When the second amendment was penned, people owned flintlocks.

[jmg257]

136. They were worried about Indians, Spanish, British, Slave insurrections, rebellions, riots, smugglers

Inter-state wars, &c &c...These guys had plenty to consider.

"execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions" covers a lot of concerns.
"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence."


Madison to Jefferson on A bill of Rights...

"Should a Rebellion or insurrection alarm the people as well as the Government, and a suspension of the Hab. Corp. be dictated by the alarm, no written prohibitions on earth would prevent the measure. Should an army in time of peace be gradually established in our neighbourhood by Britn: or Spain, declarations on paper would have as little effect in preventing a standing force for the public safety. The best security agst. these evils is to remove the pretext for them"


Virginia Ratifying Convention, LOTS of militia discussion.

Madison again

Give me leave to say, that the only possible way to provide against standing armies is to make them unnecessary.
The way to do this is to organize and discipline our militia, so as to render them capable of defending the country against external invasions and internal insurrections.

the laws of every country ought to be executed

The militia ought to be called forth to suppress smugglers.

"I conceive that we are peculiarly interested in giving the general government as extensive means as possible to protect us. If there be a particular discrimination between places in America, the Southern States are, from their situation and circumstances, most interested in giving the national government the power of protecting its members.

This clause speaks of a particular state. It means that it shall be protected from invasion by other states.


Henry:

If there should happen an insurrection of slaves, the country cannot be said to be invaded. They cannot, therefore, suppress it without the interposition of Congress

Nicholas

Another worthy member says there is no power in the states to quell an insurrection of slaves. Have they it now? If they have, does the Constitution take it away?