评论
打印
Welcome to the MAKING OF A NATION –American history in VOA Special English. Andrew Jackson served as president ofthe United States from eighteen twenty-nine to eighteen thirty-seven. His firstterm seemed to be mostly a political battle with Vice President John C.Calhoun. Calhoun wanted to be the next president. Jackson believed hissecretary of state, Martin Van Buren, would be a better president. And VanBuren wanted the job. He won the president's support partly because of his helpin settling a serious political dispute. This week in our series, Harry Monroeand Kay Gallant continue the story of Andrew Jackson and his presidency.
President Jackson's cabinet was in greatdisorder. Vice President Calhoun was trying to force out Secretary of War JohnEaton. Eaton would not resign, and the president would not dismiss him. VanBuren designed a plan to gain Eaton's resignation. One morning, as Jacksondiscussed his cabinet problems, Van Buren said: "There is only one thing,general, that will bring you peace -- my resignation." "Never,"said Jackson. Van Buren explained how his resignation would solve a number ofJackson's political problems. Jackson did not want to let Van Buren go. But thenext day, he told Van Buren that he would never stop any man who wished toleave. The president wanted to discuss the resignation with his other advisers.Van Buren agreed. He also said it might be best if Secretary of War Eaton wereat the meeting. The advisers accepted Van Buren's resignation. Then they wentto Van Buren's house for dinner. On the way, Eaton said: "Gentlemen, thisis all wrong. I am the one who should resign!" Van Buren said Eaton mustbe sure of such a move. Eaton was sure. President Jackson accepted Eaton'sdecision as he had accepted Van Buren's. But he was unwilling to give upcompletely the services of his two friends. He named Van Buren to be ministerto Britain. And he told Eaton that he would help him get elected again to theSenate. Jackson then dismissed the remaining members of his cabinet. He wasfree to organize a new cabinet that would be loyal to him and not to VicePresident Calhoun.
Evenwith a new cabinet, Jackson still faced the problem of nullification. SouthCarolina politicians, led by Calhoun, continued to claim that states had theright to reject -- nullify -- a federal law which they believed was bad. Jacksonasked a congressman from South Carolina to give a message to the nullifiers inhis state. "Tell them," Jackson said, "that they can talk andwrite resolutions and print threats to their hearts' content. But if one dropof blood is shed there in opposition to the laws of the United States, I willhang the first man I can get my hands on to the first tree I can find." Someonequestioned if Jackson would go so far as to hang someone. A man answered:"When Jackson begins to talk about hanging, they can begin to look for theropes." The nullifiers held a majority of seats in South Carolina'slegislature at that time. They called a special convention. Within five days,convention delegates approved a declaration of nullification. They declaredthat the federal import tax laws of eighteen twenty-eight and eighteenthirty-two were unconstitutional, and therefore, cancelled. They said citizensof South Carolina need not pay the tax. The nullifiers also declared that ifthe federal government tried to use force against South Carolina, then thestate would withdraw from the union and form its own independent government.
President Jackson answered with adeclaration of his own. Jackson said America's constitution formed agovernment, not just an association of sovereign states. South Carolina had noright to cancel a federal law or to withdraw from the union. Disunion by forcewas treason. Jackson said: "The laws of the United States must beenforced. This is my duty under the Constitution. I have no other choice."Jackson did more. He asked Congress to give him the power to use the Army andNavy to enforce the laws of the land. Congress did so. Jackson sent eightwarships to the port of Charleston, South Carolina, and soldiers to federalmilitary bases in the state. While preparing to use force, Jackson offered hopefor a peaceful settlement. In his yearly message to Congress, he spoke ofreducing the federal import tax which hurt the sale of southern cottonoverseas. He said the import tax could be reduced, because the national debtwould soon be paid. Congress passed a compromise bill to end the import tax byeighteen forty-two. South Carolina's congressmen accepted the compromise. Andthe state's legislature called another convention. This time, the delegatesvoted to end the nullification act they had approved earlier. They did not,however, give up their belief in the idea of nullification. The idea continuedto be a threat to the American union until the issue was settled in the CivilWar which began in eighteen sixty-one.
While President Jackson battled thenullifiers, another struggle began. This time, it was Jackson against the Bankof the United States. Congress provided money to establish the Bank of theUnited States in eighteen sixteen. It gave the bank a charter to do businessfor twenty years. The bank was permitted to use the government's money to makeloans. For this, the bank paid the government one and one-half million dollarsa year. The bank was run by private citizens. The Bank of the United States wasstrong, because of the great amount of government money invested in it. Thebank's paper notes were almost as good as gold. They came close to being anational money system. The bank opened offices in many parts of the country. Asit grew, it became more powerful. By making it easy or difficult for businessesto borrow money, the bank could control the economy of almost any part of theUnited States. During Jackson's presidency, the Bank of the United States washeaded by Nicholas Biddle. Biddle was an extremely intelligent man. He hadcompleted studies at the University of Pennsylvania when he was only thirteenyears old. When he was eighteen, he was sent to Paris as secretary to theAmerican minister. Biddle worked on financial details of the purchase of theLouisiana territory from France. After America's war against Britain ineighteen twelve, Biddle helped establish the Bank of the United States. Hebecame its president when he was only thirty-seven years old.
Biddleclearly understood his power as president of the Bank of the United States. Inhis mind, the government had no right to interfere in any way with the bank'sbusiness. President Jackson did not agree. Nor was he very friendly toward thebank. Not many westerners were. They did not trust the bank's paper money. Theywanted to deal in gold and silver. Jackson criticized the bank in each of hisyearly messages to Congress. He said the Bank of the United States wasdangerous to the liberty of the people. He said the bank could build up or pulldown political parties through loans to politicians. Jackson opposed giving thebank a new charter. He proposed that a new bank be formed as part of theTreasury Department. The president urged Congress to consider the future of thebank long before the bank's charter was to end. Then, if the charter wasrejected, the bank could close its business slowly over several years. Thiswould prevent serious economic problems for the country. Many of PresidentJackson's advisers believed he should say nothing about the bank until afterthe presidential election of eighteen thirty-two. They feared he might lose thevotes of those who supported the bank. Jackson accepted their advice. He agreednot to act on the issue, if bank president Biddle would not request renewal ofthe charter before the election. Biddle agreed. Then he changed his mind. Heasked Congress for a new charter in January eighteen thirty-two. The requestbecame a hot political issue in the presidential campaign.
