--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No clause in the Constitution could by…" description: "\"No clause in the Constitution could by any rule of construction be conceived to give to congress a power to disarm the people.\" — William Rawle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/william-rawle-63652_2-amendment_no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-a_2206371.png" --- # No clause in the Constitution could by any rule of… ![“No clause in the Constitution could by any rule of construction be conceived to give to congress a power to disarm the people.” quote by William Rawle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/william-rawle-63652_2-amendment_no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-a_2206371.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/william-rawle-63652_2-amendment_no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-a_2206371.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/william-rawle-63652_2-amendment_no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-a_2206371.png) > “No clause in the Constitution could by any rule of construction be conceived to give to congress a power to disarm the people.” [William Rawle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rawle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Constitution does not grant Congress authority to disarm citizens, according to this interpretation. **In simple terms:** Congress cannot legally disarm people. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of governmental power. Themes law government rights Mood cautious analytical Type legal historical When to use this quote - political discourse - legal analysis - public policy Key Concepts constitutional interpretation civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - How should modern threats affect constitutional reading? - Can safety justify expanding authority? A Different Perspective Some argue broader powers are implied for public safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [2 amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/2-amendment/) [Amending the constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amending-the-constitution/) [Amendment 1](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment-1/) [Amendments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendments/) [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Bearing arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bearing-arms/) [Clause Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clause-constitution-289316/) [Clauses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clauses/) [Conceived Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceived-congress-4868278/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Congress Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress-power-314889/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Constitution Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution-rule-2363644/) [Construction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/construction/) [Disarm People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disarm-people-439571/) [Disarming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disarming/) [Founding fathers gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founding-fathers-gun/) [Founding fathers second amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founding-fathers-second-amendment/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) [Gun rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-rights/) [Patriotic gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotic-gun/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Right to bear arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-to-bear-arms/) [Second amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-amendment/) ## Related quotes > [The prohibition is general. 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I thought, 'no Madame, the hands that rock… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-heston/one-of-the-million-mom-marchers-said-the-hands-that-rock-the-cradle/) [Charlton Heston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-heston/) > [I have the privilege of serving others by defending the Constitution and the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketanji-brown-jackson/i-have-the-privilege-of-serving-others-by-defending-the-constitution/) [Ketanji Brown Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ketanji-brown-jackson/) > [I said my vote will always be based on the Constitution and the rule of law, absent pressure from any party, politics or any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-said-my-vote-will-always-be-based-on-the-constitution-and-the-rule/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [My loyalty is to the Constitution and the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/my-loyalty-is-to-the-constitution-and-the-rule-of-law/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [The affiliation clause in our Constitution is a privilege: a courtesy to a sympathetic body. Were you not a Mason, or Co-Mason, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/the-affiliation-clause-in-our-constitution-is-a-privilege-a-courtesy/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [Knowing constitutional law helps one at the opera. The trial in 'Billy Budd,' as example, invokes the fugitive slave clause of the U.S. Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-decrow/knowing-constitutional-law-helps-one-at-the-opera-the-trial-in-billy/) [Karen DeCrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-decrow/) > [The emoluments clause is in the Constitution for a reason: We, as Americans, need to know that the president acts in our best interests,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-tlaib/the-emoluments-clause-is-in-the-constitution-for-a-reason-we-as/) [Rashida Tlaib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-tlaib/) > [Of the six men who have done most to make America the wonder and the joy she is to all of us, not one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chadwick/of-the-six-men-who-have-done-most-to-make-america-the-wonder-and-the/) [John Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chadwick/) > [For the past two centuries, those who do not prize freedom have chipped away at every major clause of our Constitution until today we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/for-the-past-two-centuries-those-who-do-not-prize-freedom-have/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Every president since George Washington has respected this clause in the Constitution. We want to avoid that Constitutional potential crisis. And the way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/every-president-since-george-washington-has-respected-this-clause-in/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [ What is to be the consequence, in case the Congress shall misconstrue this part \[the necessary and proper clause\] of the Constitution and exercise… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/what-is-to-be-the-consequence-in-case-the-congress-shall-misconstrue/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Some of the conflict of interest laws do apply to the president, particularly The Emoluments Clause to "The Constitution," which prohibits any type of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/some-of-the-conflict-of-interest-laws-do-apply-to-the-president/) [Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/) ## More by William Rawle > [The most innocent man, pressed by the awful solemnities of public accusation and trial, many be incapable of supporting his own cause. He may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rawle/the-most-innocent-man-pressed-by-the-awful-solemnities-of-public/) [William Rawle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rawle/) > [Therefore every person born within the United States, its territories or districts, whether the parents are citizens or aliens, is a natural born citizen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rawle/therefore-every-person-born-within-the-united-states-its-territories/) [William Rawle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rawle/) > [The prohibition is general. No clause in the Constitution could by any rule of construction be conceived to give to Congress a power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rawle/the-prohibition-is-general-no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-any/) [William Rawle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rawle/) > [It depends on the state itself to retain or abolish the principle of representation, because it depends on itself whether it will continue a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rawle/it-depends-on-the-state-itself-to-retain-or-abolish-the-principle-of/) [William Rawle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rawle/) [Explore all 5 William Rawle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rawle/) ## More 2 amendment quotes > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize,... The people are confirmed by the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tench-coxe/as-civil-rulers-not-having-their-duty-to-the-people-duly-before-them/) [Tench Coxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tench-coxe/) > [What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-can-preserve-its-liberties-if-its-rulers-are-not-warned/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A sword by itself does not slay; it is merely the weapon used by the slayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-sword-by-itself-does-not-slay-it-is-merely-the-weapon-used-by-the/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [For an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-an-unarmed-man-may-be-attacked-with-greater-confidence-than-an/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [When they come for your guns, give them the ammo first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-w-royce/when-they-come-for-your-guns-give-them-the-ammo-first/) [Kenneth W. Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-w-royce/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The balance of power is the scale of peace. The same balance would be preserved were all the world not destitute of arms, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-balance-of-power-is-the-scale-of-peace-the-same-balance-would-be/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Can it be supposed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-beccaria/the-laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Cesare Beccaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-beccaria/) > [If gun laws in fact worked, the sponsors of this type of legislation should have no difficulty drawing upon long lists of examples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/if-gun-laws-in-fact-worked-the-sponsors-of-this-type-of-legislation/) [Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/) > [A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/a-well-regulated-militia-being-necessary-to-the-security-of-a-free/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [To disarm the people... was the best and most effectual way to enslave them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/to-disarm-the-people-was-the-best-and-most-effectual-way-to-enslave/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion... in private self-defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/arms-in-the-hands-of-citizens-may-be-used-at-individual-discretion-in/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [That the said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press or the rights of conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/that-the-said-constitution-shall-never-be-construed-to-authorize/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Little more can reasonably be aimed at with respect to the people at large than to have them properly armed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/little-more-can-reasonably-be-aimed-at-with-respect-to-the-people-at/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) [Browse all 64 2 amendment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/2-amendment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No clause in the Constitution could by any rule of construction be conceived to give to congress a power to disarm the people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Rawle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rawle/no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-any-rule-of-construction-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "2 amendment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rawle/no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-any-rule-of-construction-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/william-rawle-63652_2-amendment_no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-a_2206371.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/william-rawle-63652_2-amendment_no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-a_2206371.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfa/william-rawle-63652_2-amendment_no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-a_2206371.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No clause in the Constitution could by any rule of construction be conceived to give to congress a power to…” — William Rawle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Rawle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rawle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No clause in the Constitution could...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rawle/no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-any-rule-of-construction-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rawle/no-clause-in-the-constitution-could-by-any-rule-of-construction-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```