38 John C. Calhoun Quotes for You to Enjoy

John C. Calhoun

American Statesman

Born: Mar 18, 1782

Died: Mar 31, 1850

Country Government Great Power War Will

Related authors: Colin Powell Condoleezza Rice Daniel Webster George Mason Henry Clay Henry Kissinger Madeleine Albright William H. Seward

How can this full, perfect, just and supreme voice of the people, embodied in the Constitution, be brought to bear, habitually and steadily, in counteracting the fatal tendency of the government to the absolute and despotic control of the numerical majority? John C. Calhoun

Be assured that, as certain as Congress transcends its assigned limits and usurps powers never conferred, or stretches those conferred beyond the proper limits, so surely will the fruits of its usurpation pass into the hands of the Executive. In seeking to become master, it but makes a master in the person of the President. John C. Calhoun

Will Master Become Congress President Assured Those Seeking Proper Never Beyond Powers Executive Surely Makes Pass Limits Person Conferred Hands Transcends Fruits Certain Usurpation Assigned

Let a durable and firm peace be established and this government be confined rigidly to the few great objects for which it was instituted, leaving the States to contend in generous rivalry to develop, by the arts of peace, their respective resources, and a scene of prosperity and happiness would follow, heretofore unequaled on the globe. John C. Calhoun

Happiness Government Great Peace Prosperity Few Resources States Respective Would Follow Objects Scene Rivalry Develop Firm Generous Instituted Globe Contend Leaving Durable Arts Confined Established Which

Once established with Great Britain, it would not be difficult, with moderation and prudence, to establish permanent peace with the rest of the world, when our most sanguine hopes of prosperity may be realized. John C. Calhoun

When the period arrives - come when it may - that this government will be compelled to resort to internal taxes for its support in time of peace, it will mark one of the most difficult and dangerous stages through which it is destined to pass. John C. Calhoun

Measures of policy are necessarily controlled by circumstances; and, consequently, what may be wise and expedient under certain circumstances might be eminently unwise and impolitic under different circumstances. To persist in acting in the same way under circumstances essentially different would be folly and obstinacy, and not consistency. John C. Calhoun

Wise Consistency Way Circumstances Would Would-Be Folly Obstinacy Policy Unwise Persist Same Expedient Controlled May Essentially Different Might Certain Acting Measures Necessarily Consequently

I want no presidency; I want to do my duty. No denunciations here, or out of this House, can deflect me a single inch from going directly at what I aim, and that is, the good of the country. I have always acted upon it, and I will always act upon it. John C. Calhoun

Good Me Will Country Single Duty Presidency Aim Deflect Out Directly House Always Going Want Act Acted Inch Here

What we want, above all things on earth in our public men, is independence. It is one great defect in the character of the public men of America that there is that real want of independence; and, in this respect, a most marked contrast exists between public men in this country and in Great Britain. John C. Calhoun

Great Character Respect Independence Men Country Great Britain Marked Our Earth All Things Above Between Most Real Exists Contrast America Want Public Things Defect Britain

I would rather be an independent senator, governed by my own views, going for the good of the country, uncontrolled by any thing which mortal man can bring to bear upon me, than to be president of the United States, put there as presidents of the United States have been for many years past. John C. Calhoun

Good Me Man Country Past Own President Presidents States Independent Would My Own Rather Bear Put Uncontrolled Mortal Governed Been Years Than Senator Any Going Which Views Many United United States Thing Bring

Where wages command labor, as in the non-slaveholding States, there necessarily takes place between labor and capital a conflict, which leads, in process of time, to disorder, anarchy, and revolution if not counteracted by some appropriate and strong constitutional provision. Such is not the case in the slaveholding States. John C. Calhoun

Time Conflict Strong Revolution Appropriate Anarchy States Some Constitutional Case Takes Between Leads Wages Command Provision Labor Where Process Place Which Capital Disorder Necessarily

I saw that the incorporation of Texas into this Union would be indispensable both to her safety and ours. I saw that it was impossible she could stand as an independent power between us and Mexico without becoming the scene of intrigue of foreign powers, alike destructive of the peace and security of both Texas and ourselves. John C. Calhoun

Peace Safety Impossible Power Saw Alike Ours Independent Intrigue Ourselves Destructive Security Would Would-Be Scene Both Indispensable Could Between Powers She Without Becoming Foreign Foreign Powers Texas Mexico Us Stand Union Her

John C. Calhoun Quotes

No more John C. Calhoun quotes