"nor would this system deprive any citizen of the right to bear arms"

[Pg. 218]
"...In the very organization of our republic, the militia seems to have been a component part of the system, and one, without which the other parts could not long hold together. A people who would be self-governed must be self-defended. The armed yeomanry of the republic are those into whose hands the protection and defence of the people's rights can be most safely intrusted, as they are indeed the people themselves, whose liberties are to be protected. But it is not only necessary that our citizen soldiers should be armed, but in some degree disciplined, for an armed multitude without discipline, must always be more terrible to itself than to its enemies...."
[Pg. 219]
"...Should an objection be raised, that by curtailing the number of the militia in the way proposed, would be an infringement of the constitution, which declares that "the freemen of this commonwealth shall be armed and disciplined for its defence," and should this be so construed as to require that every militia man should be armed and disciplined, your committee would reply, that this provision has never been complied with in that sense; for by every law that has been passed for the regulation of the militia, certain classes of our citizens have been exempted in addition to those exempted by acts of congress, and in some other states this exemption is carried to a much greater extent, so as to embrace fire companies and those engaged in iron and manufactories; nor would this system deprive any citizen of the right to bear arms."

- [REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE MILITIA SYSTEM, April, 1832. HAZARD'S REGISTER OF PENNSYLVANIA DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF FACTS AND DOCUMENTS, AND EVERY OTHER KIND OF USEFUL INFORMATION RESPECTING THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. EDITED BY SAMUEL HAZARD. VOL. IX.--JANUARY TO JULY, 1832. PHILADELPHIA. WM. F. GEDDES, PRINTER, 9 LIBRARY ST.]