3 pp, 7 ¾ x 12 ¾,ALS, Wilcox County, Alabama, July 4th, 1832, Charles Connor writesto his brother William of Fairfield Corner, Maine, in part about thenullification crisis, which threatened the federal government's sovereignty byallowing South Carolina to reject federal tariffs. He writes that the country “are run mad withnullification.” He hopes the crisis will end “in the election of Henry Clay toPresidency.” Connor also references the scandal caused by Peggy Eaton, wife ofJackson's Secretary of War, who was ignored by other wives of cabinet membersas she was thought to have loose morals à prix réduit. This ultimately forced her husband toresign and enabled Jackson to replace his entire cabinet, which was intended tohelp his troubled presidency.
Jacksonargued before Congress thatstatenullificationof federal laws was misguided, unconstitutionaland treasonous to the country. The nullification movement was led by John C.Calhoun, Jacksons vice president. Congress passed the Force Actthatauthorized the use of military force against any state that resisted tariffacts. In 1833, Henry Clay helped broker a compromise bill with Calhoun thatslowly lowered tariffs over the next decade.The Compromise Tariffof 1833 was eventually accepted by South Carolina and ended the nullificationcrisis.
Connerwrites to his brother in small part, “...I must remind you of the fable of two friendssetting out upon a journey and promising to assist each other...if they shouldbe assaulted on the way. I stated to you the nature of the assault in my lastto you and a late law of Congress forces me [to] make a second request to youand I will return the favor with usury within two years if life and healthshould be spared for the land that I bargained for has become more valuablesince I purchased for the county seat is moved to 3 miles of me and a saw milland grist within one mile...I want you to write me on receipt of this for thefirst day of January is the last day of indulgence with me...If I can't raisethe money, I must pull up stakes and be off...If you can assist me with twohundred dollars...If not with what you can and tell father, a blessing from himwould be very acceptable...
“Asto the politics of this country, they are run mad with nullification and don'tknow where it will end but I am in hopes that it will end in the election ofHenry Clay to Presidency but I have now hope that this State will do it for amajority. [I] don't know what they want, whether it is nullification orJacksonism or Major Eaton's wife and [a] great many of these warm politicianscan't assign any reasons why things should be so...But because they are so asto my own part such reasoning it...appears they are determined to sustain theold general [Andrew Jackson's rejection of nullification] right or wrong...”
Folds,light foxing. Insignificant seal tear. Spellingcorrected and punctuation added in transcription for clarity. Integral address leaf with 25 cents manuscriptpostage. A fine example of discussionabout the Nullification Crisis and Peggy Eaton's scandal, also known as thePetticoat Affair.
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