And, by the way, the link to "Our Ageless Constitution," the 292-page book on the principles of the Constitution, from which Dr. Berns' essay comes, did not work. Sorry! It is here
"On every question of construction carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed." --Thomas Jefferson to William Johnson, 1823. ME 15:449
"Strained constructions... loosen all the bands of the Constitution." --Thomas Jefferson to George Ticknor, 1817. FE 10:81
"One single object... [will merit] the endless gratitude of society: that of restraining the judges from usurping legislation."
All Jefferson was saying is to interpet the constitution simply...but that still requires some interpretation.