"Slavery: A Positive Good" (speech)

"Slavery: A Positive Good" is a speech by Senator John C. Calhoun from 1837, where he argued that slavery was beneficial for both enslaved people and society. He contended that slavery provided economic stability, ensured social order, and offered supposedly benevolent care to enslaved individuals. Calhoun believed slavery was a positive institution rooted in tradition and necessity, opposing the growing abolition movement. The speech sought to justify slavery as a moral and practical good, reflecting the deeply entrenched pro-slavery attitudes of the time.