I read a book called "Let Every Man Be Armed" on the second, it's common law tradition, and it's interpretation in the courts, and came across one of the best defenses for our interpretation. It's a quote from a man named Tench Coxe, and is part of a paper "Remarks on the First Part of the Amendments to the Federal Constitution" and it was published during the ratification period:
"As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, many attempt to tyrannize, and as the military forces which must occasionally raised to defend our country, might pervert their power to the injury of their fellow-citizens, the people are confirmed by the next article in their right to keep and bear their private arms."
What's even better about this is, he sent a copy of the article to James Madison (who wrote the Second Amendment), and Madison replied by saying the ratification of the amendments "will however be greatly favored by explanatory strictures of a healing tendency, and is therefore already indebted to the co-operation of your pen."
"As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, many attempt to tyrannize, and as the military forces which must occasionally raised to defend our country, might pervert their power to the injury of their fellow-citizens, the people are confirmed by the next article in their right to keep and bear their private arms."
What's even better about this is, he sent a copy of the article to James Madison (who wrote the Second Amendment), and Madison replied by saying the ratification of the amendments "will however be greatly favored by explanatory strictures of a healing tendency, and is therefore already indebted to the co-operation of your pen."