Posted on 12/03/2007 6:42:18 AM PST by Loud Mime
Founder’s Quotes – Jefferson and Hamilton on Citizens Duty to be Armed
“The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves in all cases to which they think themselves competent, or they may act by representatives, freely and equally chosen; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of the press.”
Thomas Jefferson (letter to John Cartwright, 1824)
”If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no resource left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government, and which against the usurpations of the national rulers, may be exerted with infinitely better prospect of success than against those of the rulers of an individual state. In a single state, if the persons intrusted with supreme power become usurpers, the different parcels, subdivisions, or districts of which it consists, having no distinct government in each, can take no regular measures for defense. The citizens must rush tumultuously to arms, without concert, without system, without resource; except in their courage and despair. The usurpers, clothed with the forms of legal authority, can too often crush the opposition in embryo. The smaller the extent of the territory, the more difficult will it be for the people to form a regular or systematic plan of opposition, and the more easy will it be to defeat their early efforts. Intelligence can be more speedily obtained of their preparations and movements, and the military force in the possession of the usurpers can be more rapidly directed against the part where the opposition has begun. In this situation there must be a peculiar coincidence of circumstances to insure success to the popular resistance.
Federalist 28, Alexander Hamilton
“He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man. We must not conclude merely upon a man's haranguing upon liberty, and using the charming sound, that he is fit to be trusted with the liberties of his country. It is not unfrequent to hear men declaim loudly upon liberty, who, if we may judge by the whole tenor of their actions, mean nothing else by it but their own liberty, — to oppress without control or the restaint of laws all who are poorer or weaker than themselves. It is not, I say, unfrequent to see such instances, though at the same time I esteem it a justice due to my country to say that it is not without shining examples of the contrary kind; — examples of men of a distinguished attachment to this same liberty I have been describing; whom no hopes could draw, no terrors could drive, from steadily pursuing, in their sphere, the true interests of their country; whose fidelity has been tried in the nicest and tenderest manner, and has been ever firm and unshaken.
The sum of all is, if we would most truly enjoy this gift of Heaven, let us become a virtuous people.”
Samuel Adams Essay published in The Advertiser (1748) and later reprinted in The Life and Public Service of Samuel Adams, Volume 1, by William Vincent Wells; Little, Brown, and Company; Boston, 1865
“Nothing is more essential... than that all persons employed in places of power and trust must be men of unexceptionable character.”
Samuel Adams
“Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens.”
George Mason (speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 17 June 1788)
Lithuania ping?...........
Great quotes, Loud Mime - thanks!
"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 leftist gun grabbers (hi Rudy) like putting emphasis on where the commas are placed to make their (cough) argument that it's a 'collective' right.
Well okay, let's play that game, BUT, with some input from real Constitutional experts.
Case closed!
oops, almost forgot... You, yeah you 'public officers' - you have NO RIGHT to own a gun, hand em in pronto. You have till midnight to disarm!
Great stuff, Condor!
If the Supreme Court case affirms the person’s right to bear arms, watch for the liberals to “target” ammunition.
I really like that breakdown, Condor.
Outstanding! Thanks for posting.
sidebar: Back in the 80's I photographing for the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs (still do); the women's basketball team for the Soviet Union had a nice young lady from Lithuania. As I was the announcer for their games as well, I got permission from the "coaches" to sit with the team and find the proper pronunciation of their names. The Lithuanian player translated, with the "coaches" watching her every move.
After the team left for home, one of the medical staff gave me a bag with all sorts of souvenirs from Lithuania. I was told that the player liked me, but couldn't show it or give me anything while the authorities were near....which was always. She gave the things to me through the doctor.
Although I was touched by her act, I thought of how horrible communism was. I saw the East-West German border a few years earlier and thought that was horrible as well. But when I am reminded of Lithuania, I think of this story and smile.
Thanks!
I was apolitical but very self reliant at that time.
I asked when we were going to break for lunch and a person
said “We eat a big breakfast and do not stop for lunch
until we leave the college.
To me that was no big deal but at noon the next day, the
Dean gave me a guided tour of some class rooms and the
students were eating fried chicken.
Ya’ll are too, too funny!
...and that was the last time Jefferson and Hamilton agreed on *anything*.
Interesting? Yes. But also wildly biased and inaccurate.
“Hamiltonians considered the common people ignorant and incapable of self-government”?
This is from a school district outside San Francisco.
Also: Jeffersonians favored freedom of speech and press.
Like Hamilton didn’t?
It’s what teachers put in the heads of the children.
Gun control laws increase the power of government and the criminal element over the average citizen and serve no other purpose.
Robert E. Lee
A goverment that fears arms in the hands of it people should also fear ROPE!
Nathan Bedford Forrest about 1845
Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one.
Thomas Jefferson quoting Cesare Beccaria, Criminologist 1764.
I diagree with Lee’s end of his quote, as gun control promises are designed to capitalize on the stupidity of the masses as they march toward the slaughterhouses of tyranny.
Darn, I’m in a strange mood this evening!
“The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves in all cases to which they think themselves competent, or they may act by representatives, freely and equally chosen; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of the press.”
Thomas Jefferson (letter to John Cartwright, 1824)
:::::::
And let us not forget these most wise words, as the 2008 election approaches. We have those who would take away ALL POWER within the people to be replaced with totalitarian rule through socialism. They stand out -— we know who they are.
On this night I read Federalist 63 and 64. It has put me in a funk.
The writer pointed out that the people could be corrupted by the politicians. Interesting point.
Moreover, that once the Senate is corrupted, which can only happen within itself, the rest of government is at risk. As the attachment from the State Legislatures and the Senate has been severed for years, this corruption was imminent.
The necessary separation of powers is in grave danger of vaporizing. One party is now controlling matters in the legislative branch and severely limiting the powers and responsibilities of the executive. The judiciary will soon follow, setting the stage for one party rule and its resulting tyranny.
We’ve got to wake up these idiotic liberals before we descend into the hate-filled domain of socialism.
"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men."
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