James Madison
In 1794, when Congress appropriated $15,000 to assist some French refugees, James Madison, the acknowledged father of our Constitution, stood on the floor of the House to object, saying:
“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” He later added, “(T)he government of the United States is a definite government, confined to specified objects. It is not like the state governments, whose powers are more general. Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government.”
Filed under: Constitution, Economy, Founding Fathers, Government, History, Worldview Tagged: | Congress, Federal government of the United States, Government, House, James Madison, United States, United States Congress, United States Constitution
