There was a great debate in congress, just after the civil war, on 2nd amendment rights. States were violating the rights of freed slaves to own arms. This resulted in the ratification of the 14th.
Here is the definitive article on that amendment. There is a lot of good info from the congressional arguments on both gun rights and about the need to control 'states rights'.
Intent of the Fourteenth Amendment was to Protect All Rights
Address:
http://www.constitution.org/col/intent_14th.htm Changed:9:48 PM on Friday, May 10, 2002