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South Carolina nullified tariffs of 1828 and 1832, leading to a potential confrontation with the federal government. President Andrew Jackson sent troops to enforce the tariffs, but a compromise tariff was eventually passed in 1833, reducing tensions. The crisis highlighted the issue of states’ rights versus federal authority.
The nullification crisis of 1832 involved the United States government wanting to enforce tariffs and South Carolina’s authority to nullify those laws. The tariffs of 1828 and 1832 had particularly negative economic implications for the state of South Carolina. When it became clear that the tariffs would not be repealed, the state issued the repeal order, which declared both tariffs null and void. within its borders. A new compromise tariff was issued in 1833, averting a possible confrontation between Federal and South Carolina troops.
During the economic crisis of the 1820s, South Carolina was primarily agricultural. The Tariff of 1828 was designed to protect American industries by imposing a tax on goods imported from other countries. This drove up the prices of manufactured goods in South Carolina. It also reduced the amount of agricultural exports other countries bought from the United States. This law agitated the citizens of South Carolina, who in turn looked to President Andrew Jackson to fix the problem.
The president hasn’t taken steps to repeal the tariff, but his vice president, John C. Calhoun, has supported states’ rights to override these kinds of laws. The issue dominated state politics, and some factions began calling for the Tariff of 1828 to be overturned. The Tariff of 1832 proved to be more lenient than its predecessor, but it was not enough to satisfy the state’s citizens. A state convention passed the cancellation ordinance on November 24, 1832, canceling both tariffs within state lines.
Andrew Jackson responded to the nullification crisis by sending seven naval vessels to the South Carolina coast and reinforcing Federal fortifications in the state. He insisted that failure to pay tariff taxes would amount to treason. A force bill was drafted that authorized the use of federal soldiers to enforce the tariff in the state. Meanwhile, Senator Henry Clay recognized the escalating conflict and initiated a new tariff law that gradually reduced the tariffs over a 10-year period.
The Force Bill and Clay’s Compromise Tariff of 1833 were both passed on March 1, 1833. While opposed to the earlier tariffs, other Southern states did not support South Carolina’s challenge to the federal laws. The cancellation ordinance was soon repealed by South Carolina and the latest rate was accepted. The crisis resulted in a reduced tariff, but the doctrine of states’ rights to cancellation had been rejected.
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