Editing Langdon Cheves (section)

====Break with Clay====
In November 1812, following the July recess and his re-election to a second term, Cheves returned to the House to secure funding for the war. The ensuing debate divided the War Mess between the South Carolinians, who favored [[free trade]] and internal taxes, and the Speaker Clay, Felix Grundy and other Republicans. The primary issue was the seizure of merchants' bonds: bonds purchased by American merchants who imported British goods during a gap in the embargo.{{sfn|Huff|1977|pp=69–71}}

They purchased these bonds against their goods, which were then sold at an extremely high profit due to wartime inflation. Cheves, along with Calhoun and Lowndes, opposed efforts to allow the Secretary of the Treasury, [[Albert Gallatin]], to seize the bonds. Cheves was outvoted in committee but refused to defend the proposal in front of the House, deferring to [[Richard Mentor Johnson]] to advocate in his place.{{sfn|Huff|1977|pp=69–71}}

In response to Johnson's advocacy, Cheves attacked the measure as an impermissible delegation of Congress's legislative authority. He extended his criticism to Clay's [[American System  (economic plan)|general program of restrictive economics]], arguing that it devastated the American coastal economy in striking at the British. When Clay attempted to introduce a measure to preserve the protective system but exempt the bonds at issue, Cheves, Calhoun, and Lowndes maintained their opposition. Ultimately, the Ways and Means report was defeated in the House on December 11 by a vote of 49–52; the South Carolinians won, but at the expense of unity within the War faction.{{sfn|Huff|1977|pp=71-73}} After Cheves was unable to push through any internal tax increase by the end of the term in March, the House approved a $5,000,000 issue of Treasury notes and a $16,000,000 loan at Secretary Gallatin's request.{{sfn|Huff|1977|pp=74–76}}

Cheves's declaration against Clay's protective system caused issues at home as well as in Washington. Governor of South Carolina [[Joseph Alston]] called Cheves a "political [[Jesuit]]" and declared his seat (as well as those of the other South Carolina representatives) vacant for the next term on the technicality that Cheves had not notified the governor of his acceptance. Charlestonians{{who|date=July 2021}} denounced Alston until he bowed to pressure and delivered the commissions.{{sfn|Huff|1977|pp=74–76}}