"... 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..."
- Richard H. Lee, Additional Letters from the Federal Farmer 53, 1788
"That the people have a Right to mass and to bear arms; that a well
regulated militia composed of the Body of the people, trained to arms, is the
proper natural and safe defense of a free State..."
"Gaurd with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who
approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright
force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined.... O sir, we should
have fine times, indeed, if to punish tyrants, it were only sufficient to
assemble the people!"
"The militia, who are in fact the effective part of the people at large,
will render many troops quite unecessary. They will form a powerful check
upon the regular troops, and will generally be sufficient to over-awe
them"
- Tench Coxe, An American Citizen IV, October 21, 1787
"And that the said 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 peacable
citizens, from keeping their own arms; or to raise standing armies, unless
necessary for the defense of the United States, or of some one or more of
them; or to prevent teh people from petitioning, in a peacable and orderly
manner, the federal legislature, for a redress of grievances; or to
subject the people to unreasonable searches and seizures of their persons,
papers or possesions."
- Samuel Adams, Debates of the Massachusetts Convention of 1788