. . . Tariff of 1816 History & Significance | What was the Tariff of 1816? The taxes paid by foreign nations to export American cotton, for example, generated lots of money for the government. In January 1830, a debate on the nature of sovereignty in the America. Under the circumstances then existing, I look upon this original and seasonable provision, as a real good attained. And now, Mr. President, let me run the honorable gentlemans doctrine a little into its practical application. Though Webster made an impassioned argument, the political, social, and economic traditions of New England informed his ideas about the threatened nation. They cherish no deep and fixed regard for it, flowing from a thorough conviction of its absolute and vital necessity to our welfare. Sir, all our difficulties on this subject have arisen from interference from abroad, which has disturbed, and may again disturb, our domestic tranquility, just so far as to bring down punishment upon the heads of the unfortunate victims of a fanatical and mistaken humanity. . . . Differences between Northern and Southern ideas of good governance, which eventually led to the American Civil War, were beginning to emerge. Their own power over their own instrument remains. Benton was rising in renown as the advocate not only of Western settlers but of a new theory that the public lands should be given away instead of sold to them. All of these contentious topics were touched upon in Webster and Hayne's nine day long debate. What interest, asks he, has South Carolina in a canal in Ohio? Sir, this very question is full of significance. . . Enveloping all of these changes was an ever-growing tension over the economy, as southern states firmly defended slavery and northern states advocated for a more industrial, slave-free market. They switched from a. the tariff of 1828 to national power . Even Benton, whose connection with the debate made him at first belittle these grand utterances, soon felt the danger and repudiated the company of the nullifiers. .Readers will finish the book with a clear idea of the reason Webster's "Reply" became so influential in its own day. There is not, and never has been, a disposition in the North to interfere with these interests of the South. . It has been said that Hayne was Calhoun's sword and buckler and that he returned to the contest refreshed each morning by nightly communions with the Vice-President, drawing auxiliary supplies from the well-stored arsenal of his powerful and subtle mind. Be this as it may, Hayne was a ready and copious orator, a highly-educated lawyer, a man of varied accomplishments, shining as a writer, speaker, and counselor, equally qualified to draw up a bill or to advocate it, quick to memories, well fortified by wealth and marriage connections, dignified, never vulgar nor unmindful of the feelings of those with whom he mingled, Hayne moved in an atmosphere where lofty and chivalrous honor was the ruling sentiment. Sir, I will not stop at the border; I will carry the war into the enemys territory, and not consent to lay down my arms, until I shall have obtained indemnity for the past, and security for the future.[4] It is with unfeigned reluctance that I enter upon the performance of this part of my duty. . This is the sense in which the Framers of the Constitution use the word consolidation; and in which sense I adopt and cherish it. Speech of Senator Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina, January 27, 1830. . The Hayne-Webster Debate was an unplanned series of speeches in the Senate, during which Robert Hayne of South Carolina interpreted the Constitution as little more than a treaty between sovereign states, and Daniel Webster expressed the concept of the United States as one nation. . . We, sir, who oppose the Carolina doctrine, do not deny that the people may, if they choose, throw off any government, when it becomes oppressive and intolerable, and erect a better in its stead. Senator Foote, of Connecticut, submitted a proposition inquiring into the expediency of limiting the sales of public lands to those already in the market. . . The United States, under the Constitution and federal government, was a single, unified nation, not a coalition of sovereign states. I supposed, that on this point, no two gentlemen in the Senate could entertain different opinions. The Confederation was, in strictness, a compact; the states, as states, were parties to it. The gentleman has made an eloquent appeal to our hearts in favor of union. The real significance of this debate was in each man's interpretation of the United States Constitution. What idea was espoused with the Webster-Hayne debates? These irreconcilable views of national supremacy and state sovereignty framed the constitutional struggle that led to Civil War thirty years later. The Webster-Hayne debate, which again was just one section of this greater discussion in the Senate, is traditionally considered to have begun when South Carolina senator Robert Y. Hayne stood to argue against Connecticut's proposal, accusing the northeastern states of trying to stall development of the West so that southern agricultural interests couldn't expand. Allow me to say, as a preliminary remark, that I call this the South Carolina doctrine, only because the gentleman himself has so denominated it. See what I mean? Representatives of the northern states were concerned by the rapid growth of the nation; just 27 years earlier, the Louisiana Purchase had nearly doubled the size of the nation, and the newly elected President Andrew Jackson was hungry for more territory. . We found that we had to deal with a people whose physical, moral, and intellectual habits and character, totally disqualified them from the enjoyment of the blessings of freedom. . The War With Mexico: Speech in the United States H What Are the Colored People Doing for Themselves? I understand him to maintain an authority, on the part of the states, thus to interfere, for the purpose of correcting the exercise of power by the general government, of checking it, and of compelling it to conform to their opinion of the extent of its powers. Daniel webster (ma) and sen. Hayne of . Nor those other words of delusion and folly,liberty first, and union afterwardsbut everywhere, spread all over in characters of living light, blazing on all its ample folds, as they float over the sea and over the land, and in every wind under the whole Heavens, that other sentiment, dear to every true American heartliberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable! The people were not satisfied with it, and undertook to establish a better. The scene depicted in the painting is Webster concluding his debate with Senator Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina. Southern states advocated for strong, sovereign state governments, a small federal government, the western expansion of the agricultural economy, and with it, the maintenance of the institution of slavery. . In all the efforts that have been made by South Carolina to resist the unconstitutional laws which Congress has extended over them, she has kept steadily in view the preservation of the Union, by the only means by which she believes it can be long preserveda firm, manly, and steady resistance against usurpation. To all this, sir, I was disposed most cordially to respond. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Chris has a master's degree in history and teaches at the University of Northern Colorado. I feel like its a lifeline. The gentleman insists that the states have no right to decide whether the constitution has been violated by acts of Congress or not,but that the federal government is the exclusive judge of the extent of its own powers; and that in case of a violation of the constitution, however deliberate, palpable and dangerous, a state has no constitutional redress, except where the matter can be brought before the Supreme Court, whose decision must be final and conclusive on the subject. He describes fully that old state of things then existing. The main issue of the Webster-Hayne Debate was the nature of the country that had been created by the Constitution. Connecticut and other northeastern states were worried about the pace of growth and wanted to slow this down. 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They significantly declare, that it is time to calculate the value of the Union; and their aim seems to be to enumerate, and to magnify all the evils, real and imaginary, which the government under the Union produces. Who, then, Mr. President, are the true friends of the Union? Sir, when the gentleman provokes me to such a conflict, I meet him at the threshold. The impression which has gone abroad, of the weakness of the South, as connected with the slave question, exposes us to such constant attacks, has done us so much injury, and is calculated to produce such infinite mischiefs, that I embrace the occasion presented by the remarks of the gentleman from Massachusetts, to declare that we are ready to meet the question promptly and fearlessly. But his calm, unperturbed manner reassured them in an instant. The faction of voters in the North were against slavery and feared it spreading into new territory. What followed, the Webster Hayne debate, was one of the most famous exchanges in Senate history. They tell us, in the letter submitting the Constitution to the consideration of the country, that, in all our deliberations on this subject, we kept steadily in our view that which appears to us the greatest interest of every true Americanthe consolidation of our Unionin which is involved our prosperity, felicity, safety; perhaps our national existence. But to remove all doubt it is expressly declared, by the 10th article of the amendment of the Constitution, that the powers not delegated to the states, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.. On that system, Ohio and Carolina are different governments, and different countries, connected here, it is true, by some slight and ill-defined bond of union, but, in all main respects, separate and diverse.