"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." | by: | Elbridge Gerry
(1744-1814) of Massachusetts, Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Member of the Constitutional Convention |
Source: | spoken during floor debate over the Second Amendment, I Annals of Congress at 750, August 17, 1789 |
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