Stephen Decatur Miller

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Stephen Decatur Miller (born May 8, 1787 in the Waxhaws , South Carolina , † March 8, 1838 in Raymond , Mississippi ) was an American politician ( Nullifier Party ) and from 1828 to 1830 Governor of South Carolina. He also represented this state in both chambers of Congress .

Early years and political advancement

Stephen Miller graduated from South Carolina College in 1808 and then studied law. After his admission to the bar in 1811, he practiced this profession in Sumterville . His political career began in 1817 with his election to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC There he stayed for two years until 1819 before he returned to practice as a lawyer. He served in the South Carolina Senate from 1822 to 1828 . There he experienced the beginning conflict with the federal government in Washington, which culminated in the nullification crisis .

Governor of south carolina

In late 1828, Miller was elected governor by members of parliament. He owed this choice above all to his attitude towards the nullification crisis and his commitment to the rights of the individual states vis-à-vis the federal government. His entire term of office, which began on December 1, 1828 and ended two years later, on December 1, 1830, was marked by this conflict. This involved protective tariffs that the US government had imposed on imports. South Carolina saw this as a hindrance to its economy. South Carolina believed that the laws could be annulled because they were harmful to the state. The federal government in Washington, led by Andrew Jackson since March 1829 , could of course disagree with this argument. Approval of South Carolina's stance would have meant that federal laws could have been overridden by the states at will. Governor Miller championed the point of view of his South Carolina compatriots. He was also supported in this by US Vice President John C. Calhoun . He resigned from his office because of the crisis in 1832. The conflict intensified during Miller's tenure and was not settled until 1832/1833. In the meantime, South Carolina has even considered leaving the Union.

Further career

Miller could not be re-elected directly because of a constitutional clause in 1830 and therefore had to resign from office. From 1831 to 1833 he represented his state in the US Senate . That was when the nullification crisis was at its height. He was also a delegate to a congress in South Carolina negotiating exit from the Union. But they refrained from doing this because they couldn't find any other states willing to join a secession , and they finally agreed with the federal government on a compromise that had been worked out by Senator Henry Clay . In 1833, Miller resigned from the Senate on health grounds. He moved to Mississippi and for a short time devoted himself to growing cotton. He died there in 1838. He was married twice and had a total of seven children.

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personal data
SURNAME Miller, Stephen Decatur
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH May 8, 1787
PLACE OF BIRTH Waxhaws , South Carolina
DATE OF DEATH March 8, 1838
Place of death Raymond , Mississippi