James Madison, a former Delegate, from the Commonwealth of Virginia, to the Constitutional Convention, using the penname “Publius,” publishes “Federalist #41,” explaining that the General Welfare Clause is not to be interpreted as a general grant of power, but rather as an introduction to those enumerated powers that follow.  In paragraph 25 he writes,

       Nothing is more natural or common than first to use a general phrase, and then to explain and qualify it by a recital of particulars. But the idea of an enumeration of particulars which [sic] neither explain nor qualify the general meaning, and can have no other effect than to confound and mislead, is an absurdity. …

       [added 12/7/2024]

Subsequent Events:

7/29/1788                   1/21/1792                   7/6/1935

Authority:

Articles of Confederation, Article XIII
ccc-2point0.com/Articles-of-Confederation/#afcXIII

References:

Robert A. Levy and William Mellor, The Dirty Dozen: How twelve Supreme Court cases radically expanded government and eroded freedom, (New York: Sentinel, 2008), 21.

Federalist No 41 – The Avalon Project
avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed41.asp

Federalist No. 41 – Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalist_No._41

 

 

 

 

Current U.s. National Debt:

$36,161,621,015,445

Source