LAD #13- John Calhoun Speech

John C. Calhoun on the Clay Compromise Measures
March 4th, 1850

Summary:

John Calhoun already had the preconceived notion that slavery would be the ultimate downfall to the unity of the United States, though he felt his claims to be ignored by both political parties.
With the question of how the union could be saved, he said it was necessary to have a background on the United States and to know all aspects that could lead to the downfall of the union. With all things considered this brought up another question in regard to just what has endangered the union.

Calhoun stuck by the belief that slavery and the use of it by the South had been one of the main factions leading to division, though the division of people into the political parties of Whigs and Democrats had also done little to maintain unity. The beliefs of the North and South differed greatly, and Calhoun thought that this difference could be traced back to the practices of owning and selling slaves. This idea has formed a division between the two sections of the country.

There had also been the addition of new territories to the nation, though these lands only added to the North rather than the South, bringing with them new Senators as well. The growth in the Northern legislature caused some discontent in the South, fearing under-representation in the government.

The government's new revenue system threatened to take its toll on the South's economy, as the wealth of the North already greatly surpassed that of the South. Immigrants also did little to aid the population of the South, as they found that the North had more to offer them. The Ordinance of 1787 and the Missouri Compromise in turn slightly hindered the region as well, as it divided the populations as well.

Not only did the North fail to hold the South in high regards for its lifestyle, but further resented it for failing to abolish slavery as the North wished it would do. The ties that held the country together were slowly unraveling after years of wear. Soon all that could hold the nation together would escalate into force. Calhoun claimed that the last resort of keeping the union together would be by resolving any and all of the issues brought on by the disputing sections, thinking that it could be done as long as both regions complied.