Strict v Loose Interpretation of The Constitution Thomas Jefferson believed in a strict interpretation of the Constitution while Alexander Hamilton believed in a loose interpretation of the Constitution. Jefferson believed that they should follow the Constitution word for word and not change a single thing. When it came to the national bank, he believed in a strict interpretation, as well. But he believed in a loose interpretation of the Louisiana Purchase. Alexander Hamilton believed in a loose construction of the Constitution, and also the national bank. He thought that the government could do whatever they wanted if the Constitution did not directly forbid it. Jefferson and Hamilton both had a really loose interpretation of the Louisiana …show more content…
But that is what Hamilton thought that is what was necessary. Jefferson and Hamilton never got along with anything. With both of them being from different parties they were always getting into political arguments over what the government should do with national banks and with how the constitution should be interpreted.
With the national banks Hamilton wanted a national bank and Jefferson did not want one. Jefferson argued against the bank. There was nothing given to the national government in the Constitution, and he kept thinking that all powers not specifically given to the central government were given to the states. So Jefferson believed that only the states had the power to fund banks. Jefferson believed that the Constitution should be interpreted literally. Which is where the strict constitutional interpretation idea comes from. Hamilton believed that what the Constitution did not forbid it. It did not say that the national bank was completely against the Constitution. Jefferson was convinced that the tenth amendment stated that they had no right do so. The faction federalists, who would soon become the political party, Federalists, believed in loose construction/ the "elastic clause."
Hamilton's argument convinced Washington, who signed the bank into Law