Background
Proponents of internal improvements, such as the development of roads and bridges, argued that the federal government had an obligation to harmonize the nation’s diverse, and often conflicting, sectional interests into an “American System.” Jackson’s decision was heavily influenced by his Vice President Martin Van Buren. Some authors have described the motives behind the veto decision as personal, rather than strictly political. The veto has been attributed to a personal grudge against Henry Clay, as well as to preserve the trade monopoly of New York's Erie Canal, in Van Buren's case. Martin Van Buren then became known as a failure in the White House because of the economic problems at the time.
Read more about this topic: Maysville Road Veto
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