When they shall become dissatisfied with this distribution, they can alter it. . Daniel webster, in a dramatic speech, showed the. The United States, under the Constitution and federal government, was a single, unified nation, not a coalition of sovereign states. The Webster-Hayne Debate: Defining Nationhood in the Early American . The debate can be seen as a precursor to the debate that became . . Our notion of things is entirely different. Between January and May 1830, twenty-one of the forty-eight senators delivered a staggering sixty-five speeches on the nature of the Union. Those who are in favor of consolidation; who are constantly stealing power from the states and adding strength to the federal government; who, assuming an unwarrantable jurisdiction over the states and the people, undertake to regulate the whole industry and capital of the country. An equally talented orator, Webster rose as the advocate of the North in the debate with his captivating reply to Hayne's initial argument. I admit that there is an ultimate violent remedy, above the Constitution, and in defiance of the Constitution, which may be resorted to, when a revolution is to be justified. . Rush-Bagot Treaty Structure & Effects | What was the Rush-Bagot Agreement? You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll hopefully stay awake until the end of the lesson. The United States' democratic process was evolving and its leaders were putting the newly ratified Constitution into practice. Compare And Contrast The Tension Between North And South All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. . Webster rose the next day in his seat to make his reply. If the gentleman provokes the war, he shall have war. . . Several state governments or courts, some in the north, had espoused the idea of nullification prior to 1828. . Conversation-based seminars for collegial PD, one-day and multi-day seminars, graduate credit seminars (MA degree), online and in-person. It laid the interdict against personal servitude, in original compact, not only deeper than all local law, but deeper, also, than all local constitutions. Far, indeed, in my wishes, very far distant be the day, when our associated and fraternal stripes shall be severed asunder, and when that happy constellation under which we have risen to so much renown, shall be broken up, and be seen sinking, star after star, into obscurity and night! What idea was espoused with the Webster-Hayne debates? Daniel webster (ma) and sen. Hayne of . The Senate debates between Whig Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and Democrat Senator Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina in January 1830 started out as a disagreement over the sale of Western lands and turned into one of the most famous verbal contests in American history. Webster-Hayne Debates, 1830 - Bill of Rights Institute The Webster-Hayne Debate | Overview, Issues & Significance - Study On this subject, as in all others, we ask nothing of our Northern brethren but to let us alone; leave us to the undisturbed management of our domestic concerns, and the direction of our own industry, and we will ask no more. Webster-Hayne debate - Wikisource, the free online library Finding our lot cast among a people, whom God had manifestly committed to our care, we did not sit down to speculate on abstract questions of theoretical liberty. Sir, an immense national treasury would be a fund for corruption. It was a great and salutary measure of prevention. I deem far otherwise of the Union of the states; and so did the Framers of the Constitution themselves. Sir, there exists, moreover, a deep and settled conviction of the benefits, which result from a close connection of all the states, for purposes of mutual protection and defense. Let their last feeble and lingering glance, rather behold the gorgeous Ensign of the Republic, now known and honored throughout the earth, still full high advanced, its arms and trophies streaming in their original luster, not a stripe erased or polluted, nor a single star obscuredbearing for its motto, no such miserable interrogatory as, what is all this worth? . Perhaps a quotation from a speech in Parliament in 1803 of Lord Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry (17691822) during a debate over the conduct of British officials in India. . They ordained such a government; they gave it the name of a Constitution, and therein they established a distribution of powers between this, their general government, and their several state governments. The honorable member himself is not, I trust, and can never be, one of these. If the federal government, in all or any of its departments, are to prescribe the limits of its own authority; and the states are bound to submit to the decision, and are not to be allowed to examine and decide for themselves, when the barriers of the Constitution shall be overleaped, this is practically a government without limitation of powers; the states are at once reduced to mere petty corporations, and the people are entirely at your mercy. Web hardcover $30.00 paperback $17.00 kindle nook book ibook. Webster-Hayne debate - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Noah grew a vineyard, got drunk on wine and lay naked. . The dominant historical opinion of the famous debate between Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and Robert Young Hayne of South Carolina which took place in the United States Senate in 1830 has long been that Webster defeated Hayne both as an orator and a statesman. 1830's APUSH Flashcards | Quizlet Sir, if we are, then vain will be our attempt to maintain the Constitution under which we sit. Hayne was a great orator, filled with fiery passion and eloquent prose. Wilmot Proviso of 1846: Overview & Significance | What was the Wilmot Proviso? Webster scoffed at the idea of consolidation, labeling it "that perpetual cry, both of terror and delusion." What Hayne and his supporters actually meant to do, Webster claimed, was to resist those means that might strengthen the bonds of common interest. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. If the government of the United States be the agent of the state governments, then they may control it, provided they can agree in the manner of controlling it; if it be the agent of the people, then the people alone can control it, restrain it, modify, or reform it. Religious Views: Letter to the Editor of the Illin Democratic Party Platform 1860 (Douglas Faction), (Northern) Democratic Party Platform Committee. I will struggle while I have life, for our altars and our fire sides, and if God gives me strength, I will drive back the invader discomfited. This debate exposed the critically different understandings of the nature of the American. . The tendency of all these ideas and sentiments is obviously to bring the Union into discussion, as a mere question of present and temporary expediency; nothing more than a mere matter of profit and loss. Nullification, Webster maintained, was a political absurdity. He tells us, we have heard much, of late, about consolidation; that it is the rallying word for all who are endeavoring to weaken the Union by adding to the power of the states. But consolidation, says the gentleman, was the very object for which the Union was formed; and in support of that opinion, he read a passage from the address of the president of the Convention[3] to Congress (which he assumes to be authority on his side of the question.) Sir, we will not stop to inquire whether the black man, as some philosophers have contended, is of an inferior race, nor whether his color and condition are the effects of a curse inflicted for the offences of his ancestors. President Andrew Jackson had just been elected, most of the states got rid of property requirements for voting, and an entire new era of democracy was being born. So soon as the cessions were obtained, it became necessary to make provision for the government and disposition of the territory . But still, throughout American history, several debates have captured the nation's attention in a way that would make even Hollywood jealous. . TEST: THE WESTWARD MOVEMENT Flashcards | Quizlet These irreconcilable views of national supremacy and state sovereignty framed the constitutional struggle that led to Civil War thirty years later. I understand the honorable gentleman from South Carolina to maintain, that it is a right of the state legislatures to interfere, whenever, in their judgment, this government transcends its constitutional limits, and to arrest the operation of its laws. . . It was motivated by a dispute over the continued sale of western lands, an important source of revenue for the federal government. It develops the gentlemans whole political system; and its answer expounds mine. The main issue of the Webster-Hayne Debate was the nature of the country that had been created by the Constitution. . Create your account, 15 chapters | . In fact, Webster's definition of the Constitution as for the People, by the People, and answerable to the People would go on to form one of the most enduring ideas about American democracy. . . He joined Hayne in using this opportunity to try to detach the West from the East, and restore the old cooperation of the West and the South against New England. Francis O. J. Smith to Secretary of State Dan Special Message to the House of Representatives, Special Message to Congress on Mexican Relations. . . There was an end to all apprehension. The speech is also known for the line Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable, which would subsequently become the state motto of North Dakota, appearing on the state seal. Inflamed and mortified at this repulse, Hayne soon returned to the assault, primed with a two-day speech, which at great length vaunted the patriotism of South Carolina and bitterly attacked New England, dwelling particularly upon her conduct during the late war. Sir, I have had some opportunities of making comparisons between the condition of the free Negroes of the North and the slaves of the South, and the comparison has left not only an indelible impression of the superior advantages of the latter, but has gone far to reconcile me to slavery itself. This seemed like an Eastern spasm of jealousy at the progress of the West. We had no other general government. The scene depicted in the painting is Webster concluding his debate with Senator Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina. More specifically, some of the issues facing Congress during this period included: Robert Y. Hayne served as Senator of South Carolina from 1823 to 1832. I understand the gentleman to maintain, that, without revolution, without civil commotion, without rebellion, a remedy for supposed abuse and transgression of the powers of the general government lies in a direct appeal to the interference of the state governments. Tariff of 1816 History & Significance | What was the Tariff of 1816? The honorable gentleman from Massachusetts [Senator Daniel Webster] has gone out of his way to pass a high eulogium on the state of Ohio. This will co-operate with the feelings of patriotism to induce a state to avoid any measures calculated to endanger that connection. In our contemplation, Carolina and Ohio are parts of the same country; states, united under the same general government, having interests, common, associated, intermingled. A four-speech debate between Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and Robert Hayne of South Carolina, in January 1830. And now, Mr. President, let me run the honorable gentlemans doctrine a little into its practical application. Let us look at the historical facts. The discussion took a wide range, going back to topics that had agitated the country before the Constitution was formed. All regulated governments, all free governments, have been broken up by similar disinterested and well-disposed interference! The debate itself, a nine-day long unplanned exchange between Senators Robert Y. Hayne and Daniel Webster, directly addressed the methods by which the federal government was generating revenue, namely through protective tariffs and the selling of federal lands in the newly acquired western territories. We will not look back to inquire whether our fathers were guiltless in introducing slaves into this country. One of the most storied match-ups in Senate history, the 1830 Webster-Hayne debate began with a beef between Northeast states and Western states over a plan to restrict . . But to remove all doubt it is expressly declared, by the 10th article of the amendment of the Constitution, that the powers not delegated to the states, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.. . The answer is Daniel Webster, one of the greatest orators in US Senate history, a successful attorney and Senator from Massachusetts and a complex and enigmatic man. What started as a debate over the Tariff of Abominations soon morphed into debates over state and federal sovereignty and liberty and disunion. I have but one word more to add. This feeling, always carefully kept alive, and maintained at too intense a heat to admit discrimination or reflection, is a lever of great power in our political machine. . The Destiny of America, Speech at the Dedication o An Address. . These debates transformed into a national crisis when South Carolina threatened . . No doubt can exist, that, before the states entered into the compact, they possessed the right to the fullest extent, of determining the limits of their own powersit is incident to all sovereignty. Which of the following is the best definition of a hypothesis? Foote Idea To Limit The Sale Of Public Lands In The West To New Settlers. The Webster-Hayne debate concluded with Webster's ringing endorsement of "Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable." In contrast, Hayne espoused the radical states' rights doctrine of nullification, believing that a state could prevent a federal law from being enforced within its borders. . Pet Banks History & Effects | What are Pet Banks? .Readers will finish the book with a clear idea of the reason Webster's "Reply" became so influential in its own day. The Significance of the Frontier in American Histo South Carolinas Ordinance of Nullification. . They attack nobody, and menace nobody. Webster and the North treated it as binding the states together as a single union. Webster spoke in favor of the proposed pause of federal surveyance of western land, representing the North's interest in selling the western land, which had already been surveyed. He was a lawyer turned congressional representative who eventually worked his way to the office of U.S. Secretary of State. She has a BA in political science. They undertook to form a general government, which should stand on a new basisnot a confederacy, not a league, not a compact between states, but a Constitution; a popular government, founded in popular election, directly responsible to the people themselves, and divided into branches, with prescribed limits of power, and prescribed duties. It cannot be doubted, and is not denied, that before the formation of the constitution, each state was an independent sovereignty, possessing all the rights and powers appertaining to independent nations; nor can it be denied that, after the Constitution was formed, they remained equally sovereign and independent, as to all powers, not expressly delegated to the federal government. Sir, I am one of those who believe that the very life of our system is the independence of the states, and that there is no evil more to be deprecated than the consolidation of this government. But that was found insufficient, and inadequate to the public exigencies. Hayne's First Speech (January 19, 1830) Webster's First Reply to Hayne (January 20, 1830) Hayne's Second Speech (January 21, 1830) Webster's Second Reply to Hayne (January 26-27, 1830) This page was last edited on 13 June 2021, at . sir, this is but the old story. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you . Hayne and the South saw it as basically a treaty between sovereign states. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Sir, when arraigned before the bar of public opinion, on this charge of slavery, we can stand up with conscious rectitude, plead not guilty, and put ourselves upon God and our country. . Ah! What was going on? . . First, New England was vindicated. State governments were in control of their own affairs and expected little intervention from the federal government. But it was the honor of a caste; and the struggling bread-winners of society, the great commonalty, he little studied or understood. . Excerpts from Ratification Documents of Virginia a Ratifying Conventions>New York Ratifying Convention. . An equally. . But until they shall alter it, it must stand as their will, and is equally binding on the general government and on the states. The Webster-Hayne Debate: Defining Nationhood in the Early American . Mr. Webster arose, and, in conclusion, said: A few words, Mr. President, on this constitutional argument, which the honorable gentleman has labored to reconstruct. But his standpoint was purely local and sectional. The Webster-Hayne debates began over one issue but quickly switched to another. 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During the course of the debates, the senators touched on pressing political issues of the daythe tariff, Western lands, internal improvementsbecause behind these and others were two very different understandings of the origin and nature of the American Union. As sovereign states, each state could individually interpret the Constitution and even leave the Union altogether. To them, this was a scheme to give the federal government more control over the cost of land by creating a scarcity. Southern ships and Southern sailors were not the instruments of bringing slaves to the shores of America, nor did our merchants reap the profits of that accursed traffic.. Speech to the U.S. House of Representatives. Sheidley, Harlow W. "The Wester-Hayne Debate: Recasting New England's Sectionalism", Virginia and Kentucky resolutions of 179899, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WebsterHayne_debate&oldid=1135315190, This page was last edited on 23 January 2023, at 22:54. Sir, as to the doctrine that the federal government is the exclusive judge of the extent as well as the limitations of its powers, it seems to be utterly subversive of the sovereignty and independence of the states. . Nullification, Webster maintained, was a political absurdity. He was dressed with scrupulous care, in a blue coat with metal buttons, a buff vest rounding over his full abdomen, and his neck encircled with a white cravat. Explore the Webster-Hayne debate. The idea of a strong federal government The ability of the people to revolt against an unfair government The theory that the states' may vote against unfair laws The role of the president in commanding the government 2 See answers Advertisement holesstanham Answer: . South Carolina nullification was now coming in sight, and a celebrated debate that belongs to the first session exposed its claims and its fallacies to the country. What followed, the Webster Hayne debate, was one of the most famous exchanges in Senate history. . Hayne quotes from the Virginia Resolution (1798), authored by Thomas Jefferson, to protest the Alien and Sedition Acts (1798). The Confederation was, in strictness, a compact; the states, as states, were parties to it. Some of Webster's personal friends had felt nervous over what appeared to them too hasty a period for preparation. . Now, have they given away that right, or agreed to limit or restrict it in any respect? The Curious Case of Evangelist Pat Robertson | Winter Watch They significantly declare, that it is time to calculate the value of the Union; and their aim seems to be to enumerate, and to magnify all the evils, real and imaginary, which the government under the Union produces. Compare And Contrast The Tension Between North And South. . I regard domestic slavery as one of the greatest of evils, both moral and political. . I understand him to maintain this right, as a right existing under the Constitution; not as a right to overthrow it, on the ground of extreme necessity, such as would justify violent revolution. . . . . While the debaters argued about slavery, the economy, protection tariffs, and western land, the real implication was the meaning of the United States Constitution. Which of the following statements best represents the desires of the Northern states during the debate of Missouri statehood? But his calm, unperturbed manner reassured them in an instant. The Webster-Hayne Debate between New Hampshire Senator Daniel Webster and South Carolina Senator Robert Young Hayne highlighted the sectional nature of the controversy. . In whatever is within the proper sphere of the constitutional power of this government, we look upon the states as one. . Prejudice Not Natural: The American Colonization "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? What they said I believe; fully and sincerely believe, that the Union of the states is essential to the prosperity and safety of the states. And here it will be necessary to go back to the origin of the federal government. New England, the Union, and the Constitution in its integrity, all were triumphantly vindicated. Address to the People of the United States, by the What are the main points of difference between Webster and Hayne, especially on the question of the nature of the Union and the Constitution? See what I mean? I distrust, therefore, sir, the policy of creating a great permanent national treasury, whether to be derived from public lands or from any other source. As a pious son of Federalism, Webster went the full length of the required defense. succeed. The excited crowd which had packed the Senate chamber, filling every seat on the floor and in the galleries, and all the available standing room, dispersed after the orator's last grand apostrophe had died away in the air, with national pride throbbing at the heart. . Well, it's important to remember that the nation was still young and much different than what we think of today. . Webster replied to his speech the next day and left not a shred of the charge, baseless as it was. After his term as a senator, he served as the Governor of South Carolina. Thirty years before the Civil War broke out, disunion appeared to be on the horizon with the Nullification Crisis. The War With Mexico: Speech in the United States H What Are the Colored People Doing for Themselves? Robert Young Hayne | American politician | Britannica Sir, we narrow-minded people of New England do not reason thus. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. We met it as a practical question of obligation and duty. Lincoln-Douglas Debates History & Significance | What Was the Lincoln-Douglas Debate? . Webster believed that the Constitution should be viewed as a binding document between the United States rather than an agreement between sovereign states. Sir, I should fear the rebuke of no intelligent gentleman of Kentucky, were I to ask whether, if such an ordinance could have been applied to his own state, while it yet was a wilderness, and before Boone had passed the gap of the Alleghany, he does not suppose it would have contributed to the ultimate greatness of that commonwealth? They will also better understand the debate's political context. Nor shall I stop there. Winners and Losers History's Famous Debates - Medium Webster scoffed at the idea of consolidation, labeling it "that perpetual cry, both of terror and delusion." What Hayne and his supporters actually meant to do, Webster claimed, was to resist those means that might strengthen the bonds of common interest. . . Differences between Northern and Southern ideas of good governance, which eventually led to the American Civil War, were beginning to emerge. Northern states intended to strengthen the federal government, binding the states in the union under one supreme law, and eradicating the use of slave labor in the rapidly growing nation. MTEL Speech: Public Discourse & Debate in the U.S. . Allow me to say, as a preliminary remark, that I call this the South Carolina doctrine, only because the gentleman himself has so denominated it. It was of a partizan and censorious character and drew nearly all the chief senators out.