Patrick Henry Past Quotations

First, the Constitution ought to secure a genuine and guard against a select militia, by providing that the militia shall always be kept well organized, armed, and disciplined, and include, according to the past and general usage of the states, all men capable of bearing arms; and that all regulations tending to render this general militia useless and defenseless, by establishing select corps of militia, or distinct bodies of military men, not having permanent interests and attachments in the community to be avoided.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the pasty. Let us not, I beseech you, deceive ourselves longer. We have done everything that could he done to avert the storm, which is now coming on. If we wish to be free we must fight, I repeat, we must fight.

I know of no way of judging the future but by the past.