The legacy of the past: The Nullification CrisisDefinition of NULLIFICATION

1: the act of nullifying : the state of being nullified

2: the action of a state impeding or attempting to prevent the operation and enforcement within its territory of a law of the United States

The nullification crisis took place in 1832-33, it was a confrontation between South Carolina and President Jackson stemming back to the Tariff Act of 1828. When a new Tariff Act was introduced the South Carolina Legislature voted to nullify the Act and threatened to secede from the Union if the Tariff was imposed. Nullification was seen by many, including Southerners who believed passionately in states’ rights, to be associated with treason and disunion. Calhoun (vice-President 1825-1832) of South Carolina who was key in the Nullification Crisis. He claimed that nullification would actually prevent disunion. Calhoun believed that by allowing states to opt out of laws that were not in their interests, they would be more likely to stay within the Union. So laws would not become a source of argument

between states or sections as those who did not like the laws could opt out. South Carolina (and Calhoun) hoped to provide leadership for the South and that the other Southern states would rally behind their stance on the tariffs and a states right to nullify a law. This hope was not fulfilled. The rest of the South at this stage showed a degree of mistrust of South Carolina’s efforts at sectional leadership. South Carolina would however, many years later, successfully manage to unite the South against the Federal Government.

The reaction to the South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification which was enacted into law on November 24, 1832 was swift and strong. President Jackson issued a proclamation on nullification:‘I consider, then, the power to annul a law of the United States, assumed by one state, incompatible with the existence of the Union, contradicted expressly by the letter of the Constitution, unauthorized by its spirit, inconsistent with every principle on which it was founded, and destructive of the great object for which it was formed.’

For the full speech see http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=011/llsl011.db&recNum=816

President issued The Force Act which authorized the use of military force to prevent any avoidance of the Tariff by South Carolina.

For the full details seehttp://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=004/llsl004.db&recNum=679Tensions ran high and for a time it appeared that military conflict between the federal government and South Carolina was a real possibility. Henry Clay however intervened and worked out a compromise with Calhoun that led to the lowering of tariffs over the next decade and ‘The Compromise Tariff Act’ of 1833 was accepted by South Carolina. Conflict was therefore avoided without an embarrassing loss of face from either side.

For full details of the Compromise Tariff Act see:

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=004/llsl004.db&recNum=676

Tasks:

1) Research Calhoun and produce a detailed biography for him, this could take the form of a Fakebook account (http://www.classtools.net/FB/home-page).

2) Do the same for Henry Clay and President Jackson3) Research the role of South Carolina in the movement towards Civil War.4) South Carolina state building was still flying the Confederate Flag in 2015, watch the

following report about why this was so controversial http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-33250738

Extension:

Find further details on Nullification at https://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/nullification-crisis-/

Further Sources to look at

Jackson's Famous Motto Where it was Uttered.Published: August 11, 1862To the Editor of the New-York Times: In correcting the error of Tammany Hall and R.J. WALKER, in their quotations of Gen. JACKSON's famous toast, you have fallen into a more material error, by saying that it was given "at a patriotic entertainment in Washington." That entertainment was the reverse of patriotic. It was prepared for the express purpose of inaugurating the treasonable doctrine of nullification. It was given on the 13th of April, 1830, the birthday of THOMAS JEFFERSON, by conspirators against the Union, led by JOHN C. CALHOUN, the American Cataline. It was given on that day to fix the paternity of the doctrine (and not unjustly, it must be admitted,) on Mr. JEFFERSON, in order to give it character. ANDREW JACKSON and three of his Cabinet Ministers, (VAN BUREN, EATON and BRANCH,) were present at that feast prepared by traitors. The President and his friends were fully informed of the object of that dinner; and his patriotic toast, correctly printed by you, was given for the purpose of rebuking CALHOUN and his fellow conspirators.

CALHOUN was then Vice-President of the United States. His toast followed that of JACKSON. It was: "The Union -- next to our Liberty the most dear; may we all remember that it can only be preserved by respecting the rights of the States, and distributing equally the benefit and burden of the Union." In that toast CALHOUN, with master adroitness, presented the issue between his faction and the Government, namely: "Liberty before Union -- supreme State sovereignty -- false complaint of inequality of benefits and burdens in the Union -- 'our rights, as we choose to define them, or disunion.'"

The Pictoral Book of Anecdotes and Incidents of the War of the Rebellion..., by Frazer Kirland, Hartford Publishing Co., Hartford, Conn., 1867

Andrew Jackson's Famous Union Toast2

    On the 13th of April, 1830, there was a remarkable  dinner party in Washington at which men including Calhoun intended to push the idea of nullification and gain some support from the President. They failed to do so and what follows is a contemporary report of President Jackson’s reaction.          The President was of course first called upon for a toast. His tall

form rose majestically, and with that sternness appropriate to the occasion, he cast that appalling bomb-shell of words into the camp of conspirators, which will forever be a theme for the commendation of

the patriot and the historian—"THE FEDERAL UNION: IT MUST BE PRESERVED!" He was followed by the Vice President, who gave as his sentiment—" The Union: next to our Liberty the most dear: may we all remember that it can only be preserved by respecting the rights of the States, and distributing equally the benefit and burden of the Union!" Those who before doubted the intentions of Calhoun and his South Carolina friends, and were at a loss to understand the exact meaning of the dinner party to which they were invited, were no longer embarrassed by ignorance. In that toast was presented the issue—liberty before Union—supreme State sovereignty —false complaints of inequality of benefits and burdens—our rights as we choose to define them, or disunion.    From that hour the vigilant old President watched the South Carolina conspirator, his lieutenant, with the searching eyes of unslumbering suspicion.