The Negro's Origin: and Is the Negro cursed?/Chapter 1
LETTER FROM BISHOP CAMPBELL
Rev. B. T. Tanner.
Dear Sir:—Allow me to say, that although I had not thought of writing an Introduction to your forthcoming Pamphlet, upon the "Negro's Origin," and "Is the Negro Cursed?" yet I had thought of writing an article which you might use with others of the same kind, and thus help forward the circulation of your little work. After seeing your notice in the Christian Recorder, I supposed that you were not waiting for me to accept the invitation you had given me to write the Introduction.
And now you must allow me to decline writing an Introduction. To write a proper Introduction to a work after the middle of the nineteenth century, a man ought to be well posted, not only as to the literary merits of the work itself, but also, as to the strength of the arguments produced against it by opposing theories.
As to the literary ability of your forthcoming Pamphlet, I am posted; but as to the strength of the arguments of many—very many opposing theories, I am not exactly posted. I must have time to compare your notes, with others who oppose, before I would be prepared to render a decision, which I would be willing to have go forth to the world in book form, to pass down to our posterity.
To say that I have read nothing, and thought nothing upon the subject, would be very far from the truth; but to say that I am prepared to defend all the arguments which you have produced, in opposition to the commonly received opinions, would be saying what is not the truth.
When you first named the subject of writing an Introduction, upon reflection of the subject, I thought it would be a good idea, for some one to write an Introduction for a second edition of the work, in which you would have a chance to enlarge, and the party introducing, would have a chance to examine, the sources of proof which you have introduced. By that means your work might not have only a transient existence, but it might possibly find a place among the few works that pass down from generation to generation. And such I desire to be the good fortune of your work.
Also, I hope in time to add something to the common stock, for which cause, I confess that I have to exercise a little caution about what I say and what I do.
P. S. You must already be aware of the fact, that in my travels, I have no access to libraries, when away from my home; and that I am constantly preaching and doing Church business. Under such circumstances it would not be possible for an intelligent man, to write an intelligent Introduction to a Book. I am willing to help others, when I can really help them, and help, or at least do no harm to myself at the same time.
When I can write an Introduction for you, that will make the people call for a work from me, from what they see in that Introduction, I will then do it.
1810 Addison St., Phila., Pa.