Paul Cooney
Mr. DeCarlo
AP American
7 November 2006

LAD #11- John C. Calhoun's speech

Just days before he died, Calhoun’s words were delivered to the Senate by one of the Senators, as Calhoun was too weak to deliver the speech. In it he addresses the question, “How can the Union be preserved?” The United States was quickly becoming divided, and to discover why Calhoun asked yet another question: “What is it that has endangered the Union?” The answer was slavery, as well as the warring political parties in the South. As much as everyone wanted to keep quiet the issues dividing the nation, they were impossible to avoid. Yet another issue was the growing size of the North, as the section of the country that had the majority of States and the majority of the population would completely dominate the government. The equilibrium in government would soon be destroyed, as the North would blow the South out of the water in terms of representation in the government.
Calhoun also addressed the rising tariff, which he said would seem to favor only the North. “Agitation” will kill the Union, not the South’s succession, he says. Basically he says that the Union can be preserved, but only if the larger party steps up and does what it needs to do.