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Peter Charles Hoffer is Distinguished Research Professor of History at the University of Georgia. He has authored and co-authored more than twenty books, including Clio Among the Muses: Essays on History and the Humanities; The Historians' Paradox: The Study of History in Our Time; and The Clamor of Lawyers: The American Revolution and the Crisis in the Legal Profession.
""The 'Old Senate Chamber' sprung to life in 1850, as unprecedented territorial expansion incited the passions of pro- and anti-slavery forces, and Kentucky's Henry Clay formulated a multi-pronged compromise to save the Union. The prolific scholar Peter Hoffer gives deservedly close commentary to the interwoven issues, and the failure of vaunted orator Daniel Webster to have the last word. In the author's hands, this uneasy 'breathing spell' before secession is sharply analyzed and deftly narrated."" - Andrew Burstein, author of Longing for Connection: Entangled Memories and Emotional Loss in Early America ""Peter Hoffer reminds us there were times when words mattered and speaking was an art form. His close textual analysis of three iconic speeches on the Senate floor in 1850 explains them better than anyone else has; his explication of oratory and legal reasoning in the historical context is simply unmatched."" - Thomas P. Slaughter, author of The Sewards of New York: A Biography of a Leading American Political Family ""This gripping and persuasive work will transform the way we think about three vital players in American history: The Great Triumvirate of Calhoun, Webster, and Clay. Zealous in research and organization, Hoffer presents a challenging and enlightening reassessment that is certain to open new conversations and complicate old ones. This account is essential text for those interested in this time of great importance to the nation."" - Orville Vernon Burton, author of The Age of Lincoln ""In this remarkable book, Peter Hoffer transports us to the galleries of the Senate during the tense debates over the Compromise of 1850. There, three of America's most powerful orators, Clay, Calhoun, and Webster, delivered speeches that might save the nation from destroying itself over the question of slavery. As though we are in the audience, Hoffer helps us understand the intention and meaning of these speeches as they unfold. Words mattered to these men, and their words mattered greatly to a young democracy's capacity to survive."" - Don H. Doyle, author of The Age of Reconstruction: How Lincoln's New Birth of Freedom Remade the World
