LAD #13: John Calhoun's Speech

Summary: 

• John Calhoun addressed the senate to concentrate on the issue of slavery that plagued the union at that time. At first, the 3/5 compromise in the Constitution was suitable for balancing the representation of Northern and Southern states. However, as time went on, Calhoun realized that the North had gained more power and more representation. Thereby, it was in a position to take control of the government. Calhoun makes the assertion that all it takes for a political party to take over the country is a majority in the population and a majority in the Senate. When Calhoun made this speech, the Union was about to admit five new Northern states as the country had just acquired territories in Oregon, Minnesota, and land ceded from Mexico. There were no new Southern states to counterbalance this. Additionally, the revenue-collecting tariffs contributed to the North's wealthy while it undermined Southern farmers. It made the North more prosperous, and more likely to attract immigrants, which would intensify the growing gap of power between the North and South. Also, differing views on slavery were straining the Union. While Northern abolitionists seek to see slavery's end, Calhoun argues that slavery was a fundamental institution to the social and economic ways of the South. If slavery were to end, it would be devastating. Calhoun says that the only way to preserve the Union was if the North, the stronger part, gave the South the rights to represent newly acquired territory, return runaway slaves, and stop the discussion about the morality of slavery. Then, the political equilibrium would be brought back to balance and decrease the threats of secession.