On every question of construction, let us carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed.
~ Thomas Jefferson
John 12:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."
17 December 2011
Quote of the Weekend
Here's an idea: when it comes to a debate on the meaning of the Constitution, let's take the word of a guy who quite probably knew what he was talking about ... you know, since he was THERE.
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2 comments:
Agreed.
But, a detail....
"...since he was THERE"
Actually, T. Jefferson was the Ambassador to France for the US under the Articles of Confederation, and was in France during May - September 1787 when the Constitution was debated and completed (but prior to ratification of course) at the Philadelphia Convention. Which is unfortunate, since the Constitution that was crafted at the Philadelphia Convention would likely have been even better had Jefferson been there.
Anonymous - you are correct, of course. I was not as clear as I could have been, and meant "he was there" in the sense that he was a contemporary and friend of those who attended the Convention.
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