Henry Clay Essay

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In regards to my own personal beliefs as well as the reasoning of the National Republican and the the Whig Party, it would be unwise and even offensive to give Andrew Jackson the honor of being printed on the twenty dollar bill. Though it has been made apparent of the political rivalry Jackson and I partake in, it is due to his inability to understand the values of my political standpoint. As a man of who believes in the importance of compromise, I have involved myself in creating compromises pertaining to the issues of slavery and maintaining a balance between the interests of free states and slave states. Though many know me only as Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson's greatest political rival, I pride myself in not only being a member of the House of Representatives, but also in my role of abolishing the Indian Removal Act proposed by Jackson. As a man of the law, though I do believe Native Americans are inferior to whites, the treatment Jackson inflicted upon the Native American population was unjust as well as dishonorable. On the day of December 8, 1829, Jackson had the audacity to ask the legislation to allow him to commence the Indian Removal Act in May of 1830. Such an act forced Indians tribes to vacate their land and move to reservations that were preserved for their use out in the west. Specifically the Cherokee as well as other tribes in the nation, had no desire to leave the land of their ancestors and where they had always lived. Regardless of white superiority, it is clear that they have legal rights as human beings are were treated in a harsh and inhumane manner. The walk to their assigned reservations resulted in the death of over 4,000 Cherokee Indians, which is what earned it it's name of "The Trail of Tears". Is a man that is capable of such unlawful acts and cruelty really deserving of being printed on our country's twenty dollar bill? In addition to this, a particular concept was made clear in the Treaty of Ghent which had ended the War of 1812, in which i reiterated, "…the Indians residing within the United States are so far independent, that they live under their own customs and not under the laws of the United States; that their rights upon the lands where they inhabit or hunt, are secreted to them by boundaries defined in amicable treaties between the United States and themselves…" Through Jackson's decision of pushing forward with the act even when the Supreme Court ruled in the Indian's favor, displays true ignorance as well as disrespect for the highly valued concepts in the Treaty of Ghent. In addition to Andrew Jackson's apparent inhumane qualities, he seemingly does not possess the mature qualities a President must acquire in order to properly carry out his job. In total, Jackson has issued twelve vetoes during his entire two terms in office which surpasses the total number of vetoes of the first six presidents combined. The right to veto a bill is not one that should be abused and should only be used when absolutely necessary. On July 12, 1832, I issued the statement to the Senate that by Jackson vetoing Bank, it was a violation to the spirit of the constitution. As I have previously stated, "the
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