Calhoun's triumph was complete.

Politically he had gained a great victory for the South.

Personally he had inflicted upon Mr.Van Buren a most humiliating defeat, literally destroying him as a factor in the Democratic party, of which he had so long and so successfully been the leader.
The details of Mr.Van Buren's defeat are presented because of its large influence on the subsequent development of anti-slavery strength in the North.

He was sacrificed because he was opposed to the immediate annexation of Texas.

Had he taken ground in favor of annexation, he would in all probability have been nominated with a fair prospect of election; though the general judgment at that time was that Mr.Clay would have defeated him.