THE INFLUENCE OF THE TARIFF 139 



It is aside from the purpose of this discussion to 

 review the tariff history of the United States even 

 in outline. The preceding discussion is sufficient to 

 indicate broadly the steps by which the interests of 

 producers and manufacturers became differentiated 

 with reference to the tariff policy of the country. 

 By 1830 the agricultural producers of the South had 

 become thoroughly united in their opposition to a 

 protective tariff. They had come to realize that, 

 regardless of the effects of the changing tariff enact- 

 ments, no tariff law was drawn with reference to 

 the welfare of agricultural producers. Agrarian 

 protests became increasingly portentous through the 

 next two decades. The doctrine of Nullification in 

 South Carolina was one expression of it. The seri- 

 ousness of this protest is indicated by Clay's com- 

 promise tariff of 1833, which postponed but did not 

 settle the issue. All tariff acts passed by Congress 

 from 1830 to 1861, with the exception of the Act 

 of 1846, were clearly protective in character. 



The general attitude of the agricultural popula- 

 tion in the South toward sectional influences in con- 

 gressional legislation is revealed in Calhoun's speech 

 in the Senate, which was delivered on February 4, 

 1850. He declared that the equilibrium of power 

 between the North and the South had been de- 

 stroyed. He claimed that this was not due to 

 natural causes, but to policies adopted by the fed- 

 eral government, one of which was that of the pro- 

 tective tariff. Calhoun arose from a sick bed to give 



