The Great Triumvirate Clay Calhoun Webster Henry Clay

The Great Triumvirate Clay, Calhoun, & Webster

Henry Clay • 1777 - Born in Hanover County, VA • 1797 - moved to Lexington, KY • 1806 – 1807 - U. S. Senate • 1810 – 1811 - U. S. Senate • 1811 – 1814 - Speaker of the House • • negotiated Treaty of Ghent 1815 – 1825 Speaker of the House • • American System Missouri Compromise • 1825 - 1829 Sec. of State for J. Q. Adams • 1831 – 1842 - U. S. Senate • • created the compromise tariff to end the Nullification Crisis 1849 – 1852 - U. S. Senate • • “The Great Compromiser” Compromise of 1850 1824, 1832, 1844 – Ran for President “I’d rather be right than president” - Henry Clay

John C. Calhoun • 1782 - Born in in Abbeville, S. C. • 1811 – 1817 - House of Representatives “Champion of States’ Rights” – Member of War Hawks who called for war with Britain in 1812. • 1817 -1825 Sec. of War for James Monroe – sought censure of Andrew Jackson for overstepping his authority by invading Spanish Florida in 1818 • 1825 – 1829 - Vice-President for J. Q. Adams • 1829 – 1832 - Vice-President for Jackson – issued Doctrine of Nullification, resigns in Dec 1832 • 1832 – 1843 - U. S. Senate • 1844 – 1845 - Secretary of State for Tyler – Completed the annexation of Texas • 1845 – 1850 - U. S. Senate – Compromise of 1850 • argued to support slavery and the rights of slave holders; died before the final votes on the parts of the Compromise make it law. “In looking back, I see nothing to regret and little to correct. ” - John C. Calhoun

Daniel Webster • 1782 - Born in Salisbury, New Hampshire • 1813 – 1817 - House of Representatives • 1816 - 1823 - Lawyer in Boston, MA “Defender of the Union” – 1819 – Mc. Culloch vs. Maryland • defended the Bank of the U. S. and won – 1824 – Gibbons vs. Ogden • defended Gibbons and supported the idea that transportation is part of commerce • 1823 – 1827 - House of Representatives • 1827 – 1841 – U. S. Senate – spoke against nullification in the Webster-Hayne Debates • 1836 – Ran for President • 1841 – 1843 – Sec. of State for Tyler – Webster-Ashburton Treaty, 1842, settled the boundary between Maine and Canada • 1845 – 1850 - U. S. Senate – supported the Compromise of 1850 against the wishes of his supporters • 1850 – 1852 – Sec. of State for Fillmore “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable” – Daniel Webster

The Great Triumvirate llll • Between 1812 and 1850 had more impact on American government than any three politicians in American history. Henry Clay John C Calhoun • none were ever elected president • they left a lasting legacy on American politics – more than the presidents of their day could match. Daniel Webster

States’ Rights and Nullification

Sectional Division Country pulled into 3 sections • Northeast, South, & West Regions argued over 3 major economic issues • Public land sale • Internal improvements • Tariffs

Tariff of Abominations Congress passed high tariff under J. Q. Adams • Proposed by Martin van Buren South hated it • They were forced to sell cotton @ low prices to be competitive • Pay high prices for manufactured goods Southern Congressman proposed the doctrine of nullification • Alien and Sedition acts as the model

Nullification Crisis Nullification debate grew in the U. S. Senate: Webster. Hayne Debate Vice-President John C. Calhoun claimed “states should have final authority on whether to follow acts of Congress” He felt states had the right to judge if a law is constitutional Congressmen from South Carolina defended & promoted secession

Presidential Response South hoped for Jackson’s support since he was a supporter of states’ rights Jackson opposed nullification but wanted to save the Union “Our Federal Union: It must be preserved. ” South Carolina passed the Nullification Act and continued to threaten secession “Yes I have; please give my compliments to my friends in your State and say to them, that if a single drop of blood shall be shed there in opposition to the laws of the United States, I will hang the first man I can lay my hand on engaged in such treasonable conduct, upon the first tree I can reach. ”

Compromise Jackson left Calhoun off his ticket in the 1832 election • Chose Martin van Buren as his Vice President Jackson passed the Force Bill • The President could use force to enforce acts of Congress Henry Clay proposed a smaller compromise tariff in the Senate • Congress passed it and S. C. accepted the new tariff