There
was little support for a standing army. Patrick
Henry’s June 1788 speech argued forcefully it was not necessary, and was
dangerous to individual liberty. Since
the federal government was in charge of the militia under the Constitution,
maybe Madison was saying to the states do not limit or infringe on the right of
the people to bear arms, especially since it was in the interest of the national
government to be able to regulate how the militia would be armed and organized
once called into national service
Or maybe he wanted the states not to infringe on citizens' right to
bear arms to facilitate a nationally called up militia.