During the election of 1824, and South Carolina were concerned by
the growing power and influence of the federal government. They believed that the federal government was becoming too centralized and that it was encroaching upon states' rights. This concern was particularly pronounced in South Carolina, which had a long history of advocating for states' rights and nullification.
In the election of 1824, there were four main candidates: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, and William H. Crawford. None of the candidates received a majority of electoral votes, so the decision went to the House of Representatives to choose the president.
South Carolina was particularly worried about Henry Clay, who was a champion for the American System, a program that promoted internal improvements, protectionism, and a strong national bank. South Carolina feared that this program would concentrate power in the federal government and harm the interests of southern agricultural states.
Additionally, South Carolina had been hit hard by economic downturns and was struggling with the tariffs imposed by the federal government. These tariffs were seen as benefiting northern industrial states at the expense of southern agricultural states. South Carolina believed that these tariffs were unconstitutional and harmful to their economy.
The concerns over states' rights, fears of a powerful federal government, and economic grievances all contributed to South Carolina's increasing discontent with the federal government during the election of 1824. This discontent would later culminate in the Nullification Crisis of 1832, when South Carolina attempted to nullify federal tariffs, further escalating tensions between the state and the federal government.