Chapter 9: Politics for the Common Man AMERICAN

--New party structure: willingness of leaders to abandon 18c ideal of social harmony and to accept parties and political conflict as inevitable and constructive. A vigorous 2-party politics, increasing voter participation. Dramatic appeals to the comm on man. Bitterly fought presidential campaigns for who were friends and enemies of people.

The New Democracy

--The Celebration of the Common Man: <---does not mean that Jackson's time = marked by great social mobility. People stayed for the most part where they were. While one of main goals of Jacksonian Democracy = to remove barriers to success, striking fe ature of this time = that it broadened the base of American democracy and increased the influence of the common man while he stayed a common man. Instead of rise of common man, we have celebration.

--Democratic Reforms: Reformers instituted universal male suffrage over entire East Coast with remarkable ease; conservatives posed little resistance. Argument = that all Americans = commoners, so there should be little conflict of interest. But actua l impact of this change did not appear until voters took interest in their new right; most = apathetic.

--But as voters became involved in the $ economy, they developed greater personal interest in questions of public policy. Panic of 1819 brought home their new dependence on the outside world, shook their confidence in the old leadership. New politici ans with more popular appeal appeared. Attendance at polls jumped. Party nominating conventions = opened to public; before, were held in secret caucuses, called "King Caucus." Now, "King Mob."

--Idea of a trained, and thus, aristocratic civil service = out. Now, common men could hope for office for faithfulness to party. Once a party got in power, it would give offices to its followers<---called "spoils system."

John Quincy Adams and National Republicanism

--The Election of 1824: Republican caucus nominated Crawford. But other ambitious politicians repudiated the caucus system as undemocratic, and won endorsement from state legislatures and mass meetings. Hence, we have Adams, Clay, and Jackson. With 4 candidates, Republican party quickly fell apart. But Crawford had stroke, lost much support. Jackson = in first, Adams second. But since none got majority of electoral votes, vote went to House. But Clay threw his votes in House to Adams, who supported hi s public policy, and Adams got the Presidency. Adams made Clay Secretary of State. Jacksonians cried foul and immediately lauched another campaign.

--The Adams Administration: President = champion of national economic growth, esp. commercial and manufacturing. Nationalist. Champion of education: proposed building of a great national university at Washington. Urged internal improvements: Clay's Am erican System. Even supported arts, literature, sciences. But also urged legislators not to bend to will of people. This earned him the reputation of an aristocrat, tyrant. Congress did not respond to his program. When tried to protect Indian rights, he = rebuffed. Personally, he = cold and untactful.

--Triumph of the Jacksonians: Most of supporters of Crawford and Calhoun went to Jackson, as well as others turned off by Adams' cluminess or nationalistic American System. Most of Jackson's supporters = planters and farmers in S and W, small entrepre neurs everywhere, many artisans and factory workers. Adams' strength = in NE.

--Adams refused to campaign.

--Jackson's campaign = over several specific issues. But views = usually vague: otherwise, would split their friends and lose doubtful voters.

--Overall, though Jackson won with substantial majority, 1828. With boisterous celebration of victory, many announced coming of "King Mob."

Jacksonian Democracy

--The New President: Original appeal = in his popularity as a war hero. Also, he = from poor background many could relate to, although now rich. But he = still close to people. Felt a peculiar moral responsibility to people. Extensive use of veto powe r. Used presidency to try to reform civil service to become more responsive to public will. Advocated circulation of civic servants, so they don't become corrupted. Elevated spoils system to a democratic principle. Did not rely only on cabinet for advice: kitchen cabinet.

--The Jacksonian Philosophy: minimal federal action: federal government = one with limited powers; laissez-faire: reduce government to bare bones; state sovereignty. But these Jeffersonian ideals = very outdated.

Internal Improvements and Public Lands

--The Maysville Veto: veto of a bill to construct a road within state boundaries. To pass it, he said, = favoritism and profligate spending. But he = not consistent. Did not veto all internal improvements, even local. This veto gave National Republica ns the ammunition to attack Jackson in West, where need for better transportation = great.

--Land Policy: Jackson = for cheap land for rapid expansion. But manufacturers = against it, since it would reduce labor supply. Issue = unsettled when he left office.

Religious and Ethnic Minorities

--Antiforeign, anti-Catholic sentiment = mostly Whig, so most immigrants voted for Jackson, or Democrats.

--But Democrats = insensitive to slavery issue, much like Jackson.

--Indian Removals: Since could not vote, neither party cared for them. Forced ruthlessly out of their lands and moved West.

The Tariff and Nullification

--Disaffection in S.Carolina: Jackson = strongly against national debt, which he, like Jefferson, thought helped only the bankers and hurt the rest of the nation. But wavered on tariffs. At first, was pro-protectionist. But as Southern opposition inc, Jackson's position changed. In 1832, Jackson favored a tariff, but for revenue only, and only incidental protection to industry. South = generally against tariffs. South paid for most of America's imports, and tariff would just hike up prices they had to pay. Also, most of tariff $ = used for improvements in north. Thus, tariff = unjust. S. Carolinians, in particular, feared that tariff = 1st of many federal attempts to destroy slavery. S. Carolina = still languishing after Panic of 1819, and tariff, th ey said, = to blame. Calhoun, from SC, revised his views from protectionist to states rights.

--Calhoun and State Interposition: Calhoun offered as solution to the problem the idea of state nullification of unconstitutional laws. This = less drastic than secession. In response, Congress could acquiesce or make a constitutional amendment. Thus, rule = by "concurrent majorities," with people in each state having veto power over legislation through delegates to state governments.

--Haynes-Webster Debates: Haynes, from SC, supported, listing SC's grievances. Webster, from MA, said that Constitution = raitified by people, not states, and that Supreme Court interpreted the Constitution. Jackson = riled up. Although for states ri ghts, he abhorred nullification and secession. Calhoun = losing favor, and Van Buren, Secretary of State = gaining.

--The Nullification Crisis: When government passed Tariff of 1832, which conceded little to SC, SC nullified it. Haynes left to become governor of SC, and Calhoun resigned VP and took his place in Senate. Jackson = furious, and procured a "force bill" fro Congress letting him use force if nec. But Clay and Calhoun worked out a compromise tariff, which both sides accepted. But SC declared force bill null and void, asserting its right again. Jackson ignored it.

--Although Jackson irritated both protectionists and states-rights, he = remembered for his support of the Union. Also, fight over nullification made South realize its minority position.

The Bank War

--Criticism of the Bank: Jackson = obsessed with destroying it. But Bank, since Panic of 1819, had become an effective regulator of American expansion, helped inspire confidence in banking system. But Bank = still responsible primarily to its investor s, and = vulnerable as such: "irresponsible to the people." Jackson vetoed Bank's application for recharter, and this = one of major issues of campaign of 1832.

--Jackson Vindicated: Anti-Masonic Party. Essentially Anti-Jackson, since Jackson = a Mason. But base = too shallow. National Republicans accused Jackson of abusing his patronage and veto power, endorsed the American System, demanded rechartering of B ank, but lost. Jackson once again got popular mandate.

--The Bank Destroyed: Government withdrew funds from Bank and put in state banks. Bank started to call in its loans, contracting credit, and putting pressure of Jackson to relent. But Jackson wouldn't budge. In 1841, Bank = forced to close because of depression and unwise speculations.

--Opponents fumed at Jackson's high-handed tactics. Called him King Andrew I, and themselves, Whigs. In 1836, got 3 presidential candidates, but Van Buren won.

Panic and Depression

--Economic Crisis: During Jackson, nation underwent unprecedented expansion and prosperity. Mass investment, esp in land again, and also canals and railroads. Much of $ = financed by GBr. Some banks went into wildcat financiering. In 1836, Jackson gav e government's surplus $ to states for internal improvements. States, thinking they would later get more $, immediately designed huge projects. But $ had to come from state banks, which then called in loans.

--Foreign factors: great increase of specie from Mexico, GBr and France. British credit let Americans get into debt, and America developed large international balance of payments deficit. When GBr suffered from hard times, called in its loans, Britis h investors stopped supporting American expansion, and British demand for cotton dec. just as opening of new lands inc. supply. In 1837, the loss in confidence in banking that the absence of Bank of USA caused brought massive runs in state banks. Recovery came in mid-40s.

--The Independent Treasury: Treasury deepened the depression by suspending funds for internal improvements and chopping federal spending. Went to hardmoney side, or Locofoco wing of the party: extreme hard-$, anti-bank, anti-monopoly.

--One aim of Locofocos = to divorce government from all banking by denying all private banks the use of federal $. This = done in Independent Treasury Act, 1840, which put federal $ in vaults throughout America. Although made $ secure, it also hinder ed recover, since that $ could not be used for loans.

--Election of 1840: Still a deep depression. Democrats = on defensive, renominated Buren. Whigs = optimistic. Nominated Harrison, of Tippecanoe. No platform, and much more efficient party organization. Barbecues, etc. Harrison won.

--Supreme Court under Taney: But Judiciary = still very Democratic. Taney = Chief Justice.

Tyler and Paralysis

--The Whig Disaster: Harrison died within a month, and Tyler, a southern aristocrat, ==> president. Tyler = almost opposite of Whig. Also, Whigs = torn by factionalism in Congress, could get little done. Still, Clay tried to revise land laws, force in ternal improvements. Tariff of 1842 restored 1832 levels to get the government more $. But Bank = vetoed again by Tyler. Tyler = expelled from party, and his Cabinet resigns. Tyler drifts to Democrats.

--Foreign Affairs under Tyler: Webster-Ashburton Treaty, 1842, settles the Maine boundary. Webster got promises from Britain that there would be no more officious interference with American vessels.