"...not only right, but the habit of wearing arms was essential to freemen..."

"If we destroyed that which had been done, we should destroy the volunteer system; because by taking away their arms, we destroy also the martial spirit which they were sure to engender. It was true, as had been said, that the States were so jealous of the preservation of this martial spirit, that after they had adopted the Constitution of the United States, as it now stood, they not satisfied until they had secured an amendment which provided "that the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." If we destroyed the militia system, we did not indeed take away of the right the people to bear arms, but we destroyed the inclination, the habit of wearing arms; and such was not his sentiment as to what ought to be condition of things in a country like ours. He believed that not only right, but the habit of wearing arms was essential to freemen, and to preservation of the liberty of freemen. This was the principle asserted the Constitution of the United States; and if we did away with this, the effect would be to destroy the principle and the feeling together."--Mr Scott, Oct. 23, 1837, PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE CONVENTION Or THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, To PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION, COMMENCED AT HARRISBURG MAY 2, 1837. VOL. IV. (Page 100)]