Summary: The Tariff Of Abominations

The Federal government placed outrageous taxes and tariffs on imported and exported goods, which effected the Southern agricultural states to a much greater extent than their Northern industrial counterparts. The Federal government also included a property tax on slave labor. Somehow over almost one hundred years of debate in the United States as to how to classify and count the enslaved population, the Federal government still felt that even though slavery was immoral they had better tax those sinful slaveholders. How dare they reap the benefits of free labor while not shouldering the heavy burden of excess taxes? James Madison had some very strong words at the 1829-30 Virginia convention when he speaking, “He not only refused to accept the power of a nonslaveholding majority to decide how to tax his “species of property,” but he also revealed his resentment of the idea that he should pay higher taxes because some northerner claimed to have cleaner

The legislature authorized the raising of an army and gave them money to supply them with weapons. President Jackson began military preparations of his own. He said he would have 50,000 men ready to move in a little over a month. Congress supported Jackson and passed a Force Bill in early 1833 that authorized Jackson to use soldiers to enforce the tariff measures. He did however want to end the crisis peacefully. Jackson suggested to congress that they lower the tariff further. Jackson thought that nullification could only lead to the destruction of the Union. Calhoun tried to control the crisis. He decided to resign as vice president and was appointed to replace Hayne in the Senate. His goal was to look for a peaceful solution. At this point Jackson basically was willing to do anything to preserve the Union. He claimed he could raise 200,000 men if needed to stop resistance. He said, “Union Men, fear not, the Union will be preserved.” Jackson’s determination quieted the South Carolina radicals. They appealed to Southern States for support but did not get any. They all rejected the idea of nullification. Ten days before the deadline, South Carolina postponed nullification, while awaiting the

In 1828, Congress passed a protective tariff that made the southern states extremely angry, because they felt it only benefited the northern states. Calhoun argued the federal government only existed for the will of the states, so if a state found a federal law unconstitutional and did not support it, the states have the right to "nullify" that law within its borders. This is similar to the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions because they stated that the Alien and Sedation acts were unconstitutional. It argued that the states had the right to declare unconstitutional acts. Also, both of these were written anonymously at the time by vice presidents, Calhoun and Jefferson.

The Nullification Crisis of November 1832 was triggered by a disagreement among South Carolina and The United States. The dispute derived from the Tariff of 1828, which was created during John Quincy Adams presidency, which designed to protect the industries in the northern United States, however the tariff was unfavorable among southern states and parts of New England because it did not benefit their economy. In 1832 a new tariff was created by Andrew Jackson’s administration to lower the previous Tariff of 1828, however South Carolina disapproved of this, because of this they decided to nullify the tariff. John Calhoun of South Carolina, and vice president to Jackson also believed in the nullification of the tariffs. Jackson expressed to

John Calhoun started off his career in politics as a supporter of a strong national government and protective tariffs. He became Jackson’s vice president in 1828, and supported Jackson in nationalism and the American system. However, a bitter feud between Jackson and Calhoun emerged. As Secretary of War back in 1818 for President Monroe, Calhoun wanted to punish Jackson for the incursion into Florida that he lead, and Calhoun had every right too; Jackson disobeyed the orders he was given! Jackson despised Calhoun because of that and Calhoun realized that he was slowly losing favor with Jackson. He had hopes of succeeding Jackson as president but Van Buren seemed to have a better chance of being the next successor.

The Tariff of Abominations signed and passed by President John Adams in 1828. The purpose of the tariff was so that the foreign goods that were being imported were more expensive than the products from American goods. This would then protect the American manufactures from the foreign competition. The northern states supported the tax, but the southern states were the opposite. The southern states were reliant on the exports of cotton and tobacco to Europe and because of the Tariff of Abominations it resulted in very high taxes for these exports on the southern states. The south’s cost of living went up because of this and hurt their economy. Later on the south took action and led to the nullification crisis.

During the late 1820s, John C. Calhoun believed that the tariff of 1816 was responsible for the decline of the South Carolina economy. Calhoun believed that if he developed the Theory of Nullification people in his home state would view him differently. The Theory of Nullification is the idea that states (unions) have the rights to void any law that is created by the government that is seen unconstitutional. States are the foundation of the Union, so they have the power to refuse any unconstitutional laws, and really states usually have the final say. What really caused the Nullification Crisis were many series of Protective Tariffs. Protective Tariffs are taxes placed on imported goods that are from foreign countries and their duty is to raise the price of foreign goods, making them less attractive to consumers protecting them from foreign competition such as; The Tariff of 1816 that placed a 20-25 percent tax on foreign goods, The Tariff of 1824 which placed a 35 percent duty tax on imported iron, wool, hemp, and cotton, finally the Tariff of 1828 which is also known as the Tariff of Abominations it was the third protective tariff and increased taxes to almost 50 percent.

During the late 1820s, John C. Calhoun believed that the tariff of 1816 was responsible for the decline of the South Carolina economy. Calhoun believed that if he developed the Theory of Nullification people in his home state would view him differently. The Theory of Nullification is the idea that states (unions) have the rights to void any law that is created by the government that is seen unconstitutional. States are the foundation of the Union, so they have the power to refuse any unconstitutional laws, and really states usually have the final say. What really caused the Nullification Crisis were many series of Protective Tariffs. Protective Tariffs are taxes placed on imported goods that are from foreign countries and their duty is to raise the price of foreign goods, making them less attractive to consumers protecting them from foreign competition such as; The Tariff of 1816 that placed a 20-25 percent tax on foreign goods, The Tariff of 1824 which placed a 35 percent duty on imported iron, wool, hemp, and cotton, finally the Tariff of 1828 which is also known as the Tariff of Abominations it was the third protective tariff and increased taxes to almost 50 percent.

Tariffs plagued the president also many times, but the most remembered were the “Tariff of Abominations” in 1828, and the tariff of 1832. South Carolina passed an Ordinance of Nullification, and upset Jackson tremendously. They stated that those tariffs were null and void to South Carolina, and it would be unlawful to collect for duties. They also had the nerve to warn the

Jackson began his proclamation by outlining the reasons and reservations that led South Carolina to pass the ordinance. The major concerns for the Southerners were the tariffs. “ I, Andrew Jackson, President of the United States, have thought proper to issue this my PROCLAMATION, stating my views of the Constitution and laws applicable to the measures adopted by the Convention of South Carolina”

The Tariff of 1828 raised taxes and the Southerners did not like this at all. South Carolina threatened to leave the union if the taxes were not lowered. Calhoun wanted to nullify the taxes in South Carolina, but Jackson threatened to bring military forces to South Carolina to solve the problem.

The Nullification Crisis of 1832 is one of the crises that would eventually lead to the Civil War. Following the suffering of an economic downturn throughout the 1820s, the United States government passed several new tariffs. When the Tariff of 1828 was passed by the Congress of the United States on May 19, 1828, it sparked the debate over states’ rights and highlighted the growing sectional difference between the South and the North in America.

Jackson’s response to the S.C. doctrine was explained with the creation of his Nullification Proclamation, on December 10,1832. He declared his vigorous intent to reinforce the law and was willing to seek an agreement that would eventually lower the unsatisfactory tariffs. In 1833 congress passed a comprise bill which would set a new tariff. When this new deal was accepted by all other

Before Jackson’s presidency, the Missouri Compromise was passed in 1820 in an effort to create a balance between the slave states and free states. This was significant because many southerners wanted to expand slavery while northerners wanted to abolish slavery. While northerners argued that Congress should be allowed to prohibit slavery, southerners insisted on “popular sovereignty”, the idea that states should be able to determine whether or not slavery should be allowed in their state(history.com). As a result, during Jackson’s presidency, more white men began to work and as the number of states entering the union increased, laws excluding African American men from voting increased under Jackson’s reign. This shows how racial segregation increases under Jackson’s reign. African Americans were given no civils rights and equality. Because of this, there was an Abolitionist Crusade in which William Lloyd Garrison forms an Anti-Slavery Society in the 1830s. The majority of the Anti-Slavery Society is made up from democrats who protested the denial of political and civil rights to slaves. Freed and runaway slaves such as Frederick Douglass gave many speeches and wrote Narrative of the

One of the main supporters for the nullification of the tariff was Jackson’s Vice President, John C. Calhoun, who was from the South. Calhoun saw the tariff as unconstitutional and wanted it nullified. Now Jackson’s had even more to mend since his own Vice President was disagreeing with him.