“Shall Not Be Infringed”
That is an easy one, like natural born citizen. The word “infringe” is not defined in the Constitution, neither is “arms” nor “freedom of speech”, etc. See how easy it all is?
Those terms,words, were defined in blood by my ancestors who fought at Bunker Hill, Saratoga and other battles. Just talk to the families of the descendants of the Soldiers of the American Revolution. We have had guns, swords, knives CANNONs etc since 1644 in our family. We are a living history of knowledge of what to infringe, to bear ARMs, free speech etc mean. A lot of the soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War and also in the War of 1812 wrote their memoirs, They knew what it all meant. Also, most of the state constitutions pre-1789 having within them right-to-bear arms clauses also state explicity what it means. we ain `t dummoes up here but we are armed to the teeth with evey kind of weapon [=arm] for hundreds of years. Viz:,
“On the 23d of June 1775 Gen Bayley prepared
an address to the Northern Indians which is here given
in full Newbury Coos June 23 1775.The present war is only
between the King and a part of the Lords and America.
The Lords say all Americans shall become slaves or servants
to them shall plow no more than they say eat nor drink nor war
nor hunt but only by their leave shall not kill deer moose
beaver or any other thing but by their consent.
Americans say they will and that the King by the Lords
advice has sent redcoats to kill us if we will not be
subject to what they say. And we have THIRTY THOUSAND
MEN WITH GUNS GREAT AND SMALL [my caps] to fight in our
defense we only want to live as we have lived here to fore.
We do not want to fight if they would let us alone.”
-p73, “History of Newbury, Vermont: From the Discovery of the Coös Country to ...” edited by Frederic Palmer Well
Maine Constitution 1820
`Keep and bear arms Section 16. To keep and bear arms.
Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms and this right
shall never be questioned.”
To bear arms:
Actually it means more than that:
1887 Webster`s Dictionary:
to bear, bear v.t., 1. to support and move; or carry 2. To be equipped, furnished, or marked with; to have as belonging, distinguishing, identifying, or characterizing; as to bear a sword, an inscription,, a title, a good reputation or an evil look, 7. To be directed; to be pointed; as, to plant guns to
bear upon a trench
++++
p.180. “he right of conscience in relation to BEARING ARMS is a scared right. It is equally sacred with the right to self-defence.
But what is meant of our militia? Why, when he spoke of them, he meant American citizens, accustomed to the use of arms; not in the camp or in the field, but American citizens accustomed to use THEIR ARMS, and to all that manual dexterity which could only be gained by long practice; not field maneouvering and marching, but a perfect knowledge of the rifle and the musket.
Such a use of the rifle that you could take the eye out of a squirrel on the highest tree.
This was in all, and beyond this there was no necessity to go in this country. In this the soldiers of our country had a superiority of those of any other. Ask the British officers who were engaged in the last war whether there was no superiority in our troops in this respect.
WEll, was this to be learned at military musters? .....But when it is necessary, the American citizen is always ready to BEAR ARMS without this militia training. how was it before in the last war in this State? [War of 1812] Were their any militia trainings to make the citizens of Pennsylvania prepared for service?
Not At all-they were ready to meet the enemy in the east and in the west. How was it in Tennessee before the Battle of New Orleans. Did the men who fought that battle perform militia service to prepare them for it?
No sir- it was known that they did not. Were the militia of Bunker Hill, prepared for the events of that day of glory by previous trainings as militia? No sir.
“p183 p.79
“He thought, too, that we ought not to prohibit aliens who had made this their adopted country, from BEARING ARMS in its defence in time of WAR.
WEARING ARMS< BEARING ARMS
Volunteers#War of 1812
“Governor Synder, 1815- Our militia and Governor Synder, 1815- Our militia and volunteers were actually engage with the enemy..”p99 ...if we destroyed the militia system, we did not indeed take away the right of the people to bear arms, but we destroyed the inclination, the habit of WEARING ARMS; and such was not his [Gov. Snyder]sentiment as to what ought to be the condition of things in a country like ours. He believed that not only right, but the habit of WEARING ARMS was essential to freemen, and to the preservation of the liberty of freemen.
This was the principle inserted into the Constitution of the United States; and if we did away with this, the effect would be to destroy the principle and the feeling altogether.” .100 p.105.
The terms of the Constitution he need not refer to; and the amendment now under discussion was simply an AFFIRMANCE OF A POWER,-THAT THE RIGHT OF A PEOPLE TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. Who fought the Battles, of Lexington,Bunker Hill and Saratoga?
...Who saved Baltimore? ... Who obtained the victory at New Orleans?
These militia, trained and disciplined in their own houses; not practised in the field, but BRINGING THEIR GUNS WHICH THEY WERE TAUGHT TO USE WHEN CHILDREN..”.111
viz [all above from p.168 are sourced from �Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Vol. 4, by the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention, 1837-8
nuf said- study more -One might actually learn something
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