The Age of Jackson

The Age of Jackson Jackson and Van Buren years

Eaton Affair • Peggy Eaton • Daughter of tavern keeper • 1st husband may have committed suicide • Allegedly over her affair with TN senator John Eaton • Married him • He became sec of war • Reminds Jackson of gossip about beloved Rachel • He believes it killed her • Wives of cabinet members snub Peggy • Van Buren: charming, accompanies her to functions • Floride Calhoun: biggest snob in Eaton Malaria

Eaton (2) • Jackson thought Calhoun trying to coerce him to abandon John Eaton • To disgrace AJ for having appointed him • Van Buren leaked info: • Sec St Calhoun, (then sec war under Monroe) favored censuring AJ for 1818 raid into FL • AJ feels betrayed!

Egalitarianism Jackson style • =ty not for blacks, Indians or women • Partly due to freed blacks heading north, taking jobs • Segregation for freed blacks- the rule, w/ persecution, anti black riots • Justified: preventing blacks & abolitionists breaking down color barrier (poor whites would sink further) • Jackson coalition depended on shared white racism & ability to avoid slave issue • Believed indians = barbaric impediments to progress, expansion. • Just & humane policy: moving them west to area of horned toads & rattlesnakes • 1830: Indian Removal Act

Indian Removal • 1825: GA’s fraudulent treaty ceded most Creek land to state • Adams denounced • GA based Rt to land grab on ‘unviability of State’s Rights’ • JQA backed down 2 avoid armed conflict • 1828: GA moves against Cherokees • To avoid Creek’s fate, Cherokee adopt Constitution 1827 • Declared selves sep nation w/ sovereignty over land • GA put Cherokee under state law & nullified cons • Prohibited Indian testimony against whites • Gold discovered

Indian Removal Act 1830 • Appropriated: $500,000 for removal • 1830: GA law- whites get residency there • 1832: few are left • 1838 Cherokee trail of Tears • AJ forced treaty on them: gave up GA land for land in Indiana • 5 mill for moving them • 12,000 walked the thousand mile trail of tears • Victims of cruelty, scorn pilfering of whites along way • ¼ died en route, dead of winter

1832: Black Hawk’s War: Sauk & Fox Indians • IL & WI • Frantic attempt of Inds to reach W bank MS • Ends in slaughter of 500 men, women, children by white troops w/ Sioux allies • Participants: • Lincoln • Jeff Davis

Seminoles • Held out in swamps of FL • 7 yrs • 1835-42: longest Indian war in US history • Leader: Osceola captured under flag of truce • During negotiations • Resistance continued

Opposition to Jackson’s removal policy • Eastern reformers • Protestant missionaries • Came w/n 3 votes of defeating Removal bill in house

Cherokee Nation v. GA 1831Worcester v GA 1832 • Ct rules: GA violated US Const in extending jurisdiction over Cherokees • Marshall defines Indian tribes as dependent domestic nations • Subject only to authority of federal gov • Supreme Ct is powerless to enforce rulings • Jackson ignores: takes states rights position • Mutters: courts can try to enforce that…

Nullification • Most sensitive issue involving power of national gov: • Tariffs • Issue: majority rule, Jackson is a Nationalist • Cost: some southern support for Dems • Tariffs: 1st 1816 • 1824 up • 1828 up 50% (tariff of abominations) • Contrived to win northern support for Jackson? • Loudest outcry: SC: Old cotton state • Loosing pop to west in 1820s • Cotton prices still low s. panic 1819 • Tariffs seen as unconst extension of national power over states • Prelude to enforced emancipation? • SC: only state w/ Af-Am majority

Nullification, (2) • Slave concentrations in marshes, tidal flats s. of charleston • Low country district of huge rice plantations • Summer months blacks outnumber whites 10:1 • Slave rebellions: narrowly averted 1822 + 1829 • Planters fear agitation fed by N. abolitionists • 1831 Nat Turner Revolt • VA 55 whites slain before Turner caught • Nullification: safety valve

Anti tariff Nullies • Roots: 1828 SC Exposition & Protest • Calhoun argues: • State acting through pop elected convention has sovereign power to declare act of nat gov null + inoperative • Once a state nullifies a law: it’s unenforceable until ¾ states approve const. amendment delegating to national gov power that was challenged • If such passed, nullifying state could leave union

Calhoun • Calhoun orchestrated SC convention nullification of Tariff of 1828 & 1832 (lower) • Legislation elects R. Hayne Gov; Calhoun Sen • Calhoun resigns as VP to take Senator spot • GA, AL, MS all refuse to go along (too radical) • Said customs duties NOT collected in SC after Feb 1, 33 • Defends doctrine as way of protecting minority rights in union dominated by Tyrannical national majority • AJ seems Calhoun as scheming disunionist • AJ announced intention to enforce tariff • Privately: threatens to hang Calhoun & all other traitors • Later regrets he didn’t at least hang Calhoun • Issued Nullification Proc: doctrine of Null = impractical absurdity • AJ asks 4 (gets) Force Bill • Sent Gen Winfield Scott to Charleston Harb w/ troops; can have 50k in SC in 40 days • Worked to get new lower tariff passed (down by 50%) Compromise Tariff of 1833 • Lowered duties 20% • Extends reductions over 20 yrs

Final Act of defiance • Nullifiers nullify the Force Bill • Calhoun retires to his plantation • Significance: • AJ estab’d principal of national supremacy grounded in Will of the Majority • States rights doctrines remain pop in South • Many want to limit powers of Nat’l gov • Triggers new anti-Jackson coalition in South

Webster-Hayne Debate • SC disliked tariff but waits for election as Calhoun will be VP • New tariff policy likely then • Late 1829: CT senator tried to restrict land sales in W • Thomas Hart Benton, MO: (always calls for lower land prices) denounced as sectional attack • So E can keep cheap labor • Rbt Hayne, SC takes Benton’s side • Wants to strengthen W/S alliance • If S supports cheap land in W; W will support lower tariffs • Gov endangers Union by imposing hardship on one section to benefit another!

Webster – Hayne (2) • Webster, MA rebukes S’s who disparage Union • Lures Hayne into defense of state rights, nullification • Hayne defends SC Exposition • Union = compact of states. • Fed Gov, their agent, cannot judge its own powers • Would make powers unltd • Rather: states remain free to judge when gov oversteps const. auth. • Rt of State Interposition: (states interpose authority over fed law to thwart injustice) • As full & complete now as before Const

Webster-Hayne (3) • Webster: from beginning, Rev= crusade of united colonies; not separate • Sovereignty resides in whole people • Fed gov, state govs = agents • **if a single state could nullify a law of fed gov then Union wd be a rope of sand • Practical absurdity • Instead: const created Sp Ct w/ final jurisdiction • Judicial Review • Practical outcome of nullification would be confrontation (CW) • Liberty and Union! Now and Forever! One and Inseperable!

Jefferson’s B-day: 1830 • Toast • Jackson: Our Union- it must be preserved! • Calhoun: Union, next to Liberty, most dear.

Jackson – Calhoun rift • May 12, 1830 • Jackson shown letter confirming Calhoun, Sec War in 1818, proposed disciplining Jackson over FL invasion • Flurry of tense letters • Jackson’s last note: Understanding you now. No further communication w/ you on this subject is necessary. • Jackson names Van Buren as minister to London • Announced plan to run in 32 w/ VB; likely successor in 36 • Senate had to approve; Calhoun led opposition

Bank WarDefining moment in shaping the Dem. Party • 1832: draft resolution 4 charter renewal • VETO • Distrust of banks: • Shortage of gold/silver • Absence of paper money issued, regulated by fed gov • $ mostly notes: loans by private & state banks • Fluctuate in value – based on reputation, credit of bank of issue • Many wild cat (W) banks • Quick profits- issue notes w/o specie to redeem • Skipping town b4 being found out

Bank War (2) • Farmers, workers want to be paid in real money • Gold; silver • Viewed bankers: parasites • Manipulating $$ & getting rich • Bank of US: New Pres- Nicholas Biddle, Phil. PA • underwrote econ expansion of 1820s • Charter good thru 36

Bank War (3) • Campaign 32: Clay convinced Biddle to re-charter early • Sure of congress’ approval • Jackson couldn’t veto in campaign year • Enemy of sound banking? • Bank = symbol of privileged monopoly • Deprived Amers of chance to compete =ly • July 10, 1832 AJ vetoed • Took stand against all new grants of monopolies for advancement of few at exp of many

Bank War (4) • Business community lashed out at AJ • AJ goes into election as champion of people against banking aristoc • Easily beat Clay: ‘Nat’l Repub Party’ • Found sec of treasury willing to sign order removing fed deposits from bank ‘33 • Bank reduced to seeking charter from PA as private corp • Gov deposited $$ into ‘pet banks’ • Result: too much credit triggered buying frenzy of W land • Prices shot up • 1836 Specie Circular: • Gold & silver only for land, etc • Hard times hit by 37 (Van Buren)

Speculative bubble • Reached greatest extent by 1836 • Burst by Distribution Act- • Distributed gov surplus to states • Long time process (removes argument for cutting tariff) • Much surplus comes from sale of W lands • Alt: cut price on land? (W idea) • Lower tariff? (S idea) • Surplus used to pay off national debt by Jan 1835 • AJ opposed distribution; so surplus LOANED to states • As deposits, never demanded back • Distributions were taken out of state banks • State banks had to call in loans to cover transfers • Huge disarray • Specie Circular issued to stop fraud, cut out big speculators, stop extension of notes, credit • Irony: few settlers had specie; now at mercy of speculators!

Boom & Bust of 1830s • Causes: • Mid decade inflation from increased specie payments from England, France, MX • For investments, purchases, esp cotton • Same time: Brit credits let Amers buy w/o exporting specie • Also: flow of specie to China ↓ • They now take Brit credits to cover growing opium imports from Br India • Therefore: specie reserves in US kept pace w/ ↑↑ in bank notes in spite of reckless banks • 1836 Brit econ ↓ • Brit investments ↓ • Demand for cotton ↓ • May 1837: VB in- NY banks suspend specie payment on notes • Fear of bankruptcies sets off bank runs • Brief recovery 38: bad wheat harvests in Eng • Good harvests return in 39- no imports needed; same year as bumper crop in US • Depression  mid 1840s

Van Buren 1836 • Dem’s 2nd Nat’l Convention • Whigs have no conv • Send up many candidates • Webster, Hugh White (TN), Wm Harrison (IN) • Issues: in S whigs argue: VB soft on anti-slavery • Only White trusted • VB takes 170 electoral Votes- Old Kinderhook • Aka: Little Magician • VB: no popular base • Different style: reflective, weighed polit consequences • Appeared indecisive • Seemed to have no bold program • Inherited financial panic

Panic 1837 • Gov land sales up from 4 mil (1833) to 20 million (1836) • Decade of boom; business cycle increased • EZ credit • Land spec • Amers pile up debt • Key foreign trade & credit = England • Late ‘36: Bank of E tightened credit on Br merchants in US • Incr. interest rates, decreased credit lines (afraid of specie drain to US) depression in E tips over US econ. • Brit demand for cotton declined • Price of cotton declined • No new loans • US expansion depended on Euro capital

Panic (1) • US wheat crop failed; no exports • Wildcat banks go under • Gov lost 9 mil in pet banks • Working class hard hit- fall 1837 1/3 unemp • Rest take 30%-50% pay cuts • Cost of food, clothes soars • Churches, voluntary societies: sole help for indegent • VB & advisors think healthy shake down of speculators, bankers: not gov job to rescue farmers, businesses or provide relief • To stabilize econ: • Distribution of surplus postponed • Indep treasury adopted

Panic (2) • Cotton = main security for most US banks, mercantile firms • Result: chain reaction; contracting credit, falling prices • Investors rush to convert notes to specie • Banks suspend payment • Panic hits New Orleans, Mar. 37  NY banks by May • Panic drags down whole econ • Bankruptcies are up investment capital down, business down • States stop all construction/ slash budgets • 9 states in S & W defaulted on bonds • Unemployment up  mass protest meetings in E • Fear of revolution • Brief recovery 38; another round credit contraction -> depression  43 • N.E. unemp  20% (unheard of) • Many farmers, planters fled W 2 avoid creditors

Election 36 • Dems charged w/ starting depression • Opponents: Whigs- blame AJ’s destruction of bank • Gov interference in econ • Undermined business confidence • AJ forcing pet banks to replace small denom bank notes w/ hard $: made it worse • Issued Specie Circular large blocks land, only bt w/ specie • to break spec frenzy • May have helped spread panic by req transfer 2 W of specie when E banks strapped • Low reserves – can’t meet demand on bank notes

Dem POV • Removing fed $ fm nat bank protects people fm paper aristocrats in banking & business • Policy contradicts Dem idea of ltd gov • Shifted $ to state banks  had to regulate or be accused of creating little monsters • Only way out: break connection between gov & banking

Independent Treasury system • The gov deals w/ NO banks • Treasury does business in gold & silver only • T stores reserves in regional vaults (sub treasury) • Proposed 1837 • Approved 1840 after more bank failures • Result: prolonged depression • Specie locked in vaults= unavailable 4 loans, expansion of credit • Reduced money supply • Put ↓pressure on prices • Repealed in 1 yr • Restored 1846

Other issues of VB term • Petitions to abolish slave trade in DC • Canadian insurrection & Maine border dispute • Malaise due to economy

Election 1840 • Log Cabin & Hard Cider campaign • Whigish Jacksonian military hero: Wm H Harrison • Battle of Tippecanoe v Shawnees • Gov of IN • Anti-Masons like him • Tyler for VP brings in states rights wing • Baltimore “Republican” printed: upon condition of his rec’vg pension of $2k and a barrel of cider, Gen Harrison wd no doubt consider to w/d pretentions…. Spend days in a log cabin on banks of the OH • Whigs seized symbols to show Harrison as man of modest means

Harrison • One of first families of VA • Lived in large farmhouse • Log cabins rolled thru streets w/ barrels of cider • Huge victory balls rolled through highways to symb snowballing support • Placards, emblems, campaign buttons, floats, effigies, rallies & newspaper: The Log Cabin used Jacksonian techniques to discredit VB • Showed him as aristocrat (really had humble start) • Van Van is a used up man

OK • From newspaper fad 1830s: creating comical abbreviations • GTDHD: give the devil his due • OW: oll wright • OK: oll correct • Dems picked up OK for Old Kinderhook; start OK clubs • Whigs said OK was AJ’s creative spelling; insist he marked state papers this way • Whig cider barrels get marked OK

Impact of Jackson Yrs • Voter turn out up from 26% 1824 to 78% in 1840 • Whig historians say AJ created spoils system • Revisionists paint him as author of new democ • Post revisionists: frontier nabob • AJ & supporters intended to return to Jeffersonian Repub of ltd gov; no alliances w/ bus (corruption)… allow free enterprise • How Jeffersonian was Jackson?

Jefferson & JacksonCompared (Hofstatder)Backgrounds Jefferson Jackson Born in Carolinas to widow Dad died few months before 13: enlisted in Rev War 14: captured, tortured by Brits Lost family in war- Bro killed in action Mother died of prison fever (typhus) Inherited farm sized plot of land NC Education: sparse Apprentice to saddle maker 6 mo School teacher 6 mo Inherits 300£ from Irish relative Moved to Charleston- gambled, studied law @20: admitted to bar NC Moved to Nashville Rep’d creditors, helped collect debts Other lawyer in town rep’d debtors Wked up to local aristoc, land, slaves • VA aristocracy • Mom: Jane Randolph • Father died when TJ 14 • Inherits 2700 acres • Bondsmen • As adult: 10K acres, 100-200 slaves • Ed: William & Mary, excelled • VA Gentry, requisite 4 politics • 24: admitted to bar • 26 House of Burgesses (6 yrs) • 29 married • Studied whole life: sciences, religions, languages, agri, mechanics, engineering

POV before presidency Jefferson Jackson Belief in code duello Response to insult of honor: call out Duelled w/ Charles Dickinson over horse race D missed J’s heart by inches bc of greatcoat Bullet lodged in ribs J fired; gun wouldn’t go off Fired again, stayed on feet till D pronounced dead Duel w/ Sen B Hart- later friends Tried to return bullet- running joke • War gov VA during Rev till age 38 • Retired; death of wife drove him back to work • 1785-89: min to France (post Franklin) • Bcms anti-industrialist • Angered by Eng’s exploit. Of workers; France’s of peasants • Confirms Republican views • Pro agrarian head of pop faction • For propertied intersts

POV before pres (2) Jefferson Jackson Known for firey temper; quick loud opinions Fit Frederick Jackson Turner’s ideal of fronteir society self made man Solicitor at 22 @23: US Atty 29: congressman 30: senator 31: justice of Sp Ct of Tn Jobs = symbol of status to AJ Active in militia, rep as Indian fighter Land speculator Nat hero B. of New Orleans Rode national wave of increased suffrage • Wants Amer econ to be agri based • Minimize factories, cities, workers • Believes majority of men rise to top for profit, power • Believes checks & balances vital to survival of gov • Considered Federalist best work of practical principals of gov written • Objections to const: • No Bill of Rts • Allowance of more than one term for pres • Saw future founded on propertied class in propertied nation

On banks Jefferson Jackson Disapproved of pop demand in Panic 1819 for laws to prevent imprisonment for debt Lost land & fortune mortgaged – to national bank Opposed banks, public debts, paper money, high tariffs, fed. Internal improvmts 1796: sold thousands acres to merchant, speculator for ‘notes’; Used to supply new general store he went under; defaulted on notes, left AJ liable for all debts Had to sell off estate, slaves Business failed, sold to partners Took 19 yrs to pay off debts- till 1815 Saved 22k, bought new estate: panic hit Opposed 2 yr suspension of debt repayment then pop By 1824: prosperity- issues: caucus, Battle of New Orleans • Anti banks as support for merchant class and industry

Presidency Jefferson Jackson Expansion of democ & liberated captialism  rise of industrialism in E & settlement of W Typical American now a capitalist Opposed to Biddle’s bank: Small businessmen in E State banks Land speculators AJ vetoed bank recharter- said bank was not constitutional: gave industry a monopoly Re-elected, w/d gov $ from banks Wild cat banking grew Principle of business w/o privilege Hero to middle class: want unltd expanding opportunity • Fear of his atheism unfounded • Tried to pay off Hamilton based debts in 16 yrs; kept system • Reduced gov expenses • Abolished excise duties • Attacked judiciary, esp through Burr trial; no real effect on it • Thru LA purchase, widened agri expansion • No attempt to open up male suffrage • Tried to heal rift in parties • Laissez-Faire policy toward businesses • Pacifist: stayed out of Napoleonic wars • Used economic sanctions: embargo

After Presidency Jefferson Jackson Returned to private life w/ enthusiasm Stayed pro-expansion of small businessmen • Resumed State’s Rights pov • Regrets Federalist turn Republican party took

The Age of Jackson