A City of Firsts
Tracing the History of the Consular Corps Association of Philadelphia
By Krista Bard and Charles Becker
(Originally published in Forum – Fall 2014, see original article for footnotes)
AS THE EPICENTER OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION and the young nation’s capital, a major port and commercial hub, Philadelphia quickly won the moniker of “the city of firsts.” Almost every essential institution of modern America emerged here, ranging literally from A to Z – the first army to the first zoo. In the 18th century, the city already boasted the first bank, daily newspaper, hospital, insurance company, law firm, medical school, patent, public library, post office, steamboat, stock exchange, trade show, turnpike, and the first foreign consul appointed to the United States.
It was only fitting that foreign emissaries were sent to the nation’s capital, and in March of 1778, it was France who sent Conrad Alexandre Gerard as the first Minister Plenipotentiary and General Consul, stationed in Philadelphia. Before his arrival, Gerard had already conducted negotiations with American representatives Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane and Arthur Lee, resulting in the signing of the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States on February 6, 1778. Gerard sailed to America aboard the Comte d’Estaing’s flagship of the seventeen-ship battle fleet transporting four thousand French troops to support the Patriots.
Gerard’s mission in Philadelphia was to nurture a more favorable sentiment towards France, his efforts including oral addresses to Congress, gift presentations, and developing relationships with writers, most notably Thomas Paine. During his residence in America, he received the degree of LLD. from Yale, and upon his return to France was made a Councilor of State.
In 1791, the first city directory published in Philadelphia lists 21 “Ministerial and Consular Appointments to the United States” representing six foreign nations: France, Spain, Great Britain, Portugal, the United Netherlands, and Sweden.
As the first foreign consuls to the newly formed nation were sent to Philadelphia, the decision to send the first U.S. consuls and diplomats abroad was made here as well. While the United States consular service was officially established by an Act of April 14, 1792, by that date George Washington had already appointed and dispatched seventeen consuls and five vice consuls.
At that time, no formal consular association had been formed. During the first years of the American republic, associations of any kind were met with distrust and resistance by the general public. Fraternal organizations, such as the Freemasons and other informal clubs, like Benjamin Franklin’s famous Junto, did begin to appear; however, on the rare occasions when they sought to formalize their status – as did a group of Connecticut physicians who tried to form a medical society – their efforts were firmly rejected. The crux of the issue was an ideological tension “posed by the Constitution, with its simultaneous commitments to majoritarian decision making and to inviolable individual rights.”
As ambivalent as Americans initially were about voluntary associations, political and economic conditions compelled people to embrace them, with citizens coalescing openly in the pursuit of common ideas and causes. By the 1830s, when French historian Alexis de Tocqueville visited the United States, public sentiment had shifted, and he wrote, “Americans of all ages, all conditions, and all dispositions” had formed associations in the pursuit of democratic goals like fraternity, liberty, and the right to self-rule – for “if it is proposed to inculcate some truth or foster some feeling by the encouragement of great example, they form a society.” The conditions ripe for a consular association were beginning to emerge.
Through the 19th century, foreign consular delegations sent to and from the United States steadily grew, with a preponderance of representation concentrated in port cities, given that the primary historic role of consuls was to promote commerce and trade. The U.S. formalized its diplomatic and consular system by an Act on March 1, 1855, with parallel developments occurring worldwide. As today, consuls were either foreign nationals or American citizens. For example, beginning in 1820, the Kingdom of Sardinia had a consular office in Philadelphia. When the new Kingdom of Italy was established in 1861, Philadelphia merchant Alonso Viti was asked to serve as Consul, and then in 1876 Count Geoffredo Galli was sent from Italy to serve as Consul. Varying by country, some consuls received a salary, but many consuls often received their compensation in the form of fees received for the services they performed as merchants, lawyers, or shipping or notarial agents.
Consular relations in Philadelphia followed this trend as well. Though the capital had moved to Washington, D.C. in 1800, the city of Philadelphia, with its sea as well as inland transportation routes and nearby rich natural resources, emerged as a center of heavy industry and manufacturing in the 19th century.
With the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first World’s Fair to be held in the United States, Philadelphia won global acclaim as both a cosmopolitan and commercial hub. Displays from 37 nations in over 250 pavilions exhibited the industrial and technological progress of the age, like the first typewriter and Bell’s telephone. Rosters of invitations include numerous foreign dignitaries and diplomats. As noted in the city directory that year, there were 23 countries with consular representation. A highlight of the event was President Ulysses S. Grant welcoming Emperor of Brazil Dom Pedro II to view the Corliss Steam Engine; Brazilian Consul Edward S. Sayers was present to receive them.
“For the first time, the Philadelphia world’s fair brought large numbers of foreign visitors to the United States for a single purpose, and they returned to their homes to make American efficiency and American machinery bywords for excellence.” This resurging international interest in the city corresponded with the growth of consular representation, and the creation of the consular corps itself. After the enormous success of the Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia’s character crystallized, witnessing an era of ensuing economic prosperity and social stability, and the concomitant creation of a multitude of associations, institutions and clubs.
The first recorded mention of a “Consular Association” appears in the Public Ledger Almanac of 1888, published in Philadelphia in 1887 by George W Childs. The President of the Consular Association is noted as Edward Shippen, and the Secretary and Treasurer as Charles W Matthews, with 30 member countries represented: ”Argentina, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Chili, Corea, Denmark, Ecuador, France, German Empire, Great Britain, Greece, Hayti, Honduras, Italy, Liberia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Spain, St. Domingo, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Uruguay, and Venezuela.”
Consular Association President Edward Shippen (1821-1904) was a prominent Philadelphia attorney and served as the Consul to the Argentine Republic, Ecuador, and Chile. Shippen was president of the Chilean Exposition at the Centennial Exhibition; a founder of the teachers’ institute and benevolent association; president of the board of public education; guardian of Japanese students while in the U.S. by appointment of the Mikado; and president of the art club. For his aid to the Italian community, Shippen received the order of Cavaliere della Corona d’Italia.
Consular Association Secretary and Treasurer Charles W. Matthews (1836-1891) was the son of a prominent Philadelphia physician, and served in the Civil War with distinction under General Negley. Matthews began his business career with the mercantile firm of John B. Myers, and eventually started his own business as a successful iron broker. Matthews was the Uruguayan Consul, a member of the Loyal Legion, Grand Army of the Republic, United Service Club, Union League and Free Masons.
By 1897, the Congressional Record shows a total of 598 foreign consuls in the United States, representing 40 countries, stationed in a total of 101 cities. The largest numbers of consuls were predictably appointed to serve in major metropolitan areas, and a primary constellation emerged, with Philadelphia now joined by New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Boston. That same year, the Congressional Record also shows that 885 U.S. Consuls had been dispatched around the world, serving in 74 countries.
Through the 20th century, the Philadelphia Consular Association incorporated structural changes as required by the evolving U.S. Tax Code, and it currently holds 501 (c)3 status as a not-for-profit charitable organization.
Today, in the Consular Corps Association of Philadelphia, 32 countries are officially represented by 34 members. Four members – Italy, Panama, Mexico, and Israel – have career diplomat Consuls, the remaining members being Honorary Consuls.
The mission of the Association is to support its members in accomplishing their work: to facilitate educational, cultural and economic exchanges; to coordinate dignitary visits; and to assist foreign citizens.
The group meets regularly with federal, state and local elected officials as well as with other organizations addressing issues in the global arena, including: the airport, academic think tanks, immigration and border protection, disease control, foreign direct investment, tourism and even Twitter diplomacy. The Corps has met with the directors of the World Meeting of Families 2015, and hopes to welcome Pope Francis to that event.
The individual projects of the corps members vary greatly. Highlights of recent individual consular projects include:
- South Korean HC Harris Baum supported a major exhibition of the Joseon Dynasty at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
- Lithuanian HC Krista Bard negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding between the Port of Philadelphia and the Port of Klaipeda.
- British HC Oliver Franklin OBE, and Israeli Consul General Yaron Sideman helped organize trade missions led by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter to their countries.
- Latvian HC John Medveckis welcomed and organized the visit of his Prime Minister and accompanying delegation to the U.S.
- Italian Consul General Andrea Canepari inaugurated a new Italy-US. Business Council to bolster science and research ties, and support the teaching of the Italian language.
- French HC Michael Scullin accompanied Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett on his first foreign trade mission, to France, and advised Mayor Nutter on his recent mission to Lyon and Paris.
- Uruguayan HC Peter Longstreth helped organize events to introduce Uruguayan lamb to the U.S. market.
- Mexican Consul Carlos Giralt-Cabrales has organized a 10,000-person festival every September since 1992, and for the last two years Mexican Week in May.
In his report for the Netherlands Institute of International Relations in 2007, Dr. Kevin Stringer portends that “consular diplomacy is taking on an ever increasing importance in the globalized world and economy, and it may emerge as the more significant component of diplomatic power when compared to traditional diplomacy.” 15 Worldwide, governments are recognizing that “Honorary Consuls are remarkably effective in advancing the country’s interests, at virtually no cost to the appointing country.” Appreciating this, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter is pro-actively working in conjunction with the Consular Corps Association of Philadelphia to expand the Corps. The Corps’ recent “How to Become an Honorary Consul” seminar with Global Philadelphia Association drew accolades, and there are over a dozen more countries now in various stages of establishing new consular appointments.
AUTHORS:
Krista Bard is Honorary Consul of the Republic of Lithuania, President of the Consular Corps Association of Philadelphia, a business consultant specializing in cross-border transactions, and an artist.
Charles Becker is an international relations major at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and summer scholar-in-residence with the Consular Association of Philadelphia.