From: ghm@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au (Geoff Miller)
Subject: Re: Militia's and the right to keep and bear arms
Organization: Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, Australia
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 04:18:08 GMT

cescript@mtu.edu (Charles Scripter) writes:

>In article <81382@bcsaic.boeing.com>, rwojcik@atc.boeing.com
>(Richard Wojcik,snake) writes:

>> Produce the evidence, if you believe it exists.  I examined the OED on
>> the usage of "regulated" and found that the modern usage predates the
>> 2nd amendment.  For example, there is a reference to "well-regulated
>> courts" in 1712.  
>> 
>> The word "regulated" is defined as "Governed by rule, properly controlled
>> or directed, adjusted to some standard, etc."  A 1697 reference has "Those
>> regulated Societies, which are now conspicuous among us for many good works."
>> A 1766 passage on surveying:  "Then may you measure all the whole chains
>> by your regulated chain."  A 1790 reference from Adam Smith:  When those
>> companies...are obliged to admit any person, properly qualified...they
>> are called regulated companies."

So by the middle 1700's, let us say, the verb "to regulate" had a number
of related meanings.  Now, what if Hamilton and other writers selected
this phrase because a _combination_ of its meanings made it 
appropriate....

>FEDERALIST No. 29
>Concerning the Militia

> .... If a well-regulated
> militia be the most natural defense of a free country, it ought
> certainly to be under the regulation and at the disposal of that
>                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ <why 2 clauses?>
> body which is constituted the guardian of the national security....

The two clauses cover setting the standards for the militia (regulation)
and calling it up and saying where it is to be used (disposal).  However,
this usage also implies that being "under the regulation" is only a
_part_ of what characterises the "well-regulated militia".

> To oblige the great body of the yeomanry, and of the other classes
> of the citizens, to be under arms for the purpose of going through
> military exercises and evolutions, as often as might be necessary to
> acquire the degree of perfection which would entitle them to the
> character of a well-regulated militia, would be a real grievance to
> the people, and a serious public inconvenience and loss. [...]

Two meanings of "regulate" are "adapt to requirements and "adjust
(machine, clock) so that it may work accurately".  The Oxford
English dictionary gives a reference to the horological use of
"well-regulated" in 1812, and "regulator" as a standard clock by
which others are "regulated" dates back to the mid-1700s. 

In the context of this sentence, which talks about "going through
military exercises" to achieve a high "degree of perfection", the
words "well-regulated" can be taken to mean that the militia (the
"military machine", if you will) works smoothly, effectively and
accurately  -  in fact, like clockwork. 

I'd suggest that "well-regulated", as used by Hamilton and in the 
context of the 2nd amendment, means more than "well-controlled"
and more than "well-trained".  Perhaps the closest I can come would
be "well fitted to its purpose", with an implication of conforming
to some standard.

Interestingly, the OED contains a reference to "regulated  -  of
troops, properly disciplined", which is obsolete and rare, dataing
from 1690.  The early usage of "well-regulated" as a distinct
phrase is non-military.

>.... Of course, this is irrelevant, since this clause places
>no restriction on the second clause.

True.

Geoff Miller (g-miller@adfa.oz.au)  |   Don't steal.  The government
Computer Centre                     |   hates competition.
Australian Defence Force Academy    |   (via Jeff Cooper)
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