The Federalist: Founders' Daily Quote

Monday, January 10, 2005
"It is an established rule of construction, where a phrase will bear either of two meanings to give it that which will allow some meaning to the other parts of the instrument, and not that which will render all the others useless. Certainly no such universal power was meant to be given to them. It was intended to lace them up straitly with in the enumerated powers, and those without which, as means, these powers could not be carried into effect." --Thomas Jefferson

Okay, I understand that there is a language gap between then and now, but could someone please explain this to me? Is he saying there is nothing absolute? That certainly is not what they believed. Maybe it is because there were too many words used in the explaination. Either way, I do not understand it and would like to. Thank you to those whom are wiser than I that will help me.