The Slavery Question Speech of Hon. John M. Landrum, of La., Delivered in the House of Representatives, April 27, 1860

The Slavery Question Speech of Hon. John M. Landrum, of La., Delivered in the House of Representatives, April 27, 1860 by John M. Landrum is a vivid example of antebellum political oratory that confronts the mounting sectional tensions on the eve of the Civil War. Landrum addresses fellow legislators with an urgent plea rooted in constitutional history, recalling the founding spirit of harmony and the concessions that brought slave and free states into the Union. Arguing that that spirit has given way to bitter denunciation and dangerous discord, his speech lays out the Southern perspective on rights, union, and the institutional conflicts that polarized 19th-century America. As a primary-source historical speech, it illuminates the rhetoric, legal reasoning, and fears that animated congressional debate in 1860 without dramatizing outcomes or narrative spoilers. Listeners will gain insight into the constitutional arguments and emotional tenor that shaped the final months before secession. Essential listening for students of American history, Civil War scholars, and anyone interested in political rhetoric and constitutional debate, this audiobook offers a direct window into the ideas and anxieties that nearly tore the nation apart.