Nullification Crisis

Introduction

It is rare in American history for the president and the vice president disagree, but it happened a few times, Adams and Jefferson, Kennedy and Johnson and Nixon and Eisenhower are examples (Jackson vs. Calhoun-Part 1). However, the most controversial relationship between the president and his deputy was between Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun. (Ronald 1975) Their differences started early in the administration of Jackson and lasted until the resolution of the crisis of cassation. Cancellation is the refusal of a State to recognize a federal law in its territory and to consider the law unconstitutional. In this case, South Carolina, led by John C. Calhoun, refused to recognize the protective tariffs in 1828 and 1832, saying they had received from North and south injured. (James 1837)At that time, the American system of government is relatively new and the struggle between federal and state power is booming. At the conclusion of the crisis, Calhoun went as far as threatening to secede from the Union to see Jackson and the rest of America that the governments of individual states were powerful indeed. When the dispute reached its peak, Jackson has had enough and decided it was time to end the crisis.( Maldwyn 1995) The actions and decisions taken by President Andrew Jackson about John C. Calhoun and the crisis of cassation not only enable the Union to stay together, but it proved the power of the federal government.

Discussion

Before examining the shares of Jackson during the crisis of cassation, it is important to understand where the disagreements between the two men originated. In 1829, just before Jackson was inaugurated, John Eaton, a friend and soon to be Secretary of War under Jackson, had married the widow and unreliable Peggy O'Neale Timberlake. Timberlake has since married a man up, other women have ...