Question

Question about the Hayne-Webster Debate?

Answer 1

I'm doing a dialogue between two historical figures, and was wondering if someone could clarify what policy Daniel Webster meant in this quote:

"The current policy is necesary due to the terms under which the lands were acquired."

Answer 2

Okay I'm going to compress this so you can understand it.
Before we continue you must know what the Hayne-Webster Debate affect was.
"The Webster–Hayne debate was a famous debate in the United States between Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and Senator Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina that took place on January 19-27, 1830 on the topic of protectionist tariffs." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster-Hayne_debate

Great, now you understand what the debate was about. Now what Daniel Webster meant by the following quote:
"The current policy is necessary due to the terms under which the lands were acquired."
Is a bit more tricky, you can't really look at this tiny excerpt look at the whole paragraph.
"The public lands are being sold as fast as they can be settled. To sell them cheaper would simply put them in the hands of speculators, and very likely retard their settlement. The current policy is necessary due to the terms under which the lands were acquired. New England is the west's true friend, having given the northwest, at least, a rational system of land sales, and having kept slavery out of the Northwest territory. New England has voted for all western measures, while the south has voted against them. It is from the south – indeed from Mr. McDuffie, an associate of Hayne and Calhoun, that we have heard a distinct call to restrict westward immigration, while W. himself opposed restriction."

Let us use context clues!

We can see that Webster was supporting the current policy! But the way he said it was to confused the people he was speaking to. (This was on purpose, for political reasons.)

I'm not sure how you wanted me to explain... (Like the policy or the quote so... Tag me if you need more help.)

Answer 3

Thank you, I was just trying to figure out what exact policy Daniel Webster was talking about.

Answer 4

Ahahah, I could have broken it down much easier!

"The current policy" = "Federal land policy".