South Carolina- John C. Calhoun
As the United States debated the way forward for a union that was growing less and less unified, Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, was the voice of The South, while Kentucky Senator Henry Clay represented The West, and New Hampshire Senator Daniel Webster spoke for The North. The three senators had years of experience in the political arena, and became known as the Great Triumvirate.
These men vigorously debated, each putting forth the concerns and positions of their regions. Sadly, in the new nation that’s founding principle was, “ that all men are created equal” and “that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,” slavery was the strongest point of contention.
Senator Calhoun, was an ardent supporter of slavery, and argued that each state in the union had the right to oppose federal legislation. John C. Calhoun, when serving as Vice President under John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson was strongly opposed to federal tariffs that he believed were unfair to his home state of South Carolina.
Calhoun maintained that states could nullify federal law that they declared unconstitutional. During this “Nullification Crisis”, Calhoun felt so strongly that he resigned as Vice President, so he could run for the Senate, where he could more effectively defend states’ right to Nullification.
John C. Calhoun had not always been against centralized government. In fact during his early years in government, he supported a system of internal taxation and the modernization of a new national bank. Congressman Calhoun, had supported war against the British in 1812, and had seen how a national Treasury that was in financial crisis and lacked funds could not support the defense of a nation.
However, later in his political career, he viewed the federal tariffs imposed on South Carolina as unfair, and he abandoned his tendencies towards centralized government in favor of stronger state government.
John C. Calhoun, was elected senator of South Carolina in 1832, where he served until 1850, with a 2 year break, 1843-1845, when he was appointed and served as President John Tyler’s Secretary of State. Calhoun also attempted a run for President in 1844, but was defeated by James Polk. As senator of South Carolina, Calhoun argued for slavery, and states’ rights to impose it.
Calhoun served in the Senate until his death in 1850. Senator John C. Calhoun opposed the Compromise of 1850, which the two other members of the Great Triumvirate, Senators Webster and Clay supported. Calhoun was gravely ill during those debates, and was too weak to deliver his speech, which was read by James Mason. Calhoun died a few weeks later.
President Taylor was opposed to The Compromise of 1850, but when he died and Vice President Millard Fillmore became president, the legislation was signed into law. The attempt at compromise to prevent civil war, did not work. States did secede from the union, and it would be many painful years before they would reunite.
Diana Erbio is a freelance writer and author of “Coming to America: A Girl Struggles to Find her Way in a New World”. Read more in her series Statues: The People They Salute visit The Table of Contents and the Facebook Page. (I’ll be adding to the Substack Table of Contents as I transfer the Blog Posts. Please subscribe to this Substack 😊🇺🇸🤓)
I would like to see South Carolina replace one of its honorees with the freedom loving Civil War era hero, Congressman Robert Smalls. Smalls was born into slavery in 1839. At age 14, his master hired him out to the owner of the steamship Planter. In the early morning hours of March 13, 1862, Smalls, using the skills he learned working on the Planter, took the ship, his family, some co-workers, and four Confederate harbor defense cannons past Fort Sumter to freedom. (Tip: don’t leave the keys in the fastest vehicle around). The 1940 SC public school state history textbook does not mention his heroism and post war leadership.
I have a hard time with Calhoun. I view him as the primary instigator of South Carolina’s views and the start of the Civli War. His threatening “divorce” with the nullification crisis was a no no. He started it and Jackson should have hung him from the nearest tree as he threatened him. Calhoun’s position in the Senate was particularly strong and influential and his ego and pride were the primary driver in forcing a civil war. Not a hero.