MACON, NATHANIEL American political leader, was born at Macon Manor, North Carolina, Dec. 17, 1758. He studied at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton uni versity) from 1774 to 1776, when the institution was closed on account of the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. In 1777-80 he studied law at Bute Court-house, North Carolina, and in 1781-85 served in the North Carolina senate. In 1791-1815 he was a mem ber of the national House of Representatives, and in 1815-28 of the United States Senate. Macon's point of view was always local rather than national. He was essentially a North Carolinian first, and an American afterwards ; and throughout his career he was an aggressive advocate of State sovereignty and an adherent of the doctrines of the "Old Republicans." In Congress he denounced Hamilton's financial policy, opposed the Jay Treaty (1795) and the Alien and Sedition acts, and advocated a continuance of the French alliance of 1778. His party came into power in 180i, and he was Speaker of the house in 1801-07. At first he was in accord with Jefferson's administration ; he approved the Louisiana Pur chase, and as early as 1803 advocated the purchase of Florida. For a number of years, however, he was politically allied with John Randolph in a group of about Io independents, called the "Quids," who strongly criticized Jefferson and opposed the presi dential candidature of Madison. By 1809, however, Macon was again in accord with his party, and during the next two years he was one of the most influential of its leaders. In Dec. 1809 he
introduced resolutions recommending the complete exclusion of foreign war vessels from United States ports and the suppression of illegal trade carried on by foreign merchants under the Ameri can flag. The substance of these resolutions was embodied in a bill which became law on May 1, 181o. This measure provided for the repeal of the Non-Intercourse Act of 1809, authorized the president, "in case either Great Britain or France shall before the 3rd day of March next so revoke or modify her edicts as that they shall cease to violate the neutral commerce of the United States," to revive non-intercourse against the other, and prohibited British and French vessels of war from entering American waters. In 1812 Macon voted for the declaration of war against Great Brit ain. He opposed the Bank Act of 1816, the "internal improve ments" policy of Calhoun (in the early part of his career) and Clay, and the Missouri Compromise. In 1824 Macon received the electoral vote of Virginia for the vice-presidency, and in 1826-28 was president pro tempore of the Senate. He died at Buck Springs, N.C., on June 29, 1837.
See William E. Dodd, The Life of Nathaniel Macon (Raleigh, N.C., 1903) ; E. M. Wilson, The Congressional Career of Nathaniel Macon (Chapel Hill, N.C., 1900).