American politician who represents North Carolina in both houses of Congress
1757 CE
to 1837 CE
Nathaniel Macon (December 17, 1757 – June 29, 1837) is an American politician who represented North Carolina in both houses of Congress.
He is the fifth Speaker of the House, serving from 1801 to 1807.
During his political career he is spokesman for the Old Republican faction of the Democratic-Republican Party that wants to strictly limit the United States federal government.
Macon was born near Warrenton, North Carolina, and attends the College of New Jersey, serving briefly in the American Revolutionary War.
He opposes ratification of the United States Constitution as well as the Federalist economic policies of Alexander Hamilton.He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1791 to 1815 and a member of the United States Senate from 1815 to 1828.
He also serves as president of the 1835 North Carolina constitutional convention.
In the 1824 presidential election, he receives several electoral votes for vice president.
Along with fellow Old Republicans John Randolph and John Taylor, Macon frequently opposed various domestic policy proposals.
He opposes the recharter of the United States Bank, uniformly votes against any form of protective tariff, and generally opposes the internal improvements promoted by Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun.
An earnest defender of slavery, he votes against the Missouri Compromise.
After leaving public office, he serves as a trustee for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and protests President Andrew Jackson's threat to use force during the Nullification Crisis.
