8130. STATE RIGHTS, General welfare.—
This Assembly [of Virginia] does disavow
and declare to be most false and unfounded,
the doctrine that the compact, in authorizing
its Federal branch to lay and collect
taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the
debts and provide for the common defence
and general welfare of the United States, has
given them thereby a power to do whatever
they may think, or pretend, would promote
the general welfare, which construction would
make that, of itself, a complete government,
without limitation of powers; but that the
plain sense and obvious meaning were, that
they might levy the taxes necessary to provide
for the general welfare, by the various acts of
power therein specified and delegated to them,
and by no others.—
Virginia Protest. Washington ed. ix, 497.
Ford ed., x, 350.
(1825)
See General Welfare Clause.
