The renowned debate on the doctrine of nullification in which he was one
of the principals,--if it were the only act of his life, must make the
name of Robert Y. Hayne forever illustrious. He was born in 1791, and
admitted to the bar before he was twenty-one, having been educated in
Charleston, South Carolina, his native State.
He volunteered early in the war of 1812 and rapidly rose to the position
of Major-General, being considered one of the best disciplinarians in
the South. As his old friend, Mr. Ehres, had been chosen to a seat in
Congress, he succeeded to his large practice, and before he was
twenty-two he had the most lucrative practice of any lawyer in his
State.
He was elected to the South Carolina legislature as a member of the
assembly of 1814, and as speaker of that body four years after taking
his seat and soon was chosen Attorney General of the State. In every
position young Haynes was placed he not only acquitted himself with
credit but won for himself great esteem, and as soon as he was old
enough to be elligible for United States Senator he was sent by his
State to defend their interests at the national capitol.
Here he became a most aggressive opponent, culminating in "The battle of
the giants," the great debate on the interpretation of the constitution.
Mr. Hayne's speech on this occasion was heralded far and near, and it
was classed by his supporters with the mightiest efforts of Burke or
Pitt. Mr. Webster's reply has been generally acknowledged the superior
effort of the two; but certain it is that whatever may have been the
tendency of the views espoused by him, Robert Y. Hayne was an honest and
sincere defender of the doctrine of the State Rights, and was held in
high esteem by his political opponents.
The obnoxious tariff laws passing, General Hayne was elected Governor of
his State; the people feeling that they could place the helm of their
ship in no safer hands during the trying ordeal they felt they were to
pass through. In replying to President Jackson's celebrated proclamation
Hayne issued a counter-manifesto full of defiance. Happily the
compromise of Mr. Clay postponed for thirty years the threatened civil
war.
The evening of the close of that great debate at a presidential levee,
Mr. Webster challenged Mr. Hayne to drink a glass of wine with him,
saying, "General Hayne, I drink to your health, and hope that you may
live a thousand years." Hayne's disposition is shown by his reply: "I
shall not live a hundred if you make another such a speech." If he felt
there was merit in an individual he was quickest to admit it even when
it might be to his own detriment, and when it is remembered that he was
one of the first to compliment Webster on his great parliamentary
success, his noble qualities are shown in their true colors.
After serving in the gubernatorial chair with great distinction he
retired to become Mayor of Charleston. He now turned his attention
especially to internal improvements, and soon became president of the
Charleston, Louisville & Cincinnati Railway. This office he held at his
death, which occurred in his fiftieth year, September 24th, 1841. There
are many things in the character of General Hayne worthy of study.