As for what was not available "back then", whatever it was, the government did not have them either. The words must be taken at fair value.

The whole deal is that The People have the right to defend themselves, from ANY agressor, government included.

I went through a battery of tests before I was accepted by the Royal Canadian Military College. I recall the very last question... "Do you not think that the military, on behalf of the government, could destroy the populace?" My relpy was, "Who would they govern?"