Calhoun, John Caldwell

From Encyclopediak

Calhoun, John Caldwell (1782-1850), a distinguished American statesman, born in South Carolina of Scotch-Irish parentage. In spite of early poverty he succeeded in entering Yale College, where he graduated in 1804. He was admitted to the bar in 1807. He served for a short time in the State Legislature and was elected to Congress in 1811, where his ability, integrity and training soon marked him as a statesman and leader of the first rank. Calhoun served as secretary of war under President Monroe during both of his administrations, 1817-1825, and his influence in this department was felt for more than a generation. In 1824 he was elected vice-president of the United States, with John Quincy Adams as president. In this office he found leisure for further study, and his views gradually changed to the advocacy of free trade with a tariff for revenue only, and of the supreme authority of the sovereign states. He was again elected vice-president in 1828, as a radical Democrat, with Andrew Jackson as president. It was during this period that Calhoun formulated his famous "nullification" doctrine; that a state was not bound by a law of the United States if it believed that law to be unconstitutional. He led the fight in South, Carolina for the nullification of the tariff of 1828, culminating in the Nullification Act passed by that state in 1832. This caused a break with President Jackson, who, by a prompt and determined use of Federal authority, crushed the nullification movement. Calh.onn resigned the vice-presidency and reentered the Senate in 1832, where he served until 1843. He was there an ardent advocate of states' rights, and, incidentally, of slavery. In 1844 Calhoun became secretary of state under President Tyier and in this capacity he concluded the annexation treaty with Texas. He again entered the Senate in 1845 and resumed his leadership of the Southern cause. He established a reputation as a great debater, Calhoun, Webster and Clay being often called the "Great Trio." Calhoun was exceedingly attractive in personality and character and possessed qualities of statesmanship that have rarely been equaled in the history of the United States. During the last few years of his life he published the Disquisition on our Government and the Discourse on the Constitution and Government of the United States.