Question

What specific laws did John C. Calhoun, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster help pass that held the country together in the first half on the 19th century (1800s)?

Answer 1

The Gold Rush led to the rapid settlement of California which resulted in its imminent admission as the 31st state. Southerners recognized that there were few slaves in California because Mexico had prohibited slavery. Immediate admission would surely mean California would be the 16th free state, giving the non-slave-holding states an edge in the Senate. Already holding the House of Representatives, the free states could then dominate legislation.