The Compromise of 1850

The Compromise of 1850 was one of the most controversial debate and compromise in United States history designed by Whig Senator Henry Clay. The Compromise was a series of bills that wanted to resolve the territorial and slavery controversies. The main discussion of the Compromise of 1850 was the secession of South from the North. The talk of secession came about from the North trying to abolish slavery from the South. To try and combat the secession the senators came up with the Compromise of 1850. There were three main speeches that played an important role in the temporary compromise. They were the Higher Law Speech by William H. Seward, The Clay Compromise Measures by John C. Calhoun, and On the Clay Compromise by Daniel Webster.

William H. Seward

William H. Seward was against the Compromise much like John C. Calhoun. Seward was an abolitionist. Seward made a prediction of the outcome of the United States and that was that if slavery was not abolished, then the country would fall into a civil war which occurred around 10 years later. Something that William Seward focused on that the other two speeches did was the higher law which is God's Law. Seward acknowledged that slavery was legal under the constitution, but did not find that it was legal to protect slavery under the constitution. Seward goes back to the constitution and restates that all men are created equal, and have inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the choice of pursuits of happiness. William H. Seward's reasoning for pushing against the Compromise of 1850 is as stated, "Whether, then, I regard merely the welfare of the future inhabitants of the new territories, or the security and welfare of the whole people of the United States, or the welfare of the whole family of mankind, I cannot consent to introduce slavery into any part of this continent which is now exempt from what seems to me so great an evil."

John C. Calhoun

Much like William H. Seward, John C. Calhoun was also against the Compromise of 1850. He was different from William Seward in that Calhoun was an advocate for slavery. He was against the Compromise from a slavery outlook. Calhoun several times stresses what can be done to resolve this issue. He says that the way the vote seems to be leaning is to abolish slavery, or that the stress alone will affect the outcome. William H. Seward made it very evident that either the North resolve this in peace or make it known so the South can take action to protect slavery, but doesn't stop there. He also says that if California is admitted as a free state then that would mean that the North is making the decision to exclude the South from the expansion. It is almost like John Calhoun is challenging the North to make a move. This issue is not just about slavery, but also about territory and the unfair expansion of the North. Calhoun is accusing the North of