LAD #13 - John Calhoun's Speech

In John Calhoun's speech he argues the cause of the current sectionalist tensions felt in the country. He discusses many topics such as the issue of slavery, the equilibrium in the senate and the tariff, plus many other topics to what he thinks the cause of this sectionalism is. To the greatest extent Calhoun believes that the issue of slavery is the biggest cause of this tension. In the North, their states are increasing in numbers and will ultimately lead to an imbalance in the senate. As a result of this imbalance, the government that created this equilibrium will in the end destroy it. Calhoun also claims that the exclusion form the North to the South form gaining as much land as the north is one of the primary concerns for the current political factionalism. Calhoun continues on stating that the tariff, which is used to protect the manufactures of the north, is in fact deadly to business in the south. This, along with the recent increase in the North's population, has also lead to increased sectional discontent and even more grumbles from the south. Best explained by Calhoun is that if the south is continuously faced with the hard decision between abolition and secession, the Union, as we know it with fall to piece and result in some sort of armed conflict. He explains that in order to resolve these tensions, the North will have to make concessions including restoring balance in the Senate, allowing the South to claim land, and accepting slavery.  With these concessions it will allow the south to love peacefully within the union. Almost done with his speech Calhoun concludes by stating the North must take these actions and allow the South to gain California, or else it would become clear the North strongly dislikes the south. Then finally in his last breath of his speech he ends it by saying he has fulfilled his duty by expressing his own opinion and is now free of that responsibility. Then less than one month later he actually took his last breath, and died.