It seems that today, our own politicians fail to understand that the federal government is constitutionally limited by its enumerated powers, and instead are only constrained by their perception of social needs. President Thomas Jefferson understood the social needs, but he also understood the role of the federal government as defined in the constitution.
In his sixth annual address to Congress, Thomas Jefferson mused about what to do with a federal surplus. Not something we can even dream about today, but in 1806 the department of Treasury had collected enough receipts to pay $2.7M of the Louisiana purchase, $3M towards principal of the federal debt, and $4M of interest. Even with the short term taxes to pay for the Barbary wars ending, there was still the prospect of accumulating more monies in the treasury than the government needed at present. Even, if the federal government wished to fully pay off the public debt, they could not do so without express approval from public creditors. So Jefferson gave his opinion what to do with the revenue, and it amounts to a huge request of additional federal powers. Sometimes it's hard to appreciate what our first few presidents say because of the words and poetry that they used in their speech. So here is my attempt at translating Jefferson's words into modern day American speech.
[begin paraphrase]
Since paying off the federal debt is out of the question, what do we do with the surplus revenue in the meantime.? And what do we do with the surplus after the entire public debt is paid off. If we reduce tariffs on imports, it would hurt our American manufacturers. Sure, lower prices on some commodity items is desired, but overall most of the items on which tariffs are paid are foreign luxuries purchased only by those wealthy enough to afford them. Surely, the rich would understand that the patriotic thing to do is to continue paying high taxes especially if the funds are used for public education, roads, rivers, canals and other public improvement projects. It is not the will of the people that stops us from spending, but rather the Constitution. The constitution does not enumerate powers for the federal government to take on such projects. But since, such improvements would benefit those across state lines, I think it would be best to find a way to enumerate such powers. By working together as a country, the lines of separation between the states will disappear and the union can be cemented into new and "indissoluble ties". At the top of my list would be public education, and in my opinion, the federal government must have the primary responsibility for education. This does not mean that we should eliminate the role of private enterprise, for we all know that private enterprise can do a much better job at managing education, but only a public institution alone can supply those sciences which are rarely called for and yet are necessary to complete a well rounded education system. Without public education, many of the skills that are needed to preserve and improve our society would never be taught.
Therefore, I present to you for consideration an amendment to the Constitution that would enumerate new federal powers allowing the federal government to use tax dollars to provide for public education, roads, rivers, canals and other public improvements. Further more, I ask you to consider creating "national establishment for education". Perhaps Congress, may want to consider a donation of public lands to the establishment. Congress already has the power to create such an endowment, and the sooner it is done, the sooner it will begin producing income needed for public education. Such an endowment would have the added benefit of being insulated from the needs of war which tend to re-appropriate funds.
[end paraphrase]
Jefferson wanted additional powers. He understood the social needs, and wanted the government to be able to help, but he would not act without the constitutional authority. Unfortunately, today it seems that our presidents and Congress so often act without constitutional authority. Perhaps, one day they should read the constitution as the comic depicts. Here are Jefferson's actual words that he used in 1806. I hope my paraphrasing, helped shed light on what Jefferson was proposing.
"When both of these branches of revenue shall in this way be relinquished there will still ere long be an accumulation of moneys in the Treasury beyond the installments of public debt which we are permitted by contract to pay. They can not then, without a modification assented to by the public creditors, be applied to the extinguishment of this debt and the complete liberation of our revenues, the most desirable of all objects. Nor, if our peace continues, will they be wanting for any other existing purpose. The question therefore now comes forward, To what other objects shall these surpluses be appropriated, and the whole surplus of impost, after the entire discharge of the public debt, and during those intervals when the purposes of war shall not call for them? Shall we suppress the impost and give that advantage to foreign over domestic manufactures? On a few articles of more general and necessary use the suppression in due season will doubtless be right, but the great mass of the articles on which impost is paid are foreign luxuries, purchased by those only who are rich enough to afford themselves the use of them.http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29448
Their patriotism would certainly prefer its continuance and application to the great purposes of the public education, roads, rivers, canals, and such other objects of public improvement as it may be thought proper to add to the constitutional enumeration of Federal powers. By these operations new channels of communications will be opened between the States, the lines of separation will disappear, their interests will be identified, and their union cemented by new and indissoluble ties. Education is here placed among the articles of public care, not that it would be proposed to take its ordinary branches out of the hands of private enterprise, which manages so much better all the concerns to which it is equal, but a public institution can alone supply those sciences which though rarely called for are yet necessary to complete the circle, all the parts of which contribute to the improvement of the country and some of them to its preservation.
The subject is now proposed for the consideration of Congress, because if approved by the time the State legislatures shall have deliberated on this extension of the Federal trusts, and the laws shall be passed and other arrangements made for their execution, the necessary funds will be on hand and without employment.
I suppose an amendment to the Constitution, by consent of the States, necessary, because the objects now recommended are not among those enumerated in the Constitution, and to which it permits the public moneys to be applied.
The present consideration of a national establishment for education particularly is rendered proper by this circumstance also, that if Congress, approving the proposition, shall yet think it more eligible to found it on a donation of lands, they have it now in their power to endow it with those which will be among the earliest to produce the necessary income. This foundation would have the advantage of being independent of war, which may suspend other improvements by requiring for its own purposes the resources destined for them."
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