Historical sketch of the Union league club of New York, its origin, organization, and work, 1863-1879

Contents

Prefatory, i

I. Origin of the Club, 5

II. Organization of the Club, . . -32

II. Organization Of The Club

" The Loyal National League," which had thirty branches in this State, and Union Leagues in Pennsylvania and other States, were all the fruits of a common feeling of necessity for organizing public sentiment against the threatened loss of nationality. The men who moved in the foundation of " the Loyal National League " in this city were very much the same men who formed the Union League Club, and it is not easy ,to say which movement had priority in time. Each was animated by the same heart. We cannot proceed to the organization of the Club without paying this brief tribute to "the Loyal National League," which did excellent service, and poured its strength finally into our association.

The object of the Union League Clubs in this country was to concentrate and organize the sentiment of devotion to the Union and the nation already weakened, and further threatened by the hostility of parties, and by a sympathy either from fear of consequences or from pro-slavery proclivities, with the Southern rebellion. At this date, January, 1863, the war, already begun, inauspiciously and with many unexpected reverses, was regarded by the commerce of the country with a demoralizing alarm. An inadequate sense of the danger to our national life, and of the necessity of vigorous and decisive measures for putting down the rebellion, gave our Government an appearance of irresolution in its military preparation, and of indeterminateness in its principles of action. The doctrine of " State Sovereignty," carried to the point of denying the constitutional right of the nation and the Government to protect and preserve the Union at all hazards, was still maintained by politicians in the North. A suicidal doubt infected one considerable party in the country, as to the possibility of holding the States in open rebellion against their free will, to the national contract of unity and allegiance to the common flag. The border States were apparently watching the course of events to see on which side of the controversy they should range themselves, ready to jump to the safe side of the fence, whichever that should prove, but seemingly hopeful that it would turn out to be the Southern side. Commercial interests were naturallytimid in the presence of civil war, and were ready to sacrifice principle to peace. The party in the North most accustomed to rely on Southern votes, gave a dangerous support to the rebellion by discountenancing all energy in the Government in its efforts to quench the fires of secession. A considerable portion of the more ignorant, who hated the negro, and thought his natural place was that of a slave, were ready with their votes at the polls, and their mobs in the streets of our cities, to spread terror through the hearts of the people, who feared that civil war would break out in the North, while rebellion was raging in the South. Foreign powers, observing our domestic divisions and lack of national confidence and courage in contending with our great difficulty, were favorably considering the policy of acknowledging the Southern confederates as belligerents, and waited only for a little more success on their part, and a little more discouragement on ours, to announce a fatal neutrality towards the country and its enemies, or to take sides with our domestic foes against the flag and the Union. The states in attempted secession were growing more united and more confident, as we grew more divided and more hopeless. They were encouraged to put forth their utmost exertion ; their men and their women were in full accord ; the old and the young rushed into the ranks, and the prevailing thought and purpose of the whole

South, was, at every sacrifice of property and life, to secure the end of an absolute and final separation and independence — the setting up of an unchecked slave-power within the old limits of the country — henceforth the inevitable rival and enemy of the free states, and the possessor of the mouths of the Mississippi, the chief vent of the commerce of the loyal states in the West.

It was to meet and overcome this alarming state of doubt and apathy, or of a mistaken sympathy with rebellion in the North, and especially in our cities, that the Union League Club in Philadelphia was formed as a rallying centre for the unconditional loyalty that already remained in the North, and an instrument for propagating this sentiment among the irresolute, doubtful or despairing. It was honorable to the city in which the original declaration of independence was made, that the movement for defending our national life by an unpartisan organization of loyal citizens for the more distinct and emphatic declaration of fidelity to the Union, should have been first organized there. Their example animated and quickened the original projectors of this Club, though our purpose was older and independent of theirs, and it is due to them and to ourselves, to acknowledge their priority in action.

Let us now take up the thread of our own history as a Club. Several preliminary meetings, formal or informal, had been held by the original projectors of this Association in the month of January, 1863. The gentlemen already named as its designers, had called a few well known citizens of unmistakable loyalty to share their councils at the third or perhaps the fourth preliminary meeting, held on the 30th of January, 1863, at the house of Dr. Wolcott Gibbs, (No. 59 East 29th Street.) The following persons were present :

Hon. Murray Hoffman, Rev. Henry W. Bellows,

Cornelius R. Agnew, M. D. Prof. Wolcott Gibbs, George .T. Strong, George C. Anthon,

Rev. Do S. H. Weston, Horatio Allen,

John C. Dalton, Jr., M. D. Prof. T. W. Dwight,

William J. Hoppin.

These gentlemen had come together under the call of a circular invitation dated New York, January 15th, 1863, which, with the signatures, has already been given.

At this meeting, held January 30th, 1863, Hon. Murray Hoffman acted as Chairman, and George T. Strong as Secretary. On motion of Dr. Wolcott Gibbs, it was resolved, " That a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to prepare a scheme of organization for the proposed National Club, and to report it to an adjourned meeting." Dr. Wolcott Gibbs, Prof. Dwight and Horatio Allen were appointed to act as this committee.

It was further Resolved —

That it be referred to the same committee to consider and report on the expediency and practicability of establishing an affiliated organization for the same object throughout the country.

That when this meeting adjourn it adjourn to meet at the house of George T. Strong, No. 74 East 31st Street, on. Friday the 6th day of February next, at 8 o'clock P. M.

This adjourned meeting was held at the time and place named.

Present : Hon. Murray Hoffman, Dr. Wolcott Gibbs, Rev. Dr. Hitchcock, Horatio Allen, William J. Hoppin, G. C. Anthon, H. Peters Gray, Cornelius R. Agnew, Frederick Sheldon, William C. Bryant, George F. Allen, Geo. T. Strong. Judge Murray Hoffman was in the chair, and Geo. T. Strong acted as Secretary. Dr. Wolcott Gibbs presented the report from the Committee on a scheme of organization. The plan reported was amended and finally (Feb. 21st, 1863,) adopted as follows:

UNION LEAGUE.

The undersigned agree to associate under the name of The Union League, and to adopt the following fundamental articles of association, to wit :

1. The condition of membership shall be absolute and unqualified loyalty to the government of the United States, and unwavering support of its efforts for the suppression of the rebellion.

2. The primary object of the Association shall be to discountenance and rebuke by moral and social influences all disloyalty to the Federal Government, and to that end the members will use every proper means in public and private.

3. We pledge ourselves by every means in our power, collectively and individually, to resist to the uttermost every attempt against the territorial integrity of the Nation.

To meet the necessary expenditures, each member

THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB.

shall pay to the Treasurer, annually in advance, the sum of ten dollars.

There shall be a standing committee consisting of nine members, who shall have a general supervision of the cencerns of the League.

There shall also be for the present a committee on Admissions, consisting of seven members, whose duty it shall be to pass upon the name of each candidate, who may be presented for membership.

The officers of the League shall consist of a Secretary and Treasurer, to be elected with the Committees on the second Wednesday in January in each year hereafter.

Members of similar organizations, elsewhere established and recognized by this League, shall be entitled, when in New York, to all the privileges of membership, subject to such regulations as the Standing Committee may determine.

Murray Hoffman, John J. Cisco, Alex. Van Rensselaer, Willard Parker, William C. Bryant, Rob't L. Kennedy, Charles King, William Curtis Noyes, James W. Beekman, George T. Strong, W. Templeton Johnson, "[. Butler Wright, Charles D. Smith, George C. Anthon, Henry W. Bellows, Wolcott Gibbs, James McKaye,

George Griswold, George F. Allen, W. H. L. Barnes, Andrew S. Snelling, Charles Jenkins, Nahum Sullivan, Edward S. Bartlett, Freeman J. Bumstead, Alfred L. Edwards, Charles A. Jay, W. S. Brown, J. J. Jones, John E. Williams, Henry L. Jacques, Francis B. Cutting, Francis Lieber, Hamilton Hoppin,

THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB.

•George Gibbs, Theo. W. Dwight, George A. Peters, Cornelius R. Agnew, Henry C. Dorr, Charles E. Butler, A. G. Agnew, John C. Peters, William J. Hoppin, George Cabot Ward, C. E. Strong, Richard M. Hunt, Franklin H. Delano, John Ordronaux, Gtis D. Swan, Albert Mathews,

John A. Stevens, Jr., C. R. Gilman, William H. Draper, Benjamin Collins, Charles Collins, William A. Budd, Samuel W. Bridgham, Henry A. Smythe, Gurdon Buck, Jonathan Sturges, John C. Dalton, Jr., J. Cowper Lord, John A. King, Denning Duer, William G. King, Samuel Wetmore.*

Upon the adoption of this scheme, it was Resolved — That a committee on admissions be appointed to consist of five members, and to serve until the organization of the League shall be accomplished.

The Chair appointed Dr. Gibbs, Prof. Dwight, George F. Allen, George C. Anthon and George T. Strong to act as this committee. William J. Hoppin was appointed Treasurer.

It was Resolved —

That a committee of five have general power to do whatever is required for the speedy organization of the League, and to call a meeting of the League as •soon as sufficient progress is made to render such a meeting expedient.

Such a meeting was called at the office of the United States Sanitary Commission, No. 823 Broad-

* These signatures must have been largely obtained subsequently to the ■date of the adoption of the articles, but soon after.

way, on February 21st, 1863. There were present Hon, Murray Hoffman, George T. Strong, George F. Allen, Dr. Willard Parker, William C. Bryant, George L. Kennedy, James W. Beekman, Henry W. Bellows, Wolcott Gibbs, George Griswold, Charles A. Jay, Francis Lieber, George Gibbs, T. W. Dwight, George A. Peters, Cornelius R. Agnew, Henry C. Dorr, William J. Hoppin, Franklin H. Delano, Otis D. Swan, Albert Mathews, J. M. Stevens, Benjamin Collins, Gurdon Buck, Jonathan Sturges, John C. Dalton, Jr., J. Cowper Lord and others. An examination of this list will show how rapidly the association was commending itself to leading men in the various professions, and in the business pursuits of the city.

At this meeting Otis D. Swan was unanimously elected Secretary of the League.

The early minutes of this Union League show the following orders passed at this meeting :

There shall be a Standing Committee, consisting of nine members, who shall have a general supervision of the concerns of the League.

There shall also be, for the present, a Committee on Admissions, consisting of seven members, whose duty it shall be to pass upon the name of each candidate who may be presented for membership.

The officers of the League shall consist of a Secretary and Treasurer, to be elected with the Committees on the second Wednesday in January in each year hereafter.

Members of similar organizations, elsewhere established and recognised by this League, shall be entitled, when in New York, to all the privileges of membership subject to such regulations as the Standing Committee may determine.

Mr. Charles King being called to the chair, Mr. Murray Hoffman took the floor and offered the following resolution :

" Resolved, That a communication be made to the Union League of Philadelphia requesting their consideration of the following suggestions of alliance and assistance :

"That application be made to such persons as may be selected in any part of the United States, urging them to form a League of loyal citizens upon the basis of the principles adopted by the said Union League of Philadelphia and by this League.

" To recommend to all associations, which may be then established, the formal adoption of the leading principles thus declared.

" To request that each association will place itself in communication with the Union League of Philadelphia, with the name of the Secretary, and that the latter apprise every other Association of the Union.

'' Also, of recommending the expediency of appointing a Committee with power to publish brief tracts upon the questions growing out of the Rebellion, which may advance the cause of our alliance and meet the falsehoods in politics and hostility to constitutional truth, now spreading among us ; and further, with power to make such other recommendation upon the whole subject as may seem to them advisable.

" That a Committee of three, of whom the Secretary shall be one, be appointed to carry these Resolutions into effect."

Dr.*Wolcort Gibbs offered as a substitute for the last of the foregoing Resolutions, the following, viz. :

"Resolved, That a Committee consisting of ten members be appointed to proceed to Philadelphia on Monday the 23d inst., to take part in the exercises of the Union League on Monday evening, and to confer with the officers of that League in regard to matters suggested in the foregoing Resolutions."

Which substitute being accepted by Judge Hoffman, the Resolutions offered by him as amended were adopted and the following Committee of ten were appointed :

Murray Hoffman, Cornelius R. Agnew,

Charles King, George F. Allen,

John E. Williams, William J. Hoppin,

Henry W. Bellows, Robert L. Kennedy,

Gurdon Buck, Denning Duer.

Dr. Gibbs moved the following Resolution :

"That a Committee of three be appointed to draw up and present to the next meeting of the League a system of By-Laws for the government of the internal affairs of the League." It was adopted. Dr. Gibbs, Albert Mathews and Otis D. Swan were appointed such Committee.

Dr. Wolcott Gibbs also moved the following Resolution :

" That the Secretary be requested to have one hundred copies of the articles of association printed for the use of the members, and that the members of the League are requested to send in to the Committee on Admissions, the names of persons suitable for membership." It was adopted.

Mr. Jonathan Sturges offered the following Resolution :

"That a committee of ten appointed pursuant .to the Resolution of Judge Hoffman, have power to strike from the articles of association the third article, if, before conference with the officers of the Union League of Philadelphia, they shall deem such action expedient." This was adopted.

Mr. George Griswold moved the following Resolution :

"That a committee be appointed by the Chairman to

select a building for the use of the League." This was

adopted ; and Mr. Griswold and Mr. George T. Strong

were appointed such Committee.

Upon motion of Dr. Gibbs, the Chairman, the Secretary and Treasurer were empowered to call a meeting of the League at their discretion.

The following Committees were apppointed by the Chair :

Committee on Admissions.

George F. Allen, Wolcott Gibbs,

George C. Anthon, George T. Strong,

Cornelius R. Agnew, J. Cowper Lord, Robert L. Kennedy.

Standing Committee.

George Griswold, George T. Strong,

William C. Bryant, Willard Parker,

Theodore W. Dwight, John C. Dalton, Jr.,

Henry W. Bellows, Cornelius R. Agnew,

Wolcott Gibes.

The meeting then adjourned.

A special meeting of the Union League of New York was held this day (March 6, 1863) at the United States Sanitary Commission Rooms, No. 823 Broadway. Present :

Willard Parker, Robert L. Kennedy,

Charles King, George T. Strong,

Charles D. Siuith, Wolcott Gibbs,

George Griswold, Nahum Sullivan,

»

James McKaye, George Giebs,

Cornelius R. Agnew, John C. Dalton, Jr.,

Franklin H. Delano, George Cabot Ward,

Samuel W. Bridgham, John A. Stephens,

Jonathan Sturges, The Treasurer, Secretary, and others.

In the absence of Murray Hoffman, Chairman, President Charles King was called to the Chair.

The minutes of the last meeting were read, and on motion, approved.

The following communication was then read by the Secretary :

"At a meeting of the Joint Committee of the Union League in New York, held on Monday, the second day of March, the following Resolutions were adopted and ordered to be communicated to the members of the League at the next meeting of that Association :

"Resolved, That the Joint Committee of the Union League in New York recommend that the annual dues to be paid by each member of the League, be the sum of twenty-five dollars, and that all future members pay an admission fee of twenty-five dollars."

" Resolved, That a Committee of five members be appointed to confer with similar committees of the Union League in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Boston, for the purpose of consultation upon the subject matter of establishing some common basis of action, with power to fix the time and place of meeting."

On motion, the following resolution was then adopted :

" Resolved, That the annual dues of each member of the League, payable in advance, be the sum of twenty-five dollars, instead of the sum of ten dollars as heretofore provided, and that all future members pay an admission fee of twenty-five dollars."

On motion, the Secretary was directed to issue a cir. cular to the members of the League and such persons as have been elected members, communicating a copy of the above resolution.

John A. Stephens, Jr., in person tendered his resignation as a member of the League, and on motion, his resignation was accepted.

On motion, Robert B. Minturn and George Cabot Ward were appointed additional members of the Committee on selection of a suitable building for the League, and the said Committee was authorized to solicit and collect donations for the objects of the League.

The following list of persons elected members of the League by the Committee on Admissions was read by the Secretary :

All on printed list and also

Nahum Sullivan, Edward S. Bartlett,

William A. Budd, William G. King.

ADDITIONAL.

Nominated by J. A. STEPHENS, Jr.:

Cyrus W. Field, S. B. Chittenden,

Richard Heckscher, Benj. D. Silliman.

By Henry A. Smythe:

Henry F. Vail.

By Charles Jenkins:

E. Ellery Anderson.

By Franklin H. Delano :

John C Cooper, Edward Delano,

James L. Kennedy, Thomas W. Ogden,

Christian E. Detmold, Newbold Edgar,

Henry J. Brown, Albert Bierstadt,

Gilbert L. Beekman.

4 6

THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB.

By Rev. Dr. H. W. Bellows:

Horatio Allen, J. N. Balestier,

W. F. Cary, Edwin J. Dunning, Parke Godwin, George Ireland, J. F. Pierson, W. Scharfenberg, Dorman B. Eaton, Calvert Vaux,

By Samuel Wetmore:

John T. Johnston, Stephen C. Williams, Henry A. Coit, Alfred Pell,

By William J. Hoppin : Henry L. Pierson, William E. Dodge, G. Albinola, Edward Delano, Robert S. Hone, William Allen Butler,

John D. Lawson.

By Charles King: Edmund Blunt,

Elliot C. Cowdin, Richard Goodman, Josiah Howe, Pierre M. Irving, W. M. Pritchard, Henry T. Tuckerman, Fred. Townsend, E. B. Youmans,

James B. Johnston, Christopher R. Robert, William E. Dodge, Jr., John C. Green.

Rev. Francis Vinton, Henry D. Sedgwick, Edward Oothout, Charles H. Russell,

Abram Henry

Cozzens, Pierrepont.

George W. Blunt,

Peter Cooper.

By John E. Williams:

Charles L. Brace, By H. C. Dorr:

Henry R. Winthrop, Alfred Jones, Samuel D. Cozzens,

Wm. C. Russel.

Thomas Hitchcock, Buchanan Winthrop, John C. Carter,

THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB.

John G. Adams, George F. Betts,

Charles D. Congdon.

By John C. Dalton, Jr.: Henry B. Sands, Wm. H. Carmalt, Austin Flint,

By Dr. Wolcott GlBBS : Lucius Tuckerman, Frederic Kapp, E. Leutze, Samuel B. Ruggles,

By Francis Lieber: William Oakey,

By Dr. C. R. Agnew :

Alfred C. Post, Benjamin Lee, William T. Blodgett,

By George T. Strong:

Edward Pf.nfold, John O. Stone, Ridley Watts,

William Detmold, Luther R. Marsh, Austin Flint, Jr.

John E. Gavit, William O. Stone, Aaron Frank, John A. Weeks.

Philip Reynolds.

C. Conant Foster, Charles T. White, Thomas H. Faile, Jr.

Robert B. Minturn,

J. H. Hinton,

Rev. Sullivan H. Weston,

Rev. Roswell D. Hitchcock, Walter L. Cutting,

H. \V. Hubbell, Fred. Df.Peyster, Howard Potter, Charles H. Marshall, James F. Ruggles, Robert H. McCurdy, Alfred W. Craven, Frederic Sheldon, Benj. W. Bonney,

James F. DePeyster, Seth B. Hunt, Luther Bradish, Henry Peters Gray, P. Remsen Strong, Samuel T. Skidmore, James G King, Adrian Iselin, George N. Titus,

Charles P. Kirkland.

By George C. Anthon:

Ossian D. Ashley, A. D. F. Randolph,

Charles G. Clark, Thomas E. Brown,

Edward J. Warren.

By R. L. Kennedy:

Robert L. Stuart.

By R. M. Hunt: Joseph Howland, John Priestley,

Charles W. Elliot.

In the absence of any by-law defining the power of the Committee on Admissions, in respect to election of individuals proposed for membership of the League, and for the sole purpose of preventing present controversy in respect thereto, it was moved that the persons, enumerated in this list of individuals, elected to membership of the League by the Committee on Admissions, be elected accordingly ; which was adopted.

It was then moved that the recommendation of the Joint Committee of the League, as stated above, be adopted ; which was accordingly carried.

Upon motion, the Committee was ordered to consist of five and to be appointed by the Chair.

The Treasurer offered the following Resolution :

" Resolved, That the Treasurer be directed to collect from the members of the League annual dues and initiation fees as follows :

"Twenty-five Dollars annual dues from all persons already members, who shall not be required to pay initiation fees.

" Twenty-five Dollars annual dues, and Twenty-five Dollars initiation fees from all persons, who may become members after the meeting of this evening;.

THE UN 10 A 7 LEAGUE CLUB. 49

"Resolved, That the Secretary furnish to the Treasurer the names of such gentlemen as have, and may hereafter become members of the League." Which on motion, was adopted.

The meeting then adjourned subject to call of the Secretary.

Pursuant to notice, a meeting of the Union League of New York was this day (March 13th, 1863,) held at the ■Chapel of the New York University. Present : Charles King, Thomas Hitchcock,

Rob't B. Minturn, Wolcott Gibbs,

Edmund Blunt, George Griswold,

Robert L. Kennedy, George T. Strong,

Richard Goodman, John Priestley,

Prof. Dalton, Cornelius R. Agnew,

Alfred L. Edwards, Benj. Collins,

The Secretary, Treasurer, and others.

On motion, Mr. Charles King was called to the chair.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

The Chairman of the Committee to procure a suitable building for the League, reported that the Committee had not yet procured one.

The Committee on By-Laws reported draft of By- Laws for the government of the League, which was then read.

On motion, and after the insertion of several verbal amendments, the draft submitted by the Committee was adopted as the By-Laws of the League. (They may be found in the first printed Report of the Club.*)

On motion it was resolved that the By-Laws be adopted, to take effect at the expiration of ten days after the

* See Appendix.

League shall take possession of the League house.

Which was carried. ******

A motion was made, that a committee of seven members be appointed, whose duty it should be to report at the next meeting of the League the names of suitable persons for the officers enumerated in the By-Laws. This was carried, and on motion, the following gentlemen were appointed such Committee :

George Griswold, Robert B. Minturn,

Franklin H. Delano, Rob't L. Kennedy,

John C. Dalton, Jr., George T. Strong,

Wolcott Gibbs.

At a meeting of the Union League Club this day

(March 20th, 1863,) held at the Chapel of the New York

University, pursuant to notice to the members, of whom

there was a large attendance, Mr. Charles King was

called to the chair —

* * * * . * *

The Committee of seven, appointed at the last meeting to report the names of suitable persons for the officers enumerated in the By-Laws, reported through the Chairman, Mr. Griswold, the following nominations :

For President.

Robert B. Minturn.

For Vice-Presidents.

Hon. Murray Hoffman, Alex. T. Stewart,

Charles King, Jonathan Sturges,

William H. Aspinwall, Moses Taylor,

John A. Dix, Henry W. Bellows,

Francis B. Cutting, Willard Parker,

George Bancroft, James W. Beekman.

For Secretary.

Otis D. Swan.

For Treasurer.

William J. Hoppin.

For Executive Committee.

George Griswold, George Cabot Ward,

Franklin H. Delano, Thomas H. Faile,

Henry T. Tuckerman, Rob't L. Kennedy,

William E. Dodge, Jr., John A. Weeks,

James Boorman Johnston.

For Committee on Admissions.

George F. Allen, N. Pendleton Hosack,

Cornelius R. Agnew, Wolcott Gibbs,

George T. Strong, Frederic DePeyster,

Jonathan Sturges.

These gentlemen were unanimously elected.

June ioth, 1863. — At a regular monthly meeting of the Union League Club,* held this evening at the Club House, Mr. John C. Green, one of the Vice-Presidents, in the chair — ******

Mr. George F. Allen, Chairman of the Committee on Admissions, read the report of the Committee recommending for election as members the following gentlemen :

Samuel McLean, Henry A. Hurlbut,

Elijah T. Brown, Sherman J. Bacon,

William B. Ross.

Dr. Oliver Johnson, proposed by Geo. C. Collins. Edw. Prime, " Thomas T. Sturges.

E. Reed McIlvaine, " " H. K. Bull.

Rob't Stuyvesant, " J. H. Foster.

Upon motion, the report was accepted and the persons therein recommended for election were elected

* See pp. 52 and 53 for change of the name of the Club.

■viva voce, the By-Laws having been first suspended by

unanimous consent.

The Chairman of the Committee on Admissions then introduced the following Resolution :

" Resolved, That the Committee on Admissions have power to elect candidates for membership, and that so much of section eight of the By-Laws, as is inconsistent with the exercise of such power by said Committee, be suspended for the period of ninety days from the date of this meeting." This, on motion, was unanimously adopted.

Mr. John Jay moved the following Resolution :

"Resolved, That the Executive Committee be requested to consider the feasibility of the establishment of a National Club and Club House at Washington, and after advising upon the subject with such gentlemen as they may select at Washington, and with the Loyal Clubs at Boston and Philadelphia, report thereon at the next monthly meeting." Adopted.

Upon motion, the weekly Club night was changed from Wednesday to Thursday evenings.

A considerable difference of opinion had existed as to the name by which the new association should be known. "National Club" was preferred by many at the outset, as more expressive of its objects. It was feared that " Union League Club " was a name likely to confound it with certain other organizations of a less comprehensive character. The club, though originally political, was not intended to be partisan, or to lend itself to any party, except when that party was strictly national in its policy, and dangerously opposed by a party, sectional and non-national in its aims. The first important paper of the club — "On Emigration" — exhibits the national end and aim of the association. But the name " Union League Club " prevailed, chiefly because it had found favor and acquired meaning and color in Philadelphia, among men who had the same objects with ourselves.

The Union League Club had found accommodation for itself in the large and commanding building formerly occupied by Mr. Parrish, on the corner of 17th Street and Broadway, fronting Union Square.*

It was a fortunate site for the opening labors of the Club — in full view of one of the chief places of public gatherings, military reviews and popular demonstrations ; easy of access, and an advertisement in itself of the existence and activity of the association.