From: Rosemary D'Angelo
Date: 3/23/00
Time: 7:06:44 AM
Remote Name: 64.24.18.52
Rosemary D’Angelo Who was Martin Van Buren and why did President Andrew Jackson write him this letter at this time? Why was the President angry with some of the leaders of South Carolina?
Andrew Jackson wrote this letter to his friend, Martin Van Buren, on January 13, 1833. Unfortunately, Jackson had received other letters from Van Buren in which he was unable to respond to. Jackson had been occupied “with the nullifiers of the south, and the Indians in the south and west.” In 1931, Martin Van Buren was appointed to be U.S. minister to Great Britain, by Andrew Jackson. However the Senate refused this. In 1832, Jackson declared Van Buren to be the next President. Martin Van Buren served as Vice President, and later became President. Jackson wrote Van Buren this letter explaining the situation that was occurring in the south. At this point, there was a big issue with the “nullification crisis.” South Carolina did not agree with the protective tariff laws of 1828 and 1832, which Congress had passed. These tariffs would put taxes on imports, which they strongly resented. They declared nullification on these tariffs, setting aside a law by declaring it null and void. John C. Calhoun, a major South Carolina leader, was threatening that South Carolina would separate their states from federal government if these tariffs continued. He stated that the federal government did not have any right to judge the constitution of its own acts. Andrew Jackson enforced these tariffs anyhow. He made sure that the tariff was being collected at Charleston. Jackson was angry with some of the South Carolina leaders because they ignored the Constitution, and trying to destroy it.