Jacksonian Democracy

Jacksonian Democracy

A. The “New” Democracy • New effort among politicians to appeal to to the masses. • New Democracy based on universal manhood suffrage rather than property qualifications • Common man much more influential. • 1812-1821 – 6 new western states granted universal manhood suffrage. • 1810-1820 – 4 eastern states significantly reduced voting requirements. • Caused by Panic of 1819 • Western farmers resented eastern bankers and BUS • Push to get more involved in politics to affect change.

B. “The Corrupt Bargain” • 4 Candidates • Andrew Jackson (TN) • John Q. Adams (MA) • William Crawford (GA) • Henry Clay (KY) • Jackson popular vote winner, but no majority in E.C. (needed 131 to win. • House of Reps gets to decide • Picks from top 3 (Clay out but Speaker of the House) • Clay throws his weight behind Adams – Adams becomes President • Clay becomes Secretary of State. • “Wha wha what?” – A. Jackson • Dubbed the “corrupt bargain” by Jackson and his supporters.

C. The “Tariff of Abominations” (1828) • Biggest issue of Adams’ Presidency • Congress increased duty from 23% to 37% on dutiable goods. • Jackson supported tariff, • thought it would NOT pass and give Adams a political black eye. • Actually backfired, because it passed and he inherited it as President. • Webster supported it (reversal from 1816) because it would protect northern manufacturers. • South HATED it as they imported and exported A LOT (Europe passed retaliatory tariffs) • John C. Calhoun anonymously (he was VP) wrote the “South Carolina Exposition” • Denounced tariff as unjust and unconstitutional. • Said states should nullify it (similar to VA and KY Resolutions of 1798. • No states joined in SC’s protest.

D. Election of 1828 • Intense feud within the Democratic-Republican party. • National Republicans supported JQ Adams • Democratic Republicans supported Jackson. • Jackson defeats Adams 178-83 (E.C.) • First President from the west – seen as a great common man (although he owned 142 slaves) • Dubbed “the Revolution of 1828” • No sitting President had been voted out since J Adams in 1800. • Increased voter turnout • Balance of power shifting from East to West • America heretofore had been ruled by educated wealthy elites. • Inauguration found huge rowdy crowds in the White House.

E. “Old Hickory” • 6’1’’ 140 lbs., sickly and violent tempered. • Personified the new West • Saw federal gov’t as a haven for the wealthy and detached from common folk experience. • Nationalist and a unionist • Rewarded loyal supports with gov’t jobs • “spoils system” • “Every man is as good as his neighbor” • Many corrupt and incompetent, but helped cement emerging two party system loyalty.

F. Jacksonian Democracy • Increased manhood suffrage • End of the caucus and beginning of nominating conventions. • Spoils system • Reward political supporters with public office. • Rotation in office • National political machine built around Jackson • Competence and merit subordinate to loyalty • Corruption resulted. • “Kitchen Cabinet” • Unofficial group of 13 advisors to the President • Critics branded these members “Kitchen Cabinet” • Angry that these advisors not answerable to Congress. • Congress saw it as a threat. • Not unconstitutional however

G. Webster Hayne-Debate • Webster introduced bill to curb sale of western lands. • West obviously against it • South sided with the West • Debate in Senate lasted 9 days in Jan. 1830 • Each side thought it won. • Senator Robert Hayne (SC) • Accused NE of disloyalty during War of 1812 • Blasted northern tariffs • Championed Calhoun’s doctrine of nullification. • Senator Daniel Webster (MA) • Insisted that people, not states had framed Constitution. • Assailed doctrine of nullification • “Liberty and Union, one and inseparable, now and forever”

H. Peggy Eaton Affair • Wife of Sec. of War Eaton being snubbed by othr Cabinet members’ wives, esp. Mrs. Calhoun • Jackson, remembering trauma inflicted on his late wife Rachel, defended Mrs. Eaton • Demanded Cabinet members make their wives include her. • Began purging Calhoun allies in Senate in 1831 • Martin Van Buren gained Jackson’s attention by being nice to Mrs. Eaton • Split between Jackson and Calhoun caused mostly by tariffs, but this didn’t help.

I. Nullification Crisis of 1832 • South Carolina still steamed over “Tariff of Abominations” of 1828. • Tariff of 1832 • Jackson tried to lower tariff of 1828 to 35% from 45%. • Still protective in nature (south didn’t like that) and fell short of southern demands. • South Carolina nullified tariff of 1832 and threatened Secession if Jackson tried to collect tariff by force.

Jackson’s Reaction • Violently angry in private; threatened to hang nullifiers, incl. Calhoun. • Dispatched modest army and naval force to SC - prepared sizable army quietly • Compromise Tariff of 1833 • Introduced by Henry Clay (surprise) • Tariff would be reduced by 10% over 8 yrs. • Rates would eventually be at 1816 level (20-25%) • Just squeaked through Congress. • Force Bill • Congress and Jackson followed this showdown up with face-saving legislation • President, in the future, could use military to collect federal tariffs if necessary. • Dubbed “the Bloody Bill” by South Carolinians.

J. Election of 1832 • Henry Clay (National Republican “Whigs”) vs. Jackson (Democrat) • Clay lost to Jackson in E.C. 219-49. • New political trends in 1832 campaign • First third party in US Presidential Election (Anti-Masons) • National nominating conventions in all three • Jackson’s second term goals • Divorce government from the economy. • Anti-monopoly – common should have a chance to succeed. • Return to Jeffersonian democracy; gov’t role should be limited. • Give more power to the states to promote equal opportunity.

K. Bank War • Jackson distrusted BUS and huge businesses. • Clay tried to ram bank recharter before election to tie up Jackson • Signs it – alienates western support • Vetoes it – alienates wealthy and influential in east. • Jackson – “The Bank is trying to kill me, but I will kill it”.

Jackson VETOED BUS’s recharter in 1832. • Assailed it as monopolistic and unconstitutional. • Criticized Nicholas Biddle, Prez of BUS • Ignored SC ruling of McCullough vs. Maryland (1819) which declared bank constitutional. • Became major issue of 1832 election. • “Pet Banks” Scheme • Jackson hoped to weaken BUS by transferring fed’l funds out of BUS and into 23 “pet banks” • Hoped to bleed BUS dry and irrelevant • Cabinet saw this as a mistake • Financial crisis ensued • Wildcat banks unstable and issues depreciated notes

Benefits of the BUS • Sound organization that reduced bank failures. • Issued sound paper notes while US flooded with depreciated paper. • Spurred economic expansion by making credit and currency available. • Safe depository for federal gov’t funds. • “Specie Circular” • “wildcat” banks unstable and issuing depreciated currency. • A Jackson required all western land sales to be paid for with hard money. • Brought hard times to westerners.

L. Economic Expansion under Jackson • General incorporation laws • State granted corporate charters traditionally monopolies. • States began to make incorporation easier • Small and medium business growth spurt. • Limited liability – allowed business owners to be separated from their business entity – reduced risk of business ownership. • Part of increased democracy under Jackson

Charles River Bridge decision (1837) • Chas. River Bridge builders given monopoly for bridge from MA in 1780. • 1828 – Warren Bridge Co. granted charter by MA to build bridge 300 yds away. • Chas. River Bridge Co. sued Warren Bridge Co. for a state interfering with a contract protected by Constitution. • Supreme Court granted Warren Bridge Co. right to build • Significance: Encouraged economic development in transportation and elsewhere via competition. • Another step towards democracy under Jackson.

M. Jackson and States’ Rights • Jackson believed in supremacy of national laws, but also a proponent of states rights. • Refused to spend federal money for intrastate improvements. • Vetoed bill for improving the Maysville Road in KY • Similar to Madison’s veto of Bonus Bill for internal improvements in 1817.

Removal of Native Americans • Indian Removal Act (1830) • Jackson wanted to remove remaining tribes (5 Civilized Nations) that still lived east of Mississippi River to Oklahoma Territory. • Individual natives could stay if they adopted white ways. • More than 100,000 natives forcibly uprooted and moved in 1830s • Bureau of Indian Affairs est. in 1836 to administer relations with natives.

Cherokee • Tried to assimilate into white society • Sequoya created 85 character alphabet and created their own newspaper. • Had a written constitution similar to US • Established agriculture-based economy. • Still not accepted by white society. • Cherokee sat on valuable land in northeast GA. • Gold discovered in 1829 – whites want it • Could also be used for cotton – coveted by farmers too • Cherokee right to land recognized by Treaty of 1791 • Many Georgians ignored federal laws however.

Worcester v. Georgia (1832) • Sam Worcester (missionary) arrested for living on Cherokee territory and not leaving when ordered by state to do so. • John Marshall ruled that Georgia’s laws had no jurisdiction within Cherokee nation boundaries. • Jackson defied ruling • Did not release Worcester • Reportedly said “John Marshall has made his decision, let him enforce it” • 1838 – forcibly removed Cherokee from their homes • Marched 1,000 mi to Indian Territory (OK) • 4,000 died en route • 25% of Choctaw died en route in 1831-35 • 3,500 of 15,000 Creeks died during removal in 1836.

N. Jackson’s Legacy • Positive Contributions • Demonstrated value of strong executive • Became the champion of the common people. • Established the Democratic Party (and sparked the two party system) • Liabilities • Spoils System • Killing BUS led to bank failures and economic crisis. • Snubbed authority of Supreme Court. • Trail of Tears • Break with Calhoun led to deeper sectionalism.

O. Election of 1836 • Birth of the Whig Party • Extension of Hamilton’s Federalist ideas • Emerged when Clay and Calhoun joined forces to oppose Jackson’s removal of federal deposits from BUS. • Mutual hatred of “King Andrew I” • Evolved into a national political party of groups alienated by Jackson. • War hero William Henry Harrison chosen as candidate over Henry Clay • Martin Van Buren was Jackson’s hand-picked successor. • Ran for third term vicariously though Van Buren • Defeats Harrison 170-73

Second Two-Party System • Whigs • Supported by northern industrialists and merchants (wealthiest) • Supported Clay’s “American System” • Sought to reduce spoils system • Southern states rigths advocates angry at Jackson’s stand on nullification. • Later supported social reforms like abolition and temperance. • Sought to use national gov’t to solve ills of society • Democrats • Supported by the common people and political machines in the east. • States’ Rights – opposed to “American System” • Favored spoils system • Anti-monopoly – favored increased competition • Believed federal gov’t should not be involved in people’s personal lives.

P. Van Buren’s Presidency • First President born under American flag. • Smart and deft NY politician – dubbed “The Little Magician”. • Further developed the 2-Party System • Presided over the Panic of 1837 (Jackson’s policies a major cause) • Formalized the Independent Treasury System (“pet banks”)

Q. Panic of 1837 • Causes • Overspeculation (risky loans) • Jackson’s Policies • High Grain Prices • Failure of 2 major British Banks • Effects • American banks failed and took several million dollars of gov’t funds with it. • Prices and land sales dropped • Custom revenues dried up • Factories closed – unemployment soared

“Divorce Bill” or Independent Treasury Bill of 1840 • Outcry among Whigs for gov’t to DO something about Panic • Van Buren stayed true to Jacksonian separation of Gov’t from economy. • Decided to separate gov’t funds from private banks entirely. • Removed gov’t funds from pet banks and locked it up in vaults in some select large banks. • Money was safe, but not available to make loans • Repealed a year later, but returns in 1846 with Polk.

P. Election of 1840 • “Van Ruin” re-nominated by Dems • Whigs chose Harrison again and made John Tyler his running mate (“Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!”) • Not the ablest (Clay and Webster overlooked) but the biggest vote-getterest (!?) • Issueless and enemyless • Voters blamed Van Buren and Democrats for depression. • Whigs created a myth of Harrison being a poor western farmer who grew up in a log cabin (“Log Cabin and Hard Cider” campaign) • Harrison defeats Van Buren • First mass turnout of voters • Campaign more style over substance

Jacksonian Democracy