by the disclosure of an old political secret, probably by
Crawford of Georgia, a disappointed Presidential aspirant. Jackson's
administration naturally fell more and more into the hands of mediocre
men.

Calhoun had already had a long term of distinguished public service; he
had been one of the group of young men who came to the front in urging
on the war of 1812; he had served with success in the cabinet and twice
been chosen to the Vice-Presidency. He was of high personal character; a
keen logician and debater; a leader who impressed himself by the
strength of his character and depth of his convictions. Adams wrote of
him in 1821: "He is above all sectional and factious prejudices, more
than any other statesman of this Union with whom I have ever acted." He
was ambitious of the Presidency, an ambition which saw itself defeated
when Van Buren became the heir-apparent of the Jackson dynasty. A true
lover of his country, his predominant devotion came to be given to his
own section, and that temper fell in with events to make him the
foremost champion of the South.

The prominence of the personal element in public affairs was connected
with the absence of any clear and deep division upon large questions of
policy. There emerged a group of ideas constituting what was called the
"American system," of which Clay was the foremost advocate, and which
became the basis of the Whig party, as it was organized in the early
'30's. Its general principle was the free use of the Federal
government's resources for the industrial and commercial betterment of
the people; and its prominent applications were a national bank, a
system of national highroads and waterways, and a liberal use of the
protective principle in tariff laws. "Protection to American industry"
was the great cry by which Clay now rallied his followers. The special
direction of this protection was in favor of American manufacturers. By
very high taxes levied on imported goods, the price of those was
necessarily raised to the consumer, and the American maker of clothes,
cutlery, and so on, was enabled to raise his own prices correspondingly.
Naturally, this result was most gratifying to the manufacturer and his
dependents and allies. No less naturally, it was highly objectionable to
the consumer. But to the consumer it was pointed out that by thus
fostering the "infant industries" of his country they would be
strengthened to the point where they could and would supply hi