"...The first question is answered at once by recurring to the absolute necessity of the case; to the great principle of SELF-PRESERVATION;
to the TRANSCENDENT law of nature and of nature's God, which declares that the safety and happiness of society are the objects at which all political institutions aim, and to which ALL such institutions MUST be SACRIFICED....."
"...THE RIGHTS of humanity MUST in ALL cases be duly and mutually respected...."
- James Madison, The Federalist No. 43, Jan. 23, 1788.
http://gunshowonthenet.com/FederalistPapers/FedNo43.html"The Defence of one’s self, justly called the Primary Law of Nature, is NOT, NOR can it be abrogated by ANY regulation of municipal law. This principle of defence is NOT confined merely to the person; it EXTENDS to the liberty and the property of a man: it is NOT confined merely to his own person; it EXTENDS to the persons of ALL those, to whom he bears a peculiar relation -- of his wife, of his parent, of his child, of his master, of his servant: NAY, it EXTENDS to the person of EVERY ONE; who is in danger; perhaps, to the liberty of EVERY ONE, whose liberty is unjustly and forcibly attacked. It becomes humanity as well as justice."
- James Wilson, 'Of the Natural Rights of Individuals', 1790-1792 (Signed the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution, Congressman, Delegate to the Constitutional Convention and U.S. Supreme Court Justice).
http://gunshowonthenet.com/2ALEGAL/OftheNaturalRights.html“The law of nature is IMMUTABLE; not by the effect of an arbitrary disposition, but because it has its foundation in the nature, constitution, and mutual relations of men and things. While these continue to be the same, it must continue to be the same also. This IMMUTABILITY of nature's laws has nothing in it repugnant to the supreme power of an all-perfect Being. Since he himself is the AUTHOR of our constitution; he cannot but command or forbid such things as are necessarily agreeable or disagreeable to this very constitution. He is under the glorious necessity of not contradicting himself. This necessity, far from limiting or diminishing his perfections, adds to their external character, and points out their excellency..."
“...This law, or right reason, as Cicero calls it, is thus beautifully described by that eloquent philosopher. "It is, indeed," says he, "a true law, conformable to nature, diffused among ALL men, UNCHANGEABLE, ETERNAL. . . . It requires NO interpreter or commentator. It is NOT one law at Rome, another at Athens; one law now, another hereafter: it is the SAME ETERNAL and IMMUTABLE law, given at ALL times and to ALL nations: for God, who is its author and promulgator, is always the sole master and sovereign of mankind."
- James Wilson,[The Works of the Honourable James Wilson, L.L.D.; Chap. III Of the Law of Nature].
http://gunshowonthenet.com/BOOKS/TheWorksWilson/WorksWilsonV1P1.html"The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall NOT be infringed, and this without ANY qualification as to their condition or degree, as is the case in the British government...."
"....This may be considered as the TRUE palladium of liberty....The Right of Self-Defense is the First Law of Nature; in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Whenever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under ANY color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction."
"...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..."
- St. George Tucker, U.S. District Court Judge, Blackstone's Commentaries, (1803).
http://gunshowonthenet.com/BOOKS/BlackCommTucker/CommTuckerV1Index.html
