Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom? Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright 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." -- Tench Coxe, 1788.
Well, see? This is where I'm confused.
If the second amendment protected everyone's right to own a gun, then why say, "Congress shall have no power to disarm the militia". Not everyone was in the militia or even allowed to be part of the militia.