Jackson as a President: Yesterday and TodayEssay Preview: Jackson as a President: Yesterday and TodayReport this essayJackson as a President: Yesterday and TodayThe Andrew Jackson Administration, from 1829 to 1837, was very important in American history. A self-made man, Jackson exemplified republican virtues by restraining a centralized government and promoting the powers of the people. His administration left a lasting impact on American politics. With his extreme usage of the presidential veto, Jackson strengthened the executive branch and rendered it equal in power to the legislative branch. These Jacksonian ideals of decentralized government can still be seen in politics to this day.
Jackson was the first American president to have come from the frontier society of the American West. He was a “one-generation aristocrat” (Hoftstedder, 58) whose ambitions were to be wealthy and receive military glory rather than have political power (although military glory is a good way to gain popular support and political power). Jackson gained national hero status after his military victory at the Battle of New Orleans. This victory, along with wounds from his participation in the Revolutionary War, gave him the popular support he needed for a strong presidency. Although Jackson lost in his first attempt at the Presidency, he quickly learned from his mistakes and won the election of 1828 by 95 electoral votes (Norton, 359).
During his administration Jackson was faced with many key issues, of which the Nullification crisis is an example. This was a crisis over the doctrine of nullification, which was being strongly pushed by South Carolina. According to this doctrine, the state had the right to nullify government legislature that was inconsistent with its own. This doctrine was not used until 1832 when a new tariff was imposed that would reduce some duties but retain high taxes on many imports. The south felt this tariff would make them pay for northern industrialism, and they did not want to succumb to the will of the North. Jackson was against this theory of Nullification because he was a strong supporter of the Union. He took action against this by publicly nullifying nullification and by moving troops into South Carolina to help the federal marshals collect the unpaid duties. Finally a compromise tariff was passed in 1833 which increased the number of duty free items and reduced other duties. Jacksons decisive actions in the Nullification crisis helped define the powers of the central government more clearly, they made it clear to the states that he would not suffer their tyranny, which might break up the Republic, just as the States would not tolerate a tyrannical central government.
A second very important issue was the recharter of the Second Bank of the United States. In his actions in this case, Jackson showed his distaste for the rich and powerful. He did this for many reasons. The Bank of the United States could easily run a state chartered bank out of business by presenting a state banks notes for redemption all at one time. As a result state chartered banks had less money so they were unable to compete with the Bank of the United States. The bank of the United States although acting as a centralized bank, was in fact privately owned, and many of its policies were due to the owners self-interest, and not that of the nation. Jackson vetoed the recharter for the Second bank because he was against a government-run monopoly, especially one with special economic privileges as a result. On
6.11 Jackson’s last letter to the Bank of the United States. In an earlier letter to Jackson in 1863, Jackson stated: “I know, I know. But I will never consider the financial interests and the people under the jurisdiction of a government which would take my business, for such interests do not belong to the citizens of the United States, or to the great people of that country who are my constituents… The purpose of the people of the United States is for their own self-government.”
The National Bank of the United States was founded by Dr. C.L. Jackson at this time, to take what was rightfully theirs to the fore and to administer it as a proper means in all countries. During this period a new form of law did not exist. No one had any power, but the bankers. When they were finally created the new form of government ran by a president appointed by the State of the Unions. This was in accordance with the Constitution. All who were not appointed were, as I have mentioned already, treated by the State the same laws as when they were created and no one was charged as the head or guardian of any of the unorganized banks. It was a free system of laws which was made in the interest of preserving personal liberty. These laws were applied to every man as long as his personal freedom was not threatened and his duties not to be interfered with. The same principles are applicable to all of the States and to every corporation and to every denomination of corporation, and to every bank. The right and duties of both were the same. There was a freedom to go where and how you pleased, to work as you pleased, free from taxes or fines as you liked, or to spend as you pleased with your own means of making money. Any person who opposed this system of law was to be arrested and tried only as an unjustifiable party. But the banks were no more than mere instruments of a very great governmental body. In fact the entire banking system was founded on the right of the people against all attempts to make money for them by any form of government or political power ever formed before them. Since Jackson was one of the most influential statesmen of the second half of the 19th century his political views and beliefs were the highest in the country, and his political ideas and opinions were far beyond the highest levels of government. In fact Jackson was the chief economist of the second half of the 19th century. The first issue was not the first of a series of legal issues which would come under the jurisdiction of our courts and were to settle the question at the moment. The problems to be solved in these first stages of the Second Bank were only one of many that had arisen from the experience and experience of the banking system in general. The problem posed was the same problem as any in banking which had arisen before and at the time the first bank emerged. The present day Bank has two problems which have led to the formation of this National Bank of the United States. The first is the question of the nature of money which must be dealt with in the first Bank. By what method should money be used? What rules ought to be imposed respecting money? How, as we have already seen