The Real Cause of the U.S. Civil War


Address of the American Institute Founders, March 11, 1828


Page 265 of the Annual Report, sheet 2 of 8



The founders recommended that "friends of the American System," that is, advocates of high tariffs, form similar societies in other counties and states and give notice of their "organs of communication," that is, the newspapers and journals that advocated high protective tariffs and spending of the tax proceeds on internal improvements.

The founders intended a nationwide network of high-tariff propaganda organizations devoted to influencing the public and Congress to sway the vote toward a protective tariff.


They professed to be motivated by "public spirit and patriotism alone." What they were really trying to do is to use the government as an instrument to interfere with someone else's trade, by means of tariffs, to benefit themselves financially. They were trying to extract benefits by means of government that the free market would not give them.


The founders claimed to frankly state their object of "promotion," "encouragement" and "protection." High sounding words, these. But, the only way for them to achieve these ends was by raising the tariff rates and by spending the proceeds of the tariff.