What was the main concern expressed in Calhoun's "Southern Address"?

The main concern expressed in Calhoun's "Southern Address" centered around the idea that slavery would lead to a division within the Union, ultimately escalating tensions to the point of secession. In this address, John C. Calhoun articulated the belief that the institution of slavery was essential to the Southern way of life and economy. He feared that the growing anti-slavery sentiment in the North would threaten the existence of slavery in the South and, by extension, the stability and unity of the nation. Calhoun advocated for the rights of slaveholding states and warned that if their interests were not protected, the Southern states might choose to secede from the Union to preserve their way of life.

This concern was rooted in the broader context of sectional conflict during the antebellum period, as Calhoun represented the fears of many Southern leaders who believed that the increasing political power of the Northern states would undermine their economic interests and social structures. While options discussing economic collapse, the need for a stronger central government, or expansion into new territories address relevant themes of the period, they do not capture the pivotal concern regarding slavery and its potential to fracture the nation that was forefront in Calhoun's address.