LAD #13: John Calhoun's Speech

John Calhoun focuses primarily on the issue of slavery in regards to the unity of the nation throughout this speech to the Senate. Despite the original effectiveness of the 3/5 clause in balancing governmental representation due to population, Calhoun has come to recognize that the North has now gained the upper hand and is thereby in a position to secure control over government action. Calhoun boldly states that all that is necessary to control the government of the United States is a populous majority and a control over most states found in the Senate. This issue is primarily due to the fact that the Union is on the eve of admitting five new Northern states into the nation by recently acquired lands in Oregon, Minnesota, and land from the secession of Texas from Mexico. Regardless of this, no new land has been offered to the southern states. With regards to population Calhoun believes that the tariffs of the past years on imports have been geared towards favoring the upper class, aristocratic elites of the north, giving little in return to southern farmers, thus drawing hopeful immigrants to settle in regions under northern influence. Lastly, the issue of slavery is continually straining national unity due to different ideological views. With the northern abolitionists proclaiming the immorality of slavery, Calhoun defends it as a key component to the social and economic well-being of the South. If slavery were in fact to be abolished, so would the economy of an otherwise prosperous South. He asserts that the only way to preserve the unity of America is for the largely favored North to protect the rights and liberties of the South in representation throughout the new territories, returning fugitive slaves, and halting their efforts to abolish slavery throughout the Union. In this, balance will be restored to an otherwise lopsided democratic system, largely decreasing the threat of secession from such an integral component of the Union.