Quote:
Originally Posted by nailer
GW said otherwise:
“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 peaceable 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 the people from petitioning, in a peaceable 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 possessions.” – Debates of the Massachusetts Convention of February 6, 1788; Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1788 (Pierce & Hale, eds., Boston, 1850)
George Washington
https://www.thefederalistpapers.org/...cond-amendment |
Well, we have a standing army these days and have for a very long time. It's a rather large one, I believe. Also, armed insurrection can't reasonably be described as "petitioning, in a peaceable and orderly manner, the federal legislature, for a redress of grievances" so I don't see the relevance of this quote.