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  • Essay / Defender of the Constitution: Daniel Webster - 613

    In 1827, Daniel Webster, a Massachusetts constitutional lawyer and former member of the House of Representatives, was elected to the Senate. He held this position from 1827 to 1841, the entire period that Andrew Jackson was president. Webster was extremely passionate about the Constitution and what it stood for, earning him the nickname "Defender of the Constitution." Throughout his tenure, Webster and President Jackson interacted on many issues such as the Nullification Crisis, the Bank War, the Tariff of 1828, and the Indian Removal Bill. Although he did not always agree with Jackson's actions, he agreed that above all else they must do what was best to preserve our great nation. After being elected to the Senate, Webster surprisingly changed his previous view against protective tariffs in favor of a favorable one. As factories expanded in New England, he now believed they were necessary to stimulate the economy. He therefore voted in favor of the tariff of 1828. Jackson, like Webster, believed that some protection was necessary to ensure the safety and security of our country....