I just read a quote,supposedly?, by Thomas Jefferson. If it is actually his words I think it answers the question as to what the framers really ment.
“No man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms, is as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”
His words or not?
Check out this site:
http://www.guncite.com/gc2ndbog.html
It seems pretty believable, and makes the following claim:
More Bogus Quotes
The following quotes from Thomas Jefferson and James Madison are likewise fictional. The quotes are not to be found in their speeches, personal correspondence, or diaries. Nor have the quotes ever been cited in law journals by Second Amendment legal scholars.
The strongest reason for people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
--- Falsely attributed to Thomas Jefferson.
Occasionally the Jefferson quote is given with the following citation: Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 (C.J.Boyd, Ed., 1950). The publication exists, but the quote does not. The editor’s correct name is Julian P. Boyd, not C.J. Boyd.
I searched the Thomas Jefferson Papers at the Library of Congress , and found the phrase “bear arms” in only 4 documents. None of these is anything like the quotation you gave.
thank you lucwarm and bibliophage