Tariff of 1828

The Tariff of 1828 was known by its detractors as the Tariff of Abominations.

Following the election of John Quincy Adams in 1824, the supporters of Andrew Jackson were looking for an issue to bring New Englanders to the Jacksonian cause. Chief among these schemers was John C. Calhoun, who had been Jackson's running mate in many states during the 1824 election.

The Adams's supporters in Congress (such as Henry Clay and Daniel Webster), who were quickly adopting the party name National Republicans (after Jackson's election they'll become known as the Whigs), proposed a program of economic nationalism and included higher tariffs on imported manufactures. The Tariff of 1824, favored New England and Middle State manufacturers of woolen and cotton textiles and of metal goods. With Henry Clay's backing, Kentucky got protection of its hemp production. Other taxed items included sugar, molasses, coffee, and salt.

But Southerners and Westerners generally opposed high tariffs as European goods were often cheaper or at least competitive to domestic manufactures, and the Southern and Western states manufactured little and imported much.

Because the Congressional sentiment seemed to favor protectionism, Calhoun hatched a plan whereby Jacksonian supporters everywhere could claim victory and advance Jackson's presidential prospects during the 1828 election year. The plan called for outrageously high duties on the importation of raw materials used by New England industries. New England Jacksonians could claim to support a higher tariff, since this would be their measure. Southern and Western Jacksonians would band together with New England National Republicans (who Calhoun counted on to favor cheap imports of raw materials) to defeat the measure.

John Randolph saw clearly Calhoun's intent and denounced the proposed legislation: "referred to manufactures of no sort or kind but the manufacture of a President of the United States."

However the plan, much like Clay's bank rechartering scheme of 1832, backfired. Martin Van Buren came out in favor of the bill as did New England National Republicans. Both proposed even higher and more extensive duties. All of which passed as the Tariff of 1828. And because the tariffs were so high, the whole law became known as "abominations."

Calhoun then found himself in the difficult position of arguing against the measure that he fathered. He anonymously wrote the South Carolina Exposition and Protest to explain southern opposition to the tariff and promoted the doctrine of nullification.

Calhoun's plan, though, did have the desired effect of inspiring Jacksonian supporters as the Tariff of Abominations became a major election year issue in 1828.