Founding Father Friday #3

I'll turn the spotlight on one of our lesser known Founding Fathers this week: Tench Coxe. He was originally a part of the colonial Pennsylvania militia, but he felt revolution was an unwise course of action. When the Declaration of Independence was written, he actually joined the British Army, citing a loyalty to his country. However, he quickly realized the error of his ways, and rejoined the Americans. He was one of the delegates to the Continental Congress that drafted the Constitution, of which he was a outspoken supporter. He also advocated strongly for the right to bear arms. He is now buried in Christ Church Cemetary in Philadelphia, alongside Benjamin Franklin, Commodores Truxton and Bainbridge, and Dr. Benjamin Rush.

The selection for Founding Father Friday #3 comes from one editorial he wrote, discussing the definition of "militia," its role, and their right to wield weapons (emphasis mine):

"The power of the sword, say the minority..., is in the hands of Congress. My friends and countrymen, it is not so, for THE POWERS OF THE SWORD ARE IN THE HANDS OF THE YEOMANRY OF AMERICA FROM SIXTEEN TO SIXTY. The militia of these free commonwealths, entitled and accustomed to their arms, when compared with any possible army, must be tremendous and irresistible. Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom? Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American. What clause in the state or federal constitution hath given away that important right? The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people."

- Tench Coxe, Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788

It has been estimated that a country can usually support a military 1% the size of the population of the country. The United States today could therefore have a military size of 3 million or so. (Currently, it is somewhere around 1.5 million). Imagine, however, if every capable person in the country possessed a weapon (a pipe dream, I know, but indulge me)? It would be somewhere in the vicinity of 200 million or more - an unassailable force, that neither an invading army, nor a corrupt American dictator (God forbid) would be able to overcome.

During World War II, Admiral Yamamoto told Prime Minister Tojo, "You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass." Let us hope we haven't strayed too far from that reputation.


UPDATE: In the past, I've gotten flak (no pun intended) from people who say that, as Christians, we shouldn't have weapons, but those people ignore the fact that Jesus instructed his followers to carry a weapon, and to sell the shirt off their back if they had to, in order to get one:

Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."
- Luke 22:36

Wallet, backpack and weapon. Not quite the "turn the other cheek" Jesus you imagined, huh?

(previous: Founding Father Friday #2)