF THESE STATES AND EVERYTHING DEAR TO A FREE PEOPLE MUST DEPEND IN AN EMINENT DEGREE ON THE MILITIA...THIS ARRANGEMENT SHOULD BE FORMED, TOO, IN TIME OF PEACE, TO BE THE BETTER PREPARED FOR WAR.""

Quote by James Madison on militia safety

""What, sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty... Whenever governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins.""

Quote by House Debate #1: Militia Interpretation on quote

""THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES POSSESSES NO POWER TO REGULATE, OR INTERFERE WITH THE DOMESTIC CONCERNS, OR POLICE OF ANY STATE: IT BELONGS NOT TO THEM TO ESTABLISH ANY RULES RESPECTING THE RIGHTS OF PROPERTY; NOR WILL THE CONSTITUTION PERMIT ANY PROHIBITION OF ARMS TO THE PEOPLE; OR OF PEACEABLE ASSEMBLIES BY THEM, FOR ANY PURPOSES WHATSOEVER, AND IN ANY NUMBER, WHENEVER THEY MAY SEE OCCASION.""

Quote by 1803 Blackstone's Commentaries on quote

""That the said Constitution shall never be 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...""

Quote by Samuel Adams on peaceable citizens

""THERE IS NOTHING SO LIKELY TO PRODUCE PEACE AS TO BE WELL PREPARED TO MEET AN ENEMY.""

Quote by George Washington on peace through preparedness

""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