Through the provisions of the Constitution its framers clothed the machinery of the Government of the United States with all the powers then supposed to be necessary to enforce the sovereign will of all the people of all the States in their general and collective character of "We. the people of the United States." Turn to the eighth section of Article I of the Constitution. and it will be seen that Congress is invested and fully clothed with authority to exercise all the powers of sovereignty thought to be necessary to the existence of a great nation. Let me read. Here is what the Constitution says: Congress shall have power to ay and collect taxes. duties. imposts. and excises. to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States. to borrow money on the credit of the United States. to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several States and with the Indian tribes. to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States. to coin money. regulate the value thereof. and of foreign coin. and to fix the standard of weights and measures. to provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States. to establish. postoffices and postroads. to promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries. to constitute tribunals inferior to the Suprome Court. to define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas. and offenses against the law of nations. to declare war. grant letters of marque and reprisal. and to make rules concerning captures on land and water. to raise and support armies. * * * to provide and maintain a navy. to make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces. to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union. suppress insurrection. and repel invasion. to provide for organizing. arming. and disciplining the militia. and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States. I * * to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers. and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States or in any department or officer thereof. What a grand national structure is here built by the express declarations of the Constitution?
Keywords matched
naturalization