Southerners opposed tariffs on imported goods because they believed that tariffs would raise the cost of goods for consumers and hurt the Southern economy. They argued that tariffs would make it more expensive for Southerners to buy manufactured goods from the North and from Europe, which would lead to lower profits for Southern farmers and plantation owners. Additionally, Southerners felt that tariffs were a form of taxation without representation, as the majority of tariffs were imposed by the Northern-dominated Congress.