# Annoying Historical Myths **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 28, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-historical-myths/236959 "2004-03-28T20:04:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-historical-myths/236959/261 "2004-04-09T01:08:34Z")
> [@](#): > > The Civil War was not the first time that secession was an issue in the Union. I remember reading that Sen. John Calhoun of South Carolina _opposed_ secession at one point, and then adopted it as a principle later on. I don’t remember the details. I would guess that he was anti-secession early in his career, when he was a nationalist and pro-Federalism. The economic realities of an end to slavery probably pushed him into the philosophy of “nullification” (the right of individual states to reject federal law) and “secession” (the right of individual states to leave the Union whenever they so desired). It was very very clear that Calhoun was all about protecting slavery. He was nervous about the recent tariffs and the possibility that in the future South Carolina would have to deal with unfair tariffs as well as laws meddling with slavery. In _South Carolina Exposition and Protest_ he talks a lot about “minority rights”. That is, the rights of slave-holders. He wanted to give the south permanent veto power in the senate. Jackson didn’t want to send troops to South Carolina to keep them in the union, so he was agreeable to a compromise…but I wonder if he _had_ subdued South Carolina with force (SC was pretty much by itself in the issue, the other states weren’t involved) would things have esculated to the point of Civil War? It was interesting that Calhoun was so concerned, though. Jackson was from the south, after all, and had slaves. ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-historical-myths/236959/262 "2004-04-09T02:37:47Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > It was very very clear that Calhoun was all about protecting slavery. . . but I wonder if he [Jackson] _had_ subdued South Carolina with force (SC was pretty much by itself in the issue, the other states weren’t involved) would things have esculated to the point of Civil War? > > It was interesting that Calhoun was so concerned, though. Jackson was from the south, after all, and had slaves. Yes, absolutely Calhoun wanted to protect slavery. He thought that without slavery, the South that he “knew” would end. That’s impossible for me to imagine, that someone would defend such evil rather than figure out a way to stop it. Good question about Jackson! Why _didn’t_ he oppose SC by force? He used force to uproot the Cherokees. Clearly, his activism extended only to “white” people. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-historical-myths/236959/263 "2004-04-09T03:24:13Z")
> [@633squadron](#): > > Yes, absolutely Calhoun wanted to protect slavery. He thought that without slavery, the South that he “knew” would end. That’s impossible for me to imagine, that someone would defend such evil rather than figure out a way to stop it. > > Good question about Jackson! Why _didn’t_ he oppose SC by force? He used force to uproot the Cherokees. Clearly, his activism extended only to “white” people. My history Prof said (and this may be another myth that I’m spreading…) Jackson said on his death bed that he only regretted 2 things. That he didn’t shoot Clay in the street like the dog he was and that he didn’t hang Calhoun for treason… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annoying-historical-myths/236959.md?page=13)