a few quotes just because I am ornery

[ilbob]

but every State shall always keep up a well-regulated and disciplined militia, sufficiently armed and accoutered, and shall provide and constantly have ready for use, in public stores, a due number of filed pieces and tents, and a proper quantity of arms, ammunition and camp equipage.

What the articles of confederation say about the militia, before the constitution the militia was state run and the guns were kept in public stores, contrary to some opinions. although there is some room to quibble as it does not declare no one can have their own militia.

The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; a well armed and well regulated militia being the best security of a free country; but no person religiously scrupulous of bearing arms shall be compelled to render military service in person.

What james madison proposed, that eventually became the 2A. can you imagine what the antis would say if this was the version that actually passed?

 

[RoadkingLarry]

In the first quote it mentions a "field piece", I suspect that means artillary pieces and not general individual arms such as muskets and rifles.

 

[shield20]

Virgina 1785 (after the Articles)

Every officer and soldier shall appear at his respective muster-field on the day appointed, by eleven o'clock in the forenoon, armed, equipped, and accoutred, as follows: ...every non-commissioned officer and private with a good, clean musket carrying an ounce ball, and three feet eight inches long in the barrel, with a good bayonet and iron ramrod well fitted thereto, a cartridge box properly made, to contain and secure twenty cartridges fitted to his musket, a good knapsack and canteen, and moreover, each non-commissioned officer and private shall have at every muster one pound of good powder, and four pounds of lead, including twenty blind cartridges...
That the militia of the counties westward of the Blue Ridge, and the counties below adjoining thereto, shall not be obliged to be armed with muskets, but may have good rifles with proper accoutrements...

And every of the said officers, non commissioned officersand privates, shall constantly keep the aforesaid arms, accoutrements, and ammunition, ready to be produced whenever called for by his commanding officer

If any private shall make it appear to the satisfaction of the court hereafter to be appointed for trying delinquencies under this act that he is so poor that he cannot purchase the arms herein required, such court shall cause them to be purchased out of the money arising from delinquents....

The arms so purchased, shall by the commanding officer of the county, be delivered to the captain of the company to which such poor private may belong, who shall deliver such arms to the private, but they shall continue the property of the county;

Overwhelmingly, the people provided AND KEPT their own arms. This was further enforced and protected with the adoption of the Constitution.

 

[El Tejon]

The militia is not state run under the Constitution. A "select militia" was a great fear of many of the Framers.

 

[hugh damright]

"What reasonable cause of apprehension can be inferred from a power in the Union to prescribe regulations for the militia and to command its services when necessary, while the particular States are to have the sole and exclusive apportionment of the officers? If it were possible seriously to indulge a jealousy of the militia upon any conceivable establishment under the federal government, the circumstance of the officers being in the appointment of the States ought at once to extinguish it. There can be no doubt that this circumstance will always secure to them a preponderating influence over the militia." - Federalist Paper #29

 

[NAK]

Tench Coxe said:

"Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American. ... The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people."