LAD #13: John Calhoun's Speech (Clay's Antebellum Compromise)

In Calhoun's speech, he brings up the controversial topic of slavery that, at the present time, has plagued and divided the union.  Despite the agreeable compromise of 3/5 representation that the South had been using ever since it was created in 1787, the North had slowly been gaining the upper hand of representation and was ready to assume complete control of the government.  Calhoun states that all that is needed for a political party/faction to take command is the majority of population and states represented in the Senate.  This is further solidified because the Union is about to admit five new northern states based off of the newly acquired territories in Oregon, Minnesota, and land ceceded from Mexico. However, in the South, there are no new states are open for acceptance into the union.  Population wise, Calhoun believes that the import tariffs used to collect revenue are augmenting the split in favor of the North, not only by contributing to their wealthy elite (at the expense of Southern farmers no less) but by also making the North a prosperous  attraction  to immigrants (which would further tip the scales).  Finally, the hostilities between the two sections on slavery are further straining the Union. While Northern abolitionists scream at slavery's supposed immorality, Calhoun states that it has been a fundamental institution to the social and economic status of the South -- its relinquishing will cause ruin and devastation. Calhoun affirms that the only way the Union can be preserved is if the stronger party, the North, is willing to give the South its rights to represent newly acquired territory, return fugitive slaves, and cease agitation over the morality of slavery. This way the political equilibrium of the North and South will be at ease, decreasing the threat of secession from an integral part of the Union.