  Because of this,‭ ‬Old Republicans vehemently opposed Henry Clay's American System.  They believed too much power would be given to the Federal government if they allowed protective tariffs,‭ ‬internal improvements,‭ ‬and especially the National Bank,‭ ‬which they considered unconstitutional.  They argued against the consolidation of a national debt,‭ ‬because they believed that States should be independent,‭ ‬and it was against the principles of the Union to require one state to be responsible for another.
‎	‏They generally opposed any motion that would cost the public money beyond the necessities of running the government.  To this end,‭ ‬they argued against extravagance,‭ ‬war,‭ ‬and standing armies.  They especially did not want a Navy,‭ ‬as they are expensive to maintain,‭ ‬and created the potential for problems if there was conflict between ships in times of peace.  They did not want to be involved in the problems of other countries.  ‭ ‬They preferred a professional militia,‭ ‬and placed high importance on the right for a man to bear arms and to defend his home against invasion.  However,‭ ‬they considered wars of aggression to be motivated by greed and injustice,‭ ‬and believed that the monetary cost was too great.
‎	‏With regard to the social issue of the day,‭ ‬slavery,‭ ‬Old Republicans were both of one mind and divided.  Some,‭ ‬such as John Randolph,‭ ‬opposed slavery and despised the slave trade,‭ ‬while John Taylor and others admitted that slavery was wrong,‭ ‬but still defended the institution.  They were alike in that they opposed Federal intervention in the issue,‭ ‬as they viewed it as being under State jurisdiction,‭ ‬and always vehemently opposed State rights being usurped by the Federal government.  There existed among them the common idea of the time that complete abolition would create chaos between the races,‭ ‬which were incapable of coexisting without one being enslaved by the other.  It was the belief of some that slavery's end was inevitable,‭ ‬and therefore it would end naturally,‭ ‬without any interference from the government at all.  Others called for the free blacks in the United States to be deported back to Africa.  Their similarity was in their adherence to Old Republican ideals of freedom and lack of interference from the government in State matters,‭ ‬regardless of the potential for them to influence the outcome based on their personal feelings.
‎	‏Despite the agitation brought on by the issue of slavery,‭ ‬and the continuing importance of States‭' ‬rights,‭ ‬most Old Republicans did not approve of secession.  There seemed to grow a divide between true Old Republicans,‭ ‬who believed in the Union,‭ ‬and those more radical Republicans,‭ ‬such as former Federalist John C. Calhoun,‭ ‬who would support secession.
‎	‏Later in the period,‭ ‬despite the attempts made by John Quincy Adams to create a more monarchical,‭ ‬Federally powerful nation,‭ ‬the election of Andrew Jackson led to a renewal of Old Republican principles.  Winning the election on a platform of‭ “‬Reform,‭ ‬Retrenchment,‭ ‬and Economy,‭” ‬Jackson fulfilled each one,‭ ‬reducing the size and powers of the national government,‭ ‬eliminating the national debt and the Bank of the United States,‭ ‬and significantly lowering tariffs.