Having celebrated Presidents Day this past week, I thought some quotes from the founders and others might be appropriate. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
“We may look up to armies for defense, but virtue is our best security. It is not possible that any state should long remain free, where virtue is not supremely honored.” Samuel Adams, Letter to Joseph Warren, 1775.
“The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.” James Madison
“With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, declare, that, exerting the utmost energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath graciously bestowed upon us, the arms we have compelled by our enemies to assume, we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverance employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live as slaves.” Thomas Jefferson
9“The foundation of our Empire was not laid in the gloomy age of Ignorance and Superstition, but at an Epocha when the rights of mankind were better understood and more clearly defined, than at any former period.” George Washington
“Don’t fire unless fired upon. But if they want a war let it begin here.” Captain John Parker, commander of the militiamen at Lexington, Massachusetts, on sighting British Troops.
“We established however some, although not all its [self-government] important principles. The constitutions of most of our States assert, that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves, in all cases to which they think themselves competent, (as in electing their functionaries executive and legislative, and deciding by a jury of themselves, in all judiciary cases in which any fact is involved,) or they may act by representatives, freely and equally chosen; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed.” Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Cartwright — 1824.
“The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full possession of them.” Zacharia Johnson, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention — 1788
“A well-regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.” James Madison
Finally a few words I find appropriate for our time.
“Scientists say they’re now several steps closer to being able to resurrect extinct species. Might want to start with the Founding Fathers, before it’s too late.” Fred Thompson
Be safe and good shooting.
Colonel Smoothbore
