> The Constitution expressly authorized Congress to grant letters of marque… the government commissioned privateers...
So Congress had a certain level of... control? Over guns?
So Congress had a certain level of... control? Over guns?
I do find it interesting that the only laws I can find limiting the arming of private vessels were with respect to arming them and then sending them off to fight in foreign wars.[1]
[1] Neutrality Act of 1794, §§3–4, 1 Stat. 381, 383
(With a few strictly controlled exceptions; https://www.skiutah.com/blog/authors/lexi/last-gunners-the-c...)