Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SECOND
Fiedor Report On the News #267 ^ | 4-6-02 | Doug Fiedor

Posted on 04/06/2002 9:45:57 AM PST by forest

Back on Oct. 11, 1798 John Adams admonished: "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."

As he wrote in The Federalist No. 45, James Madison envisioned little or no role for the federal government in law enforcement because the federal government was to be one of very limited and defined powers:

"The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce. . . . The powers reserved to the several states will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and property of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the state."

President Thomas Jefferson got it right, too: "Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms [of government] those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."

Now let's fast forward into the Constitutional "Twilight Zone" of a very few years ago:

At a March 1, 1993 press conference in Piscataway, NJ the lying stain-maker we had for a president said: "The United States can't be so fixed [ed note: "fixated" in some reports] on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans . . . that we forget about reality."

That was a real hint we were in big trouble. But, few heard that quote until later, when on August 12, 1993, Clinton said: "If the personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution inhibit the government's ability to govern the people, we should look to limit those guarantees."

Then came an obnoxious -- and quite unsuccessful -- law called the Omnibus Counterterrorism Act. About that Constitutional aberration, Bill Clinton said on the 60 Minutes television show: "We still will have the freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of movement, but we may have to have more discipline in doing it. . ."

We finally got rid of Clinton, but the same problems are still pervasive. The new "Patriot Bill" and later the "Campaign Finance" bill quickly come to mind. While these new unconstitutional laws are on our radar screen, the many regulatory agencies are busily writing all sorts of new regulations -- each of which usurps yet another of our unalienable rights.

Patriot and legal scholar St. George Tucker warned: "In America we may reasonably hope that the people will never cease to regard the right of keeping and bearing arms as the surest pledge of their liberty."

In his famous annotated edition of Blackstone's Commentaries -- our nation's first law book -- Tucker writes: "Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction."

In 1790, St. George Tucker began work on the treatise, published in 1803, which became the greatest law book in America. Tucker's project was to create an American edition of Blackstone's Commentaries on the Law.

After independence from the British was won, St. George Tucker became one of the most distinguished Virginia lawyers; he taught law at William and Mary from 1790 until 1804. Then was appointed by Madison as a judge of Virginia's High Court of Appeals. Tucker was also the leading abolitionist in Virginia, calling an end to slavery his "dearest wish."

Later, in 1833, in his "Commentaries on the Constitution," Joseph Story, agreed with Tucker: "The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them."

We have a Second Amendment that clearly states that, "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." But, we also have over 20,000 gun laws in America.

Welcome to the post-Constitutional United States.  

 END


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism
KEYWORDS: armsforfreedom; banglist; campaignfinance; clintondestroyed; federalist45; limitedgovt; moralgovt; nogunsnofreedom; omnibusctact; patriotbill; powerequalstyranny; stgeorgetucker
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.

As he wrote in The Federalist No. 45, James Madison envisioned little or no role for the federal government in law enforcement because the federal government was to be one of very limited and defined powers.

President Thomas Jefferson got it right, too: "Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms [of government] those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." Seems Congressmen Ron Paul and Bob Barr said the same thing recently.

Clinton said: "If the personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution inhibit the government's ability to govern the people, we should look to limit those guarantees." Wow!

Clinton said: "We still will have the freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of movement, but we may have to have more discipline in doing it. . ." Double Wow!!

Patriot and legal scholar St. George Tucker warned: "In America we may reasonably hope that the people will never cease to regard the right of keeping and bearing arms as the surest pledge of their liberty."

Welcome to the post-Constitutional United States.  

1 posted on 04/06/2002 9:45:57 AM PST by forest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: forest
In my series, a nightmare terror scenario during all out war is turned into what the 2nd amendment is all about.

Here's how that fictional President handles it, as discussed by his Attorney General on a Sunday morning talk show:

Latest Excerpt from Dragon's Fury, Volume II - Sunday Morning Talk and the 2nd Amendment

I pray we don't have to go through such horrific circumstances to awaken, but history indicates otherwise.

FRegards.

2 posted on 04/06/2002 9:56:02 AM PST by Jeff Head
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: forest
bump
2nd Amendment Rights:
Attacks on American Muslims Reaffirm Wisdom of 2nd Amendment

Gun Owners of America

Women Against Gun Control


The Firearms Coalition NEAL KNOX


3 posted on 04/06/2002 9:59:09 AM PST by luvzhottea
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Head
Thanks for your reply, Jeff. Freepers, I have the highest regard for Jeff Head's writings and suggest you go to his article linked in his reply and read it. I was amused at one of his characters, the senior Senator from California, Senator Deanne Finestone. 8<)
4 posted on 04/06/2002 10:25:56 AM PST by forest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Head
Good Stuff!!

I want the books. . . .

5 posted on 04/06/2002 10:30:19 AM PST by Doug Fiedor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Doug Fiedor
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.

Bears repeating especially for those Libertarians who wish to have us tolerate those in our society who are Immoral like homosexuals, prostitutes, Abortionists, ET.AL.

6 posted on 04/06/2002 10:40:13 AM PST by Khepera
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: *Bang_list
2nd Amendment Bump.
7 posted on 04/06/2002 11:43:46 AM PST by Ancesthntr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Doug Fiedor
You can get the printed version of Volume I through Amazon right now. Here's the link:

Dragon's Fury Vol. I - Breath of Fire on Amazon

Volume II will be released in late Mat and probably be up on Amazon in early June sometime.

Regards. You'll have FRemail.

8 posted on 04/06/2002 8:15:45 PM PST by Jeff Head
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Khepera; forester; Doug Fiedor
Here's that whole quote ... and a couple of more ...
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."- John Adams, Oct. 11, 1798 Address

"Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private virtue, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics." John Adams

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure if we have removed their only firm basis: a conviction in the minds of men that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever."- Thomas Jefferson

"We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."- James Madison

"A general dissolution of the principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy.... While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.... If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security." - Samuel Adams

"Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles." Patrick Henry

"[N]either the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen onto any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man." Samuel Adams

Regards.

9 posted on 04/06/2002 8:28:11 PM PST by Jeff Head
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Head
I see the biggest threat to our country being those who have no morality influencing our government to bestow upon them the same rights as the rest of us.
10 posted on 04/07/2002 8:50:42 AM PDT by Khepera
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Khepera
This Libertarian accepts the truth of the statement as self-evident. At the same time, I would attempt to persuade you that any laws that would attempt to enforce that truism would create far more problems than it would solve.
11 posted on 04/07/2002 3:17:17 PM PDT by Maelstrom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Maelstrom
Be ready the war is about to begin.
12 posted on 04/07/2002 3:46:40 PM PDT by Khepera
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson