Scottish Enlightenment and the Antislavery Movement in Pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia: Benjamin Rush as a Case Study Continued

Regarding to the antislavery movement in Pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia, historians have discussed it a lot. Some examine it from the perspective of religion; some explore it from the perspective of the hegemonic ideology of the Philadelphia Quakers; some even approach it from the perspective of the moral responsibilities of the middle class of the Philadelphia Quakers. These historical studies help us a lot in understanding the antislavery movement in Pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia. However, rarely have historians work on this topic from an Atlantic perspective and discuss this issue from the perspective of the enlightened Christianity. In my paper, taking Benjamin Rush as a case study, I am going to revisit the antislavery movement in Pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia and discuss how the Scottish Enlightenment, as well as the Christianity contributed to his views on abolitionism at that time.


Contribution to the Existed Literature:

Benjamin Rush, one of the most well-known founding fathers in Revolutionary America, left several original resources about his life and career as a physician, as well as a professor in Chemistry. In 1773, over the slavery issue, Rush debated with Nisbet Richard. Richard argued that the slavery was not forbidden by Scripture and thought that the slavery in the West-India planters of the British Empire was not inhumane and illegal. Richard published his pamphlet with a title named Slavery Not Forbidden By Scripture,: Or, A Defence Of The West-India Planters, From The Aspersions Thrown Out Against Them, By The Author of A Pamphle, in which he asserted his points of view on slavery. Disagreeing with him, Rush refuted his views and published his political pamphlet — An address to the inhabitants of the British settlements in America, upon slave-keeping ... to which are added observations on a pamphlet, entitled, "Slavery not forbidden by Scripture, or, A defence of the West-India planters" (1773, 2rd edition, Philadelphia), and pointed out his views on this issue. In his own autobiography, namely, The Autobiography of Benjamin Rush: His "Travels through life" together with his Commonplace book for 1789-1813, Rush kept his diaries and letters, which were the original resources to approach his inner mind. Essays, Literary, Moral and Philosophical kept his papers and speeches on public school, education and so on, which was very helpful for us to understand his political views and character. Also, with the help of his two volumes Medical Inquiries and Observations (1805), we can recognize to what extend he was influenced from the Scottish Enlightenment through examining his medical knowledge.


Moreover, historians have also edited his letters. Dagobert D. Runes and Lyman Henry Butterfield both edited his letters and political writings. These were the basically original materials on Rush, with the help of these materials, I can explore how Rush formed his views on slavery, as well as how was he influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment.

Methodology


In my paper, I’d like to put Rush in the historical context of the Atlantic abolitionism in the 17th century. Rush pursued his M. D at University of Edinburgh and visited Paris and London in the 1760s. During his stay in Europe, he encountered several enlightenment thinkers, from whom he formed his enlightened thinking. Meanwhile, Rush became close friends of Granville Sharp, John Woolman, Anthony Benezet and other abolitionists in the 18th century Atlantic world. To understand the inner mind of Rush and his view on the abolitionism in the Atlantic world, it is necessary for us to put him in the context of the abolitionism of the 18th century Atlantic world.

Moreover, enlightened Christianity is also another perspective that can greatly help me to understand Rush’s view on abolitionism. Rather like other abolitionists who advocated the abolition of slavery in Pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia in terms of religious piety, Rush formed his view on antislavery in terms of Christianity, as well as enlightened thinking.



Rush, an archetype of the Philadelphia’s enlightenment in the 18th century, was greatly influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment, as well as the religious education in colonial Philadelphia. The making of Rush was a process intermingled religious faith with enlightened thinking. Rush’s views on slavery in Pre-Revolutionary America offered us a good lens to deepen our understanding of the Philadelphia’s enlightenment, as well as the Scottish Enlightenment and its impact in colonial Philadelphia.