3882. INCORPORATION, General welfare clause and.—
We are here[Philadelphia]
engaged in improving our Constitution
by construction, so as to make it what the
[federal] majority think it should have been.
The Senate received yesterday a bill from
the Representatives incorporating a company
for Roosevelt's copper mines in Jersey. This
is under the sweeping clause of the Constitution,
and supported by the following pedigree
of necessities: Congress are authorized to defend
the country; ships are necessary for that
defence; copper is necessary for ships; mines
are necessary to produce copper; companies
are necessary to work mines; and “this is
the house that Jack built”.—
To Robert R. Livingston.
Ford ed., vii, 445.
(Pa.,
April. 1800)
