<P> Tariffs soon became a major political issue as the Whigs ( 1832 -- 1852 ) and ( after 1854 ) the Republicans wanted to protect their mostly northern industries and constituents by voting for higher tariffs and the Southern Democrats , which had very little industry but imported many goods voted for lower tariffs . Each party as it came into power voted to raise or lower tariffs under the constraints that the Federal Government always needed a certain level of revenues . The United States public debt was paid off in 1834 and President Andrew Jackson , a strong Southern Democrat , oversaw the cutting of the tariff rates roughly in half and eliminating nearly all federal excise taxes in about 1835 . </P>
<P> Tariffs soon became a major political issue as the Whigs ( 1832 -- 1852 ) and ( after 1854 ) the Republicans wanted to protect their mostly northern industries and constituents by voting for higher tariffs and the Southern Democrats , which had very little industry but imported many goods voted for lower tariffs . Each party as it came into power voted to raise or lower tariffs under the constraints that the Federal Government always needed a certain level of revenues . The United States public debt was paid off in 1834 and President Andrew Jackson , a strong Southern Democrat , oversaw the cutting of the tariff rates roughly in half and eliminating nearly all federal excise taxes in about 1835 . </P>
who favored high tariffs during the pre civil war era
who favored high tariffs during the pre civil war era
the Whigs the Republicans
the Whigs the Republicans