Andrews v. State, 50 Tenn. 165 (1871), struck down a statute banning open carrying of handguns, on the grounds that the state right to bear arms provision protected such carrying. But in State v. Wilburn, 66 Tenn. 57 (1872), the court upheld a similar statute because it had exactly one exception-for army pistols carried "openly in the hand." That seems like a remarkable result, given how impractical it is to carry a handgun openly in one's hands for any length of time. But it's so remarkable that it makes me wonder whether I'm missing some possible idiomatic meaning of "openly in the hand" (or for that matter some important change in Tennessee Supreme Court personnel from 1871 to 1872). Thanks,
Eugene
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