LAD #13: John Calhoun's Speech

John Calhoun's speech focuses on how at the beginning of the creation of the constitution and the three-fifths compromise,the representation between the North and South was balanced in government. Since then, he states that the North has gained the upper hand in congress through use of taxes more heavily taxing the South. He also mentions the acquisition of territories desired by the North as free, and the arrival of new states from areas like the Oregon territory, Minnesota, and Mexican territories which. The problem with these territories is that  if labeled free states, they will decrease the southern say in goverment allowing them only 25%t of the overall Congress. Calhoun continues on to talk about the new states and how they are not offered the possibility of joining the southern states in their induction into the union. He is now accusing the North of trying to weaken the southern states. Calhoun mentions the import tariffs imposed on the southern states by the north using it to further expand their infrastructure. The last issue Calhoun brings up in his speech is the slavery issue. He also talks about the growing abolitionist movement which he says is the major source for a poor relations between the two sections of the country. He says the issue may be "forcing the south to choose between abolition and secession". The more likely outcome would be secession (as we will soon see in the Civil War) as the southern economy depends heavily on slave labor. Calhoun believes the only way to avoid secession is if the stronger, richer, northern states drop the slavery issue and allow the southern states their space to develop. This meant the southern stattes would get to receive territories, fewer taxes and escaped slaves had to be returned. He says the meeting of the demands is the only way to avoid further conflict between the two. Calhoun's speech clearly reflects the growing sectionalism in the U.S. which will be a main reason for conflict between the two sections, and eventually leading into the Civil War.