Non-fiction: Second Annual Message to Congress (State of the Union, 1830)

Overview

Andrew Jackson’s Second Annual Message to Congress surveys the nation’s condition at the end of 1830, pairing a confident report of prosperity with a program of limited federal power, debt retirement, territorial consolidation, and sharpened executive leadership. He underscores peace abroad, rising revenues at home, and the promise of a Union strengthened by frugal governance and popular accountability. Across subjects, from Indian affairs and public lands to the Bank of the United States and internal improvements, Jackson presses a consistent view: the federal government should be effective but restrained, act within a strict reading of constitutional powers, and defer where possible to states and the people.

Finances and the Economy

Jackson highlights robust receipts and prudent expenditures and keeps debt retirement at the center of fiscal policy. With the national debt nearing extinction, he argues that duties should be reduced to the needs of government, signaling support for tariff moderation toward a revenue, not protective, standard once obligations are met. He warns that a continuing surplus can tempt extravagance and advocates budgetary discipline to preserve equality among sections and classes.

Internal Improvements and Public Lands

Reaffirming the approach that guided his Maysville Road veto earlier in 1830, Jackson calls for clear limits on federal participation in roads and canals. He favors either a constitutional amendment or a well-defined plan that avoids favoritism and assures national, not local, benefits. On the public domain, he urges policies that speed settlement rather than treat lands as a mere revenue source. He endorses measures such as preemption for actual settlers and a graduated reduction in price for long-unsold tracts, aiming to curb speculation and spread ownership broadly across the frontier.

The Bank and the Currency

Jackson questions both the constitutionality and expediency of the Bank of the United States. He warns against the concentration of financial power and urges Congress to examine whether the institution is necessary, whether it operates compatibly with republican oversight, and what alternatives might secure a stable currency without creating a privileged monopoly. He invites deliberation before any choice about recharter, keeping the door open to different arrangements that rely more on public accountability or state institutions.

Indian Policy

The message strongly defends the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the administration’s treaty program. Jackson presents removal as a humane policy that will allow tribes to preserve their way of life beyond the reach of state laws while opening eastern lands to settlement. He cites recent agreements, most notably with the Choctaw, as evidence of progress. Asserting that separate tribal sovereignties cannot exist within state boundaries, he argues that state jurisdiction must govern within their limits, with the federal government honoring treaties and offering support for a voluntary, orderly migration to designated territory west of the Mississippi.

Foreign Relations and Defense

Jackson reports amicable relations with major powers and expanding commercial opportunities. He notes favorable developments in trade with Great Britain, including renewed access to the British colonial markets, and points to advances in treaties that broaden American commerce, such as new openings in the Mediterranean. He supports a modest, steadily improved defense posture: continued fortification of the seaboard, a disciplined but economical army, and a navy modernized with new technologies as resources permit.

Constitutional and Administrative Reform

Consistent with his broader democratic program, Jackson renews interest in reforms that curb patronage and align institutions with popular will. He favors measures that reduce the influence of intermediaries in presidential elections and sustain rotation in office to prevent entrenched interests. Throughout, he portrays executive action as a trust exercised on behalf of the people, insisting that economy, simplicity, and fidelity to the Constitution are the surest safeguards of the Union’s strength.