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• A militia when properly formed are in fact the people themselves... and include all men capable of bearing arms. . . To preserve liberty it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms... The mind that aims at a select militia, must be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle.
  • Richard Henry Lee, Additional Letters From The Federal Farmer, 1788, at 169

• No free government was ever founded, or ever preserved its liberty, without uniting the characters of the citizen and soldier in those destined for the defense of the state...such area well-regulated militia, composed of the freeholders, citizen and husbandman, who take up arms to preserve their property, as individuals, and their rights as freemen.
  • Richard Henry Lee, State Gazette (Charleston), September 8, 1788

• To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them...
  • Richard Henry Lee, 1788, Additional Letters From The Federal Farmer 53, 1788

Attributed

• To say that a bad government must be established for fear of anarchy is really saying that we should kill ourselves for fear of dying.

• The constitution ought to secure a genuine militia and guard against a select militia... all regulations tending to render this general militia useless and defenseless, by establishing select corps of militia, or distinct bodies of military men, not having permanent interests and attachments to the community ought to be avoided.