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I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people except for a few public officials.

George Mason

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George Mason
Age: 66 †
Born: 1725
Born: December 11
Died: 1792
Died: October 7
Lawyer
Politician
Slaveholder
Statesman
Fairfax
Virginia
George Mason IV
Whole
Libertarian
People
Tyranny
Gun
Firearms
Except
Militia
Arms
Libertarianism
Liberty
Amendments
Public
Founding
Asks
Officials

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I determined to spend the Remainder of my Days in privacy and Retirement with my Children, from whose Society alone I cou'd expect Comfort.
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The question then will be, whether a consolidated government can preserve the freedom and secure the rights of the people.
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All men are by nature born equally free and independent.
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The poor despise labor when performed by slaves.
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All men are created equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity among which are the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing the obtaining of happiness and safety.
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I charge [my sons] never to let the motives of private interest or ambition to influence them to betray, nor the terrors of poverty and disgrace, or the fear of danger or of death deter them from asserting the liberty of their country, and endeavoring to transmit to their posterity those sacred rights to which themselves were born
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To disarm the people... was the best and most effectual way to enslave them.
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Slavery discourages arts and manufactures.
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I give and bequeath my soul to Almighty God that gave it me, hoping that through the meritorious death and passion of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ to receive absolution and remission for all my sins.
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Slavery discourages arts and manufacturing ...[and] every master of slaves is born a petty tyrant.
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I ask you sir, who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people.
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We came equals into this world, and equals shall we go out of it.
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If I can only live to see the American union firmly fixed, and free governments well established in our western world, and can leave to my children but a crust of bread and liberty, I shall die satisfied.
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A few years' experience will convince us that those things which at the time they happened we regarded as our greatest misfortunes have proved our greatest blessings.
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