States rights is a term used to describe the ongoing struggle over political power in the united states between the federal government and individual states as broadly outlined in the tenth amendment and whether the usa is a single entity or an amalgamation of independent nations. The debates between daniel webster of massachusetts and robert hayne of south carolina gave fateful utterance to the differing understandings of the nature of the american union that had come to predominate in the north and the south, respectively, by 1830. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The first leaders of the campaign, which took place from about 1830 to 1870, mimicked some of. A wellargued and original book that carefully examines the famous websterhayne debate. The federal government oversteps its boundaries when it becomes involved in states rights by enforcing illegal laws with illegal federal agencies after enacting illegal bills that.
As of the start of 1830, the gregorian calendar was 12 days ahead of the julian. This will be a central book for years to come in the historiography of the early republic and the coming of the civil war. This question would be a major political issue from this time until the civil war was fought to resolve it some 30 years later. The debate over indian removal in the 1830s book, 2011. And by 1830, hayne and his followers believed that daniel webster and the norths vision of union posed a longterm threat to the south and its slaveholding regime based on. In the websterhayne debate, christopher childers focuses on the sharp dispute that engaged webster and hayne in january 1830. Jones, a professor of history at johns hopkins university, is the author of the new book birthright citizens.
Part of jhups witness to history series, the websterhayne debate examines one the great senate debates over the preferred purpose and role of the federal government in the union of states. The debate in the south carolina legislature, in december. In the months that followed, about forty petitions, signed by more than 2,000 virginians, urged the general assembly to. Questia read the fulltext online edition of the great tariff debate, 18201830 1953. He became a state representative in 1808 and in 1811 was elected united states representative until 1817. By no means were webster and hayne the only senators who engaged in debate on the nature of the union. From there he served as secretary of war for president monroe until 1825. Leaders in the states rights debate by emily berg on prezi. Mar 31, 2018 that said, haynes exposition of states rightsor, more starkly, each states rightsmay have lost its contest for constitutional dominance, but it has not been defeated as an idea. Hayne and others of his mindset, only the vigilant protection of states rights. One of the great debates in american history took place in the u. In response, states rights advocates pushed for passage of the eleventh amendment, which limits the rights of persons to sue a state in federal court.
It provides, the powers not delegated to the united states by the constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people. Facts, information and articles about states rights, one of the causes of the civil war. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. The websterhayne debate johns hopkins university press books. The great debates robert haynes 1830 senate speech. The debate moved beyond the exchange of alternative views on how to administer the federal government to accusations and recriminations about the destruction of the federal government and the union. Ap united states history 2010 scoring guidelines form b.
Senator robert hayne of south carolina gave a long, impassioned, eloquent speech in favor of the idea, pointing out that it was the only way a state could safeguard its interests and not be dominated by. The haynewebster debate was an unplanned series of speeches in the senate, during which robert hayne of south carolina interpreted the constitution as little more than a treaty between sovereign states, and daniel webster expressed the concept of the united states as one nation. The debate of the south carolina legislature, in december. What two men debated the issue of states rights in 1830 answers. In america, a land of immigrants, the question of whose rights were primary, and on what basis, was centuries old. However, if there is states rights and one state messes up, the worst that can happen is that it messes with the states around it, not the entire nation. The debate occurred in january 1830 just prior the senate debate about the removal act. Well over a score of the senates members spoke in response in sixtyfive speeches all.
This change has been described by legal critics as the loss of a. That compromise limited debate at the national level for 30 years. States rights were affected by the fundamental alteration of the federal government resulting from the seventeenth amendment, depriving state governments of an avenue of control over the federal government via the representation of each states legislature in the u. The websterhayne debate consists of speeches delivered in the united states senate in january of 1830. The first leaders of the campaign, which took place from about 1830 to. In 1798, thomas jefferson and james madison proposed the virginia and kentucky resolves to clarify the role of states in checking the powers of the federal government. Politics and government, united states, united states 1st congress, 17891791. Everyone interested in the overall design of the constitution ratified by the several states in 1788 should read this book. 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. Busick, carey roberts, editors a public debate carried on by president john quincy adams and vice president john c. The debate over indian removal in the 1830s the us congress, in 1830, voted on the issue of what rights indians had to land and independence in north america, continuing a discussion older than the american colonies.
The civil war was not to end slavery but bring the south back into. The several speeches made during the debate in the senate of the united states. Most historians have treated josephs june 11 filing as the sole event necessary to vest in him all legal rights to the book of mormon. The south wanted to secede from the union during the 1830s because it had unfair treatment towards slavery and states rights. In the senate, a january 26, 1830, debate on whether to stop selling public land in the west gradually turned into a debate on nullification. And in this book she paints slaves and negro people in united states as vile, despicable, full of misery, hyper violent, hyper sexual, inferior therefore justifying slavery. Senate over the doctrine of nullificationthe websterhayne debate of 1830. The south wanted to secede from the union during the 1830 s because it had unfair treatment towards slavery and states rights. The act allowed the president to grant lands taken from indian tribes west of the mississippi in exchange for indian lands within the organized states, but it did not compel tribes to accept such exchanges see text of indian removal act and andrew jacksons 1830 message to. To webster the union was the indivisible expression of one nation of people. Due to the many problems that arose from attempting to govern effectively under the articles of confederation it became necessary for our founders to start over and draft a new document that would centralize power in a federal government.
The 1828 websters dictionary defines publish as meaning to send a book into the world. Congress 17891791 sketches of debate in the first senate of the united states, in 17899091 subjects. The great tariff debate, 18201830, 1953 online research. The abolitionist movement was an organized effort to end the practice of slavery in the united states. What two men debated the issue of states rights in 1830. The debate moved beyond the exchange of alternative views on how to administer the federal government to accusations and recriminations. The virginia slavery debate occurred in the house of delegates during its 18311832 session and was prompted by a slave insurrection in august 1831 led by nat turner. The book written by mary henderson, depicting the benefit of slavery.
Andrew jackson was a president of the united states of america and the founder of the democratic party. The tenth amendment, ratified in 1791 along with the rest of the bill of rights, remains in effect. In a speech equally aroused as haynes, and laced with historical references, constitutional argument, and heavy doses of sarcasm, webster rejected haynes attacks and painted a picture of an optimistic nationalism that stood in. The websterhayne debate on the nature of the union essentially is the nationalist interpretation visavis the compact interpretation of the union. The federal govt exists for national emergencies and wartime. He argued that states could ignore federal laws that violated constitutional rights. Henry clay april 12, 1777june 29, 1852 born in hanover county, virginia married to lucretia hart clay with eleven children representartive from kentuckys 5th district 181118 2nd district 181814, 18151821 3rd district 18231825 8th, 10th and th speaker of the united. Source for information on moral debates on slavery. Rare book and special collections division, library of congress 115.
The websterhayne debate on the nature of the constitution. Sep 26, 20 however, if there is states rights and one state messes up, the worst that can happen is that it messes with the states around it, not the entire nation. A presidential statement warning that nullification and disunion were. Liberty and republicanism in american political thought lee cheek, sean r.
And by 1830, hayne and his followers believed that daniel webster and the norths vision of union posed a longterm threat to the south and its slaveholding regime based on agriculture, especially cotton. The websterhayne debate johns hopkins university press. Was it a confederation of sovereign states or a nation headed by a central government. What two men held a famous debate in the senate over states. Fourth, and closely tied to the states rights issue, was the debate over slaverythe most divisive issue the nation had yet faced. During senate discussion of western land policy, childers explains, the senators exchanges grew first earnest and then heated, finally landing on the question of unionits nature and its value in a federal republic. The great tariff debate, 18201830, 1953 online research library. Given these reasons, it is simply illogical to support a strong national government and weak states. States senate, the debate over the nature of the union took an alarming turn. Indeed an attempt by senator robert hayne of south carolina to gather western support for southern interests was the catalyst for a famous debate between hayne and daniel webster of massachusetts about the relationship of states to the federal government. A theory of government called nullification dummies.
Senator daniel webster of massachusetts responded with a ringing defense of the federal governments power to establish policies benefiting all americans. In the united states the american civil war 18611865 is one of the most significant events in american history, and in the years prior to this precipitous event the debates over slavery constitute one of the most dominating themes in american life. The debate cemented the image of daniel webster, as a legendary defender of constitution. The compromise of 1850 was made up of five bills that attempted to resolve disputes over slavery in new territories added to the united states in the. By 1830, however, the growing abolitionist movement gave pause to defenders of slavery in the southern states, and they sought ways to inhibit the federal power to outlaw the practice. The history behind the birthright citizenship battle the. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Project muse the websterhayne debate on the nature of. The first formal protests against slavery in the colonies of north america were heard in the late seventeenth century, at the same time that the system was taking root. The websterhayne debate on the nature of the union. A history of race and rights in antebellum america. Between 1820 and 1860, more and more northerners came to realize the horrors and injustices of slavery, while southerners grew increasingly.
What two men held a famous debate in the senate over. Copyright laws and the 1830 book of mormon byu studies. Liberty first, and union afterwards, hayne proclaimed. The southern way of life, according to hayne, required the constant protection of states rights and state sovereignty. Historian forest mcdonald avows, the constitution would be a compact not among sovereign states, as was the 1781 articles of confederation, nor a lockean compact between ruler and ruled.
In january 1830, in a dramatic encounter on the floor of the united states senate, the debate over the nature of the union took an alarming turn. The websterhayne debate was a series of unplanned speeches in the senate between january 19th and 27th of 1830 between senator daniel webster of massachusetts and senator robert y. Even now, cities and states seek to limit traditional federal power over immigration and other aspects of national sovereignty by interposition and. Moral debates on slaveryin the united states the american civil war 18611865 is one of the most significant events in american history, and in the years prior to this precipitous event the debates over slavery constitute one of the most dominating themes in american life. Before his election he murdered many of his fellow men and lived a life of depravity unmatched, so far as we know, by any other american president. Constitutionally speaking state laws supersede federal law. Project muse the websterhayne debate on the nature of the.