Great
Britain and the United States formed the most important question for the
deliberation of Congress. Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House, being
eager for war and knowing Calhoun's hostility to Great Britain, gave him
the second place on the committee of foreign affairs, of which he soon
became the actual head. In less than three weeks the committee reported
resolutions, evidently written by Calhoun, recommending preparations for
a struggle with Great Britain; and in the following June Calhoun
submitted a second report urging a formal declaration of war. Both sets
of resolutions the House adopted. Clay and Calhoun did more, probably,
than any other two men in Congress to force the reluctant president into
beginning hostilities.

In 1816 Calhoun delivered in favour of a protective tariff a speech that
was ever after held up by his opponents as evidence of his inconsistency
in the tariff controversy. The embargo and the war had crippled American
commerce, but had stimulated manufactures. With the end of the
Napoleonic wars in Europe the industries of the old world revived, and
Americans began to feel their competition. In the consequent distress in
the new industrial centres there arose a cry for protection. Calhoun,
believing that there was a natural tendency in the United States towards
the development of manufactures, supported the Tariff Bill of 1816,
which laid on certain foreign commodities duties higher than were
necessary for the purposes of revenue. He believed that the South would
share in the general industrial development, not having perceived as yet
that slavery was an insuperable obstacle. His opposition to protection
in later years resulted from an honest change of convictions. He always
denied that in supporting this bill he had been inconsistent, and
insisted that it was one for revenue.

From 1817 to 1825 Calhoun was secretary of war under President Monroe.
To him is due the fostering and the reformation of the National Military
Academy at West Point, which he found in disorder, but left in a most
efficient state. Calhoun was vice-president of the United States from
1825 to 1832, during the administration of John Quincy Adams, and during
most of the first administration of Andrew Jackson. This period was for
Calhoun a time of reflection. His faith in a strong nationalistic policy
was gradually undermined, and he finally became the foremost champion of
particularism and the recognized leader of what