Malcolm Rivera
Andrew Jackson's relationship with the Constitution was a complex one. On the one hand, Jackson consistently pursued policies that upheld the language and intent of the Constitution and protected the rights of the common people. He believed in a strict construction of the Constitution and states' rights. However, he also believed that when the Constitution delegated power to the federal government, the federal government had to be supreme. This belief led to the Nullification Crisis, during which Jackson asserted the supremacy of federal law over state law, signing the Compromise Tariff and the Force Bill into law in 1833. Jackson also expanded the power of the executive branch by using the presidential veto for political reasons, not just when he felt a law was unconstitutional. In 1834, Jackson became the first president to face a censure motion, which accused him of assuming upon himself authority and power not conferred by the Constitution and laws.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did Andrew Jackson sign the Constitution? | No |
| Did Andrew Jackson uphold the Constitution? | Yes, according to some sources. No, according to others. |
| Did Andrew Jackson face a censure motion? | Yes, in 1834. |
| Did Andrew Jackson veto the Bank Bill? | Yes, in 1832. |
| Did Andrew Jackson sign the Compromise Tariff and Force Bill into law? | Yes, in 1833. |
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What You'll Learn
Andrew Jackson's interpretation of the Constitution
In response, South Carolinians, led by John C. Calhoun, then the vice president, articulated a doctrine of nullification. They argued that since the federal Constitution was a compact between the states, the states had the power to declare a law unconstitutional. This doctrine directly challenged Jackson's interpretation of federal supremacy. Despite this challenge, Jackson did not back down, and the crisis escalated.
During his presidency, Jackson also demonstrated his interpretation of the Constitution through his actions on Indian removal. He signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which authorized the President to negotiate removal treaties with Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi River. By the end of his presidency, Jackson's administration had negotiated nearly 70 removal treaties, leading to the relocation of approximately 50,000 eastern Indians to what later became eastern Oklahoma. This opened up 25 million acres of land to white settlement and the expansion of slavery.
Jackson justified these removals by claiming that they would incalculably strengthen the southwestern frontier. He believed that clearing Alabama and Mississippi of their Indian populations would "enable those states to advance rapidly in population, wealth, and power." This interpretation of the Constitution, prioritizing federal power and state interests, guided Jackson's presidency and had a significant impact on the country's direction, particularly regarding Indian removal and states' rights.
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The Nullification Crisis
Andrew Jackson's beliefs about the Constitution and his role as President were central to his presidency and resulted in the first-ever censure motion against a sitting President. Jackson's beliefs about the Constitution were also central to the Nullification Crisis.
In response to South Carolina's nullification of the tariff, President Jackson sent a proclamation to Congress on December 10, 1832, giving his views on the Constitution and the measures adopted by South Carolina's State Convention. Jackson's proclamation led to the Compromise Tariff and the Force Bill, which he signed into law on March 2, 1833. South Carolina rescinded its nullification of the tariffs but then nullified the Force Bill as an act of principle. The crisis was over, but it revealed the depths of alienation that existed among the cotton planters of the Deep South as early as the 1830s.
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The Indian Removal Act
Andrew Jackson did not sign the United States Constitution. However, as President, he did sign the Indian Removal Act into law on May 28, 1830.
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Andrew Jackson's expansion of the executive branch
Andrew Jackson did not sign the Constitution. However, he did leave a lasting mark on the presidency and American politics. Jackson's expansion of the executive branch was a significant aspect of his legacy.
Jackson took a bold stance against the legislative branch, positioning himself as the "people's tribune" and their protector against special interests and Congress. He actively challenged legislative supremacy, a move that was unprecedented at the time. Jackson's expansion of the executive branch was characterized by his dominance over his cabinet and his willingness to remove members who disagreed with him. He went through four secretaries of state and five secretaries of the treasury during his two terms.
Jackson's expansion of the executive branch was also evident in his approach to financial matters. He fought against the Second Bank of the United States, believing that his stance would aid the common man against aristocrats. In June 1833, he informed his cabinet of his decision to withdraw the government's money from the Bank, despite opposition from Whigs and some Democrats. This move highlighted Jackson's determination to exert control over financial policies and the economic direction of the country.
Another example of Jackson's expansion of the executive branch was his handling of appointments and dismissals. He exercised strict control over the Executive Branch, as evidenced by his removal of Treasury Secretary William Duane, who refused to cooperate with Jackson's financial plans. Jackson's actions raised questions about the president's constitutional authority to dismiss officials appointed by the previous administration without Senate approval.
Jackson's bold initiatives and domineering style led to his nickname, "King Andrew," reflecting the concern of his opponents about executive overreach. Jackson's expansion of the executive branch had a lasting impact on the presidency and set a precedent for future occupants of the office.
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The first-ever censure motion against a sitting president
On March 28, 1834, President Andrew Jackson faced a censure motion from the U.S. Senate, becoming the first sitting president in history to be censured. The censure motion, led by Henry Clay, passed with a 26-20 vote. Clay and the Whigs were locked in a fierce battle with Jackson over the Second Bank of the United States. In 1832, Jackson vetoed a congressional move to re-charter the bank, and when asked by Clay and the Whig-controlled Senate to supply notes from his Cabinet meeting about the veto decision, Jackson refused.
The censure motion read:
> "Resolved, That the President, in the late Executive proceedings in relation to the public revenue, has assumed upon himself authority and power not conferred by the Constitution and laws, but in derogation of both."
Jackson, in a letter to the Senate, responded:
> "I thus find myself charged on the records of the Senate, and in a form hitherto unknown in our history, with the high crime of violating the laws and Constitution of my country... The resolution of the Senate is wholly unauthorized by the Constitution, and in derogation of its entire spirit. It assumes that a single branch of the legislative department may for the purposes of a public censure, and without any view to legislation or impeachment, take up, consider, and decide upon the official acts of the Executive. But in no part of the Constitution is the President subjected to any such responsibility, and in no part of that instrument is any such power conferred on either branch of the Legislature."
Jackson remained angry about the censure resolution for years, and his supporters had the motion expunged from the Senate records in 1837 when the Democrats controlled the chamber.
While Jackson believed in a strict construction of the Constitution and in states' rights, he also believed that when the Constitution delegated power to the federal government, the federal government had to be supreme. He consistently pursued policies that upheld the language and intent of the Constitution and protected the rights of the common people. However, some saw him as trampling on the Constitution in pursuit of expanding the power of the executive branch and his agenda.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Andrew Jackson did not sign the Constitution. However, he did sign a bill into law on March 2, 1833, which was known as the Compromise Tariff and the Force Bill.
Andrew Jackson believed in a strict construction of the Constitution and states' rights. He also believed that when the Constitution delegated power to the federal government, it had to be supreme.
Yes, Andrew Jackson faced the first-ever censure motion against a sitting President in 1834. He was in a power struggle with Henry Clay and the Whigs over the Second Bank of the United States, which he vetoed in 1832. Jackson's supporters had the censure motion expunged from the Senate records in 1837.
