In effect, the Southerners favored retrogressive practices and opposed governmental policies such as taxation whenever they perceived them as an attack on their agrarian practices. The Southern states stood their ground in opposing State Rights that gave the federal government the authority to regulate slavery. Specifically, the reason for this was that slaves were the primary source of labor in the cotton fields. According to the Southern representatives, there was no solution to the slavery business. Notably, the Southerners through William Cobb, Georgia Congressman asserted that by abolishing slavery “you have kindled a fire which all the waters of the ocean cannot put out, which seas of blood can only extinguish” (151). Specifically, the reason for this was that slavery was an essential institution and economic engine for the economy of the US and other countries like Britain that depended on the Southern-grown cotton for their industries.
On the other hand, the north was more political matures and expressed a high level of modernization in the way the representatives addressed political and social differences. In particular, slavery was a major factor in the division between the regions as the Northern section supported the abolishment of the practice and the freedom to the slaves. In practice, several Northern Tycoons demonstrated their willingness to support the end of slavery. In particular, the admission of Missouri raised great concern due to its slavery policies. Specifically, New York Congressman James Tallmadge suggested amendment of the constitution “that all children born within the said state (Missouri) after the admission thereof into the Union shall be free at the age of 25 years”