Why Philadelphia?
William F.
Campbell
Secretary, The Philadelphia Society
Presented for the
Philadelphia Society’s Fall Regional Meeting
Black History and Conservative Principles
October 1, 2004
Hi, My name is Bill Campbell. I am not now, nor have I ever been, Mayor of Atlanta.
My job is to welcome you to the great city of Philadelphia, the home of
such great persons as Absalom Jones, Richard Allen, Benjamin Rush, Anthony
Benezet, John Woolman, Bishop William White, and William Sills in the 18th
and 19th centuries. The
birthplace of Jay Parker, Walter Williams, Clarence Thomas, and Bill Cosby in
the 20th century, and the continued namesake of The Philadelphia
Society in the 21st century.
But why discuss black history and conservative principles?
When Prince Kropotkin, the Russian anarchist, was told that
American Negroes had a conservative leader—one Booker T. Washington—he
replied: "And what do they have to conserve?"
This bitter and ironic question has a good answer which can mostly be
traced to the city in which we meet.
Black Americans, as well as white Americans, have quite a
lot to conserve: the words of the Declaration of Independence, with their
universal promise; the rule of law provided by the Constitution and the Bill of
Rights; economic opportunity provided by a market economy, as well as the real
wealth which has already been accumulated.
The emphasis of conservatives on family and personal virtue is connected
with our Judeo-Christian religious roots.
Nat Hentoff reminded us in yesterday’s Wall Street
Journal that Ralph Ellison when confronted by a young black student with a
similar question, replied, “We do have institutions. We have the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
And we have jazz.”
Russell Kirk, the godfather of conservatism, used the
device of five cities--Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and Philadelphia--to
trace the development of the unique institutions of western civilization.
Philadelphia is really the culmination of them all, particularly for the
75 years from 1750-1825 in which both whites and blacks birthed our earliest and
most neglected civil rights movements.
The links between London and Philadelphia are written all
over the city. The Christ Church
Magna Carta windows links together Runnymede with Bishop William White and the
First Prayer in the Continental Congress. The
connections between William Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson, and Charles James Fox
and the anti-slavery movements in Philadelphia were strong and enshrined in the
names of their societies, schools, and colleges. The Quaker movements in England were strengthened with the
Quaker stands in Pennsylvania.
We shall see whether Walter Williams agrees with one of his
heroes as well as the hero of many in The Philadelphia Society, Adam Smith, who
stated that, “The late resolution of the Quakers in Pennsylvania to set at
liberty all their negro slaves, may satisfy us that their number cannot be very
great. Had they made any
considerable part of their property, such a resolution could never have been
agreed to.” (Wealth of Nations, p. 388)
In yesterday’s Wall Street Journal Nat Hentoff was
lamenting the fact that young blacks did not know Charlie Parker, nor even more
astounding, Duke Ellington. But how
many blacks, young or old, have ever heard of Absalom Jones and Richard Allen?
In the spirit of the great Gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson,
we shall see Absalom Jones, the first black Episcopal priest in the United
States, walking straight from Jerusalem to Philadelphia. Out of the great Christ
Church here in Philadelphia, he was ordained by Bishop William White and founded
the St. Thomas African Episcopal Church, still located here in Philadelphia and
worth a visit.
He could say at the same time “how hateful slavery is in
the sight of that God, who hath destroyed kings and princes, for their
oppression of the poor slaves” and, at the same time observe, “we freely
confess the vile habits often acquired in a state of servitude, are not easily
thrown off; the example of the Israelites shews, who with all that Moses could
do to reclaim them from it, still continued in their former habits more or less;
and why will you look for better from us? Why
will you look for grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
It is in our posterity enjoying the same privileges with your own, that
you ought to look for better things.”
One of our speakers, Walter Williams was born in
Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, to be exact.
He grew up in the projects, the Richard Allen housing projects to be
exact. Who was Richard Allen?
He was the founder of Mother Bethel Church and the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. He exemplified
the reconciliation of American and African-American worldviews by his respect
for Bishop Asbury, his personal piety, and his love of community.
Working together with Jones they founded the Free African
Society in 1787. This was one of
the earliest faith-based organizations to bring together Christianity,
self-help, and solid economic entrepreneurial behavior.
What better way to introduce the reception for Barbara Elliott’s new
book, Street Saints? She is
releasing her book for the first time at this meeting and there will be a book
signing immediately after this session. You
will get a chance to hear Barb tomorrow afternoon.
Richard Allen’s described his life of slavery as “poor,
wretched and undone.” By his own
account he was “lost.” These
words mirror the words of “Amazing Grace.”I will conclude this welcome with
an invocation that uses the lyrics for “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound”
by John Newton, the former slaver who became an Episcopal priest and had such a
big influence on the British anti-slave trade reformers such as Thomas Clarkson
and William Wilberforce:
Amazing Grace! How Sweet the Sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
Amen.