|
|
======================================================
>I was trying to find out when or where Thomas Jefferson said or wrote >this. I've had people tell me that he didn't say it, it was someone >else. Can you help? > >No free man shall ever be de-barred the use of arms. The strongest >reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as >a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government. Jefferson defintely DID write the first sentence. It is a part of his draft of the Virginia State Constitution. "No freeman shall be debarred the use of arms (within his own lands or tenements)." --Thomas Jefferson: Draft Virginia Constitution (with his note added), 1776. Papers, 1:353. The second sentence is, in my opinion, perfectly consonant with Jefferson's philosophy and literary style, but I have never been able to find it in his writings. Having just completed reading the complete 20 vol. set of the Memorial Edition of his writings, I can attest that it is not in that collection. The Memorial Edition does not contain everything he wrote, however, so it may be in some other of his writings. I have seen this entire quote (both sentences) cited as being a part of the draft for the Va. Constitution and found in the Papers (Boyd, ed.) vol. 1, but I have searched for it there and the second sentence is not in vol. 1, although the FIRST sentence is, of course. I have never been able to authenticate the second sentence, and for that reason, I do not include it on my Jefferson Quotes site. If you are able to locate it in an authoritative collection of Jefferson's writings, together with the date and the name of the document, I would appreciate your letting me know. I doubt if you will ever find it, however. What makes the quote so intriguing is that it SOUNDS like Jefferson, unlike so many other spurious "Jefferson" quotes that are an offense to his eloquence and style. Best wishes, Eyler Coates
Some of these questionable quotes are really intriguing. There is one, for example: "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." --Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 (C.J.Boyd, Ed., 1950) This has been driving me nuts for months, because it is 100% TJ style and content, but I cannot locate it in his writings. The page reference is to Vol. 1 of the papers, but it is not on that page. It is often linked with the quote from his draft of the Virginia Constitution, "No freeman shall be denied the right to bear arms," but it is not a part of that document. Nevertheless, I am convinced that it was written by TJ, and would be shocked if I were proved wrong. I would like to locate a genuine reference, because I would like to add it to my website. I dare not, however, without some kind of verification.