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I am a Southern man and a slaveholder. A kind and merciful one, I trust, and none the worse for being a slaveholder. I say, for one, I would rather meet any extremity upon earth than give up one inch of our equality, one inch of what belongs to us as members of this republic! What! Acknowledged inferiority! The surrender of life is nothing to sinking down into acknowledged inferiority!

— John C. Calhoun

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More quotes by John C. Calhoun

In looking back, I see nothing to regret, and little to correct.

It is harder to preserve than to obtain liberty.

The very essence of a free government consists in considering offices as public trusts, bestowed for the good of the country, and not for the benefit of an individual or a party.

All this combined contributed greatly to strengthen the bonds of the Union.

On the Subject of Slavery (1850)

Protection and patriotism are reciprocal.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: John C. Calhoun (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.