The Political and Sectional Influence of the Public Lands, 1828-1842 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1914 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER II PUBLIC LANDS AND TARIFF 1828-1833 The passage in May, 1828, of the "tariff of abominations," framed for defeat by sectional bargaining between the South and the Jackson men of the West,1 had inflamed the South to such a degree that Calhoun, during the following summer, worked out his so-called "Exposition,"2 declaring the right of a State to nullify a federal law. The failure of Benton's graduation bill the same year 1 "I was," said Calhoun in 1837, " consulted at the time, to know how the South would go, and whether the South would sustain the bill as it came from the Middle States. We did so sustain it, but refused to agree to such amendments as would suit the members from the Eastern States.... We saw that the system might be pushed too far to suit New England; that it might be made to affect injuriously the interests of navigation and commerce; and that in that case they would go against the bilh Surely we must have had some assurance that in the final vote New England would join us. We took our hazard on this issue. We resisted all amendments, and kept the bill in such shape that we were assured they never could vote for it... but the very men who had most warmly denounced the bill suddenly wheeled round, and, on the final question, took ground against us." (Cong. Debates, 24th Cong., 2d Sess., 926-27.) Calhoun, on another occasion, declared that two courses were open: "To join the New England interest, and vote such amendments to the bill as would make it acceptable to them, or to resist all such amendments, and take the chance of the members from New England joining those of the South, to defeat the bill on its passage in one or the other House.... The difficulty in this latter course was the possible reunion of the two tariff interests by...