Question for all you history buffs

[trooper]

My friend and fellow RKBA activist Lars Ditzel (who also happens to be a silent lurker on THR) came across the following two quotes by George Washington. Actually they seem to be two different variations of the same quote.

"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the people's liberty teeth keystone... The rifle and the pistol are equally
indispensable... more than 99% of them by their silence indicate that they
are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere
restrains evil interference. When firearms go, all goes, we need them every
hour." - President George Washington (Address to 1st session of Congress)

"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. . . From the hour the Pilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to ensure peace, sucurity, and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. . . The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference; they deserve a place of honor with all that's good. . . A free people ought to be armed."
- George Washington speech, Jan. 7, 1790, printed in the "Boston Independent
Chronicle", Jan. 14, 1790.

Do you know the exact source and where one could get the full text of the speech? I'd greatly appreciate your help.


Regards,

Trooper

 

[Dave Markowitz]

It's my understanding that the quote is actually a fabrication. See http://www.guncite.com/gc2ndbog.html.

 

[Jeff Thomas]

Frankly, it sounds like a fabrication. From all of my reading, the "99%" phrase wouldn't be consistent with the 18th century. Guns were a given back then, and thus that argument wouldn't be in context.

Gotta watch those bogus quotes. The bogus Hitler gun control quote always rankles me ... dislike those gun show fools who continue to peddle it.

Nice thing about respecting the RKBA is that we can successfully use honest history and logic to defend our positions. It is the anti-self defense wackos who are so depended upon BS.

Regards from TX

 

[El Tejon]

trooper, you cannot. He never said it.

Think about it. Why would Washington say anything like that to Congress? I believe Washington was not much of a public speaker as well, bad teeth and all. Believe most of his "speeches", e.g. his State of the Unions, were written letters to Congress.

Everyone had guns. They were like water or the air. Just around with no need to comment upon them. Indeed, people like Hamilton though a BoR to be mad as any overreaching government would face armed resistance.

 

[publius]

I'm wondering about this Washington quotation:

"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government."
-- George Washington

Is it live, or is it Memorex?

 

[WonderNine]

People just make that crap up and attribute it to whoever they want because most people don't check the factuality or accuracy of it.

 

[Mark Tyson]

I think that quote is apochryphal. Guns were just an accepted part of life back then.

http://www.saf.org/pub/rkba/general/BogusFounderQuotes.htm