"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
Comment: The Preamble to the Constitution was written by Gov. Morris. It is important to note that the Preamble does not grant or limit power. The words "a more perfect Union” simply means a better and stronger one than had previously existed under the Articles of Confederation. In order to “establish justice,” the framers believed that it was important to establish an independent Supreme Court, a federal judiciary superior to the states, and prohibit certain state practices. The founders ended up giving Congress ultimate control over the militias and guaranteed to each state a republic form of government and protection against violence, which was to help “insure domestic Tranquility” and protect against rebellions and insurrections. The founders also expected that other wars would occur, so the Constitution needed to “Provide for the common defense” of the United States. At the time of our founding fathers, “Welfare” meant: well-doing or well-being in any respect; the enjoyment of health and the common blessings of life; exemption from any evil or calamity; prosperity; happiness. And by definition “general” means all, entire, or total, not just a few or a part of the people. As a result, “promote the general Welfare” is actually a limitation of power, more so than a grant of power, because the powers granted by the Constitution were meant to promote the happiness and well-being of all the peoples of the United States, not just a few. Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it is the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place. Liberty is defined as: the state of a free person; exemption from subjection to the will of another claiming ownership of the person or services; freedom; -- opposed to slavery, serfdom, bondage, or subjection. To that end, the Constitution makes possible the establishment of a government of laws to secure the “Blessing of Liberty.”
Primary Source - The Heritage Guide to the Constitution.
