New-York tribune. [volume], February 01, 1903, Page 14, Image 28

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ONLyIz'mEN ARE LIVING OF THE 533 WHO JOINED THE UNION LEAGUE 40 YEARS AGO-CLUB WILL HONOR THEM.
UNION LEAGUE VETERANS
CLVB TO HOXOR THEM.
Fortieth Anniversary of Orgmmxa
tion To Be Observed.
The Union League Club will celebrate its
fortieth anniversary on February (>, and while
every member of the organization will be asked
to take part in the festivities, the veterans, the
MntMfca of the original body, will be the hon
ored guests of the occasion. When the club
was organised, in Ufttt, X was spoken of as "the
child of the United Btaftea Sanitary Commte
eion."
The executive commit of that powerful or
ganization consisted of the Rev. Dr. Bellow*.
George T. Strong. Walcott Globs. Dr. Cornelius
R. Agnew ana Dr. William H. Van Buren. The
secretary. Frederick Law Olmsted, shared with
the executive committee the cares and responsi
bilities which came with the office, and In let
ters addressed to Dr. Gibbs be pave sound coun
«=<=■! as to what the club should be. The call for
a meeting for the purpose of organization was
issued on January 13. I *".::. The first para
graph of the call read: "The urgency of the
present great national crisis' and! the revolution
ary schemes which unprincipled men are plot
tins to accomplish make it the Immediate duty
of all loyal citizens so to organize themselves as
to give the most efficient support to the national
cause." The call also stated that it was pro
posed to organize a body to be known as the
National dab. The signers were Walcott Glbbs.
George T. Strong. Henry W. Bellows, Cornelius
R. Am-*. George C. Anthon. George Glbbs.
George F. Allen and William J. Hoppin.
Mr. Olmsted's name did not appear on the
rail- because he was in Washington at the time
and could not find time to come to New-York,
sat he was recognized as one of the most active
worker* for ihe cause which the club represent
ed. After several preliminary meetings the or- '
Sanlzation meeting took place at the home of
George T. Strong. X. »4 East Thlrty-first-st..
m Friday. February <». I*"*- at 3 o'clock p. m.
Those present were Hurray Hoffman. Dr. Wal
;ott Gibbs. the Rev. Dr. Hitchcock. Horatio
Mien. William -1. Hoppin. G. C. Anthon. H.
Peters Gray. Cornelius R. Agnew. Frederick
?heldon. William C. Bryant, George F. Allen
md George T. Strong. Judge Hoffman acted
is chairman an Mr. Strong was the secretary.
One of the surviving original members In
peakmg of the first meeting said: "Those were
lark <lays in the North. Many influential mem
>ers of the community who had large business
interests in the South saw the situation only
ron the mercantile standpoint, and threw their
aSaeaee with the South. Th. there were men
van had nothing but their inborn disloyalty to
.hank fcr their antagonism to the Union. These
vere the Copperheads. New-York was full of
hem. They denounced enlistments, they took ,
very opportunity to slander our soldiers, kicked
gainst war taxes and other war measures,
■ad eagerly waited for the defeat of the army
*-hlch they lacked the courage to fight openly,
t waa necessary that the good men who re
■aflßCd at home* should organize against this
slement."
The report adopted at the first meeting was
rritten with the end In view that those who
«ad it might see where the members of the i
sew organization stood. The report read In
-The undersigned agree to associate under the
me of the Union League, and to adopt the fol
owing fundamental articles of association:
"The conditions of membership shall be abso
me and unqualified loyalty to the government
if the United States, and unwavering support
,* its efforts for the suppression of the rebellion.
"The primary object of the association shall
« to discountenance and rebuke by moral and
.ociai influences all disloyalty to the federal
roverament, and to that end the members will
ise even.' proper means in public and in private. ,
"We pledge ourselves by every mean.- in our
>ower. collectively and individually, to resist to
he utmost every attempt against the territorial
ntegrlty of the nation." I
The club had in its fir?: year 553 members. Of
hese sixty were alive and memben of the club
en years ago. There are now only thirty-two
lurvivors. for whom special places of honor will
>c provided on the platform in the large assem
3ly hall of the club when the anniversary exer
:!ees take place, These are the men who will
m thus honored: Andrew G. Agnew. Daniel F.
Appleton. John C. Barron, Henry Bedlow. La
Brand B. Cannon. James C. Carter, Watson
Z. Case, Everett Clapp, Henry Clews. James
i. Dc Poreat, John T. Denny. Thomas Denny. ',
iVmiam K. Dodge, Slgourney W. Fay. Emerson
Foote. Horace W. Fuller, Walcott Gibbs. John
K. A. Griswold. Egbert Guernsey, George G.
Saves Alfred M. Hoyt. Adrian Iselln. Charles
-inier J. Bowers Lee, Charles H. Ludington,
"rands H. Macv. Dcvi P. Morton. Salem Towne ;
Russell. Paul N. SpofTord. Henry C. Thompson,
Tharles 2. Whlteh«?*d and Frederick Law Olm
' The club's first home was the Parrish house, a
!eveiueenth-st.. near Broadway. There the war
rommittee. consisting of Alexander Van
Rensselaer. ].. Grand B. Cannon. Sherman J.
3a.con. James A. Roosevelt. Charles P. Kirk
snd. Elliot C. ■ . George Bliss, Jackson S.
schultz and Edward Cromwell, did much work. •
CVithin a month after its organization the com
mittee had enlisted a regiment of over one
;housand colored men, which became known as
ihe 'JMh meat. United States Colored
Trcoys.
The enlistment and departure for the South
of the lX)t:i Regiment are bright spots in the [
sistorv of the Union League. New- York was at !
;hal time full of "nigg.r haters." Under the
Vadership of ignorant, bloodthirsty foe« of the
nation, men. women and children v.ere batch
ered in th<- streets of New- York in the July
riots of ISG3 for no other reason than that
:hey were black, and a great mob Of "nigger"
exterminators cheered wh*»n negro children ran
;n panic from the orphan asylum which the
•nob had sot on fire. It was a bad time to urge
the enlistment of colored ii. en and place them j
n the army with the white soldiers. But the |
-,;,,„ League undertook the work, and, having l
succeeded in onlisting a regiment, would not
allow the men to go to the front without show
ing the public that the club was proud of its
work. On the morning of the regiment's em
barkation for New-Orleans, March 5, 18G4, it
-eceived at the clubhouse a fine stand of colors.
The presentation address was delivered by Dr.
Varies King, president of Columbia College. In
the party about the speaker were many of the
women who had furnished the Hag. They were
he acknowledged social leaders of New- York,
with Mrs. John Jacob Astor at their head. In
order to reach the place where the presenta- j
tion occurred the regiment had to march ■
through the very district where the mob had !
>ef n most violent at the time of the riot.6. No j
band in New- York could be h.red to piay for ,
:..e black soldiers, but the Union League asked |
for the army band stationed at Governor's '
island, and the request wa« granted. The black j
roops carried loaded guns, and were furnished j
with forty rounds of ammunition apiece. They j
aad instructions to ate if they Were assaulted, |
but there was no shooting. The mob quailed ,
before the black soldiers, and they arrived at
the place where the colors wore present with j
unbroken ranks. Then came the climax. When
the march to the point of embarkation was
taken up 300 members of the Union League
marched at the bead of the column. The men
knew that they were taklnp their lives In their
hands, they knew that they would be hissed
and hooted and jeered at, but no one flinched,
and the courage of the American gentleman
triumphed over the brutality of the mob. The
march b«-rame a triumphal procession, and all
alons the line, until the column reached the
transports at the foot of i'anal-Pt.. there were
JLuim for the negro soldiers and for the cour
ngeous men who escorted them. One of the
men in the escort of .TSO was Slgourney W. Fay.
He carried In his pocket a loaded revolver, from
which the charpe has never been dra.wn.
At the time when the organization of a club
of loyal men was suggested an Incident occurred
0) Wolcott Gibl> S . first year: m Andrew O. Agnew, first year: (I) T^»vl P. Morton, first year: (4) Daniel 7. Appleton. first year; (B) Henry O. Thomp.son. first year; (8) Alfred M. Hoyt, first year.
ROBERT B. MI NT URN.
CORNELICa N. BUSS. „-.,,. r!r , si ,i., nt
Present president.
111-: BY W. HAYDEN,
i -sent secretary.
Oi Bverett <:iapp. first year; (2) John C. Barron. first year; (3) Emerson Foote. first year (photogra yh by Pachj; H) James C. Carter, fl.st year; ku) Charles EL Ludlngioti. first year; (6) Watson E. Case,
(li Saitm Towne Kusse.l. first year; (2> Francis Hussey Macy. first jx-ar; (Z> Henry Clews, flrs: year; (4] Isaac Tdwnsend Smith (not a founder, but the oldest man in the club to-da.yv, (5^ William £arl
Dodge, first year; (6) Le Grand Bouton Cannon, first year; (7) Frederick lja.w Olmsted, first year.
in one of the prominent clubs of the metropolis
which made the first steps in the history of the
Union League comparatively easy. Because of
a serious dispute in the Union Ciub the new
organization received a large number of mem
bers. Judah P. Benjamin was a member of
the Union Club. While he was a member of
Jefferson Davis"s Cabinet his club dues were
paid by three members of the Union Club. The
men who by their generosity kept a member of
the Confederate Government in good standing
in a Northern club were Augustus Sehe'l, Will
iam Travers and Samuel Barlow. The loyal
members of the Union Clul> were indignant, and
Alfred Craven, who was a Virginian by birth,
but a loyal citizen of the Union, denounced the
action of the three members in such unmeas
ured Isxaaa that it produced a rupture in the
club, with the result that seventy members sent
in tli«-ir wsiiiiallona on tbe crownd that they
would not allow ih'.ir naii»«-s to rem:iln on th»'
roll of membership with that of a rebel. Of
these seventy Union <"!ub men, nearly all Joined
the Union League. Mr. Hoppln, the treasurer,
In writing about the members, said: "When a
NEW-YGBK DAILY TKIBUXE. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1. 1003.
candldate is proposed for membership we ask
no questions as to his parentage, wealth or po
sition In fashionable society, but pimply, 'Is he
honest? Is he loyal?' "
When General Hancock came to New-York
early In 1804 to recruit the Second Army Corps
he requested the Union League to assist him.
The president of the club appointed a commit
tee consisting of George Bliss, jr.. Theodore
Roosevelt, George Cabot Ward, Parker Handy,
Stephen Hyatt. Alfred IL Hoyt, James T. Swift.
Jackson S. Schultz. J. S. Williams. William H.
Fogg, W. A. Murdock, George A. Fellows, Dud
ley B. Fuller. James M. Halstead, George C.
Satterlee, Timothy G. Churchill and Moses H.
POME MEMBERS OF THE UNION LEAGUE WHOM THE CLFB DELIGHTS TO HONOR.
{
DINING ROOM AT THE UNION LEAG'.UE • CXUBHOTSSK.
Grlnnell. The committee raised 2. 159 men,
which, added to the three colored regiments,
made the total of troops put in the field by the
club in the year 1804 about six thousand.
There may have been a few members in the
club who believed that, with the close of the
Rebellion, tbe club would cease to exist, but the
gieat majo.ity of the members had no such Idea.
They were anxious to make the club a perma
nent Institution, to give it national importance
ana make it the headquarters of the party which
stood for the Union when the club was or
ganized. In 18G8 the dub had outgrown its
first quarters, and the Jerome Building, at
Twenty-slxth-st. and Madison-aye., was taken
for .club purposes. There the club remained
about twelve years, adding wealth to its treas
ury, numbers to it* 1 roll and good service in the
ciuse of the Republican party to its record.
Then the Union League went Into the beautiful
clubhouse at Fifth-aye. and Thirty-nlnth-st.,
which It now occupies. The committee which
selected the site upon which the clubhouse was
built consisted or Jackaon 8. Schultz, Salem 11.
Wales, John H. Hall. Daniel F. Appleton and
Richard Butler. Of these Mr. Appleton Is the
only one still alive.
The presidents of the club have been Robert
B. Minturn, 1888; Jonathan Sturgea, 1884;
Charles 11. Marshall, 18GT>; John Jay, 18M-W;
Jackson S. Schultz. 1870; William J. Hoppln,
IKTI--72; Joseph H. Choate, 1573-'7O; John Jay,
1877: George Cabot Ward, 1878; Hamilton Fish.
1879: William IL Evarts, ISSS-'SS; Chauncey
M. Depew, 188<>- > 92; Horace Porter, 189'}-'97;
Elihu Root, IS9B-'OO: Frederick D. Tappen, 1900
'Ol, and Cornelius X. Bliss, 1902.
The honorary members of the club are Presi
dent Roosevelt, Lev! P. Morton, Generals Scho
field, Miles. Howard and William F. Smith,
Horace Porter, Chauncey M. Depew, Dr. Park
hurst. Walcott Gibbs, Frederick Law Olmsted.
Le Grand B. Cennon, Admiral Dewey, Elihu
Root and General Grenville M. Dodge.
The membership limit is eighteen hundred.
When the last report of the executive com
mittee was printed there were twenty-two va
cancie?, and several hundred names on the wait-
Ing list. The cash receipts of the club for the
first year of its existence were $27,474 34, and
the disbursements for the same year were
125.028 4.-}.
Last year the cash receipts were $',V,U), ]'.H 70,
of which 1291,87206 was disbursed under the
head of expensea and $'24,<X»t> for Improvements.
The finance committee's report mad* in Janu
ary, V.*r2, shows that the club has :i balance
on band depoaitM with a Bnanclal institution of
$144,33230.
The committee of arrangements for the for
tieth anniversary cele.iru.tion eoaajati «>' Her
bert P. Brown. Cornelius N. Bliss and Henry W.
Hayden. The lntcrlyr of the clubhouse will ba
elaborately decorated, and provision wlil 1
made to accommodate a large number of guests.
In the absence of Cornelius N. Bliss, the presi
dent, th.- lirst vice-president, William K. Dodge.
will preside. Among the speakers will be <"haun
cey at Depew, Le Grand B. Cannon, Dr. D. H
St. John Roosn, J. H.irsen Khoades, John VV .
Gripfrs i, ml other members of the club.
The present officers of the club are Cornelius
K. Bliss, president; William E. Dodge. John w.
Sterling. George R. Sheldon. George B. Adams.
Mortimer C. Addoms. John W. Griggs and JMassa
D. Layng. vice-presidents; George S. Terry, sec
retary, and William G. White, treasurer.
A FAITHFUL SERVITOR OF THE CLUB.
When the. Tnlon I SailH was foumlec] and re
quired a servant 'n its modest apartments Maurice
ANDREW MILLS,
Present treasurer.
Felix Boss, a young, wefl rei I negro, was
engaged. His serviced were saiisf.i -:ory ;'.nd he
remained with the club year after \e.tr until a short
time ago, w>""» the club passed v resoluUaa stthsj
him a pension, which he iu>'. " ■ men who
will be honorea on the occasion ol tlw *'•■ ;:eth anni
versary warn ail known to !;:.ii . • ig men.
In the days of the Civil V.'ni the Btß > iOG upie.i
high places In the army «»■:•• o;-- , • aod al
the Union Laasua, and after tba war (sw men of
prominence In thf eonncUs ol ths natJoa '-.'mi.» to
this city without enjoying tbs bospttaßttsa of tha
club. The old Ssivanl kii'-v. i.i.iii ,ill
probably no man who win be mon i !> m
terestod i.! :!'•■ conlai celebration titan >
GOT IT FOR NOTHING.
Clement A. Griscom. the bred of the Shipping
Trust, in a ccnerous axan himself, and conse
quently holds jnljersi In detestation.
A youns friend of Mr. Grlucom's. rich but .1..-.-.
was building a huge house, In the suburbs*. The
.-. liar had just been diis when n great snowstorm
came and tilled II Of this tl:^ young man com
plained bitterly, but Mr. GHbcobs, hearing of his
complaint, said:
"What In he kicking ucout? lie got th« -now
for nothlnz. didn't he.
WORK OF UNION LEAGUE.
What Henry Cleics Says of It in
It Early Days.
Henry Clews, who was one of the three hun
dred and fifty members of the Union L^az
Club who escorted the negro regiment when it
started for the seat of war in 18£1. says of
the club:
"The Union League Club was founded by a
number of distinguished and representative
citizens of New-York in the dark days of taa
beginning: of that great struggle whose Una;
issue has placed before the world the greatest
Union and the strongest league of States in tv
history. The club haa, ever since It 3 Inception,
labored ceaselessly In liberty's causes It* start
ing point and Its goal are patriotism; within Its
walls sprang up that faith In the nation's des
tiny, that hope for her great future that must
perforce bring forth thai far reaching charity,
broad In Its scope and wise in Its dist.ibution,
and that stands as th<» club's proudest herttag-?.
In that great crisis Irs our history, the soul try
ing time of the Rebellion. it 3 members (amo
forward as one man — all considerations of time,
purse and self were thrust aside— that its aid
might be everywhere extended In the cause of
freedom. Their example of absolute devotion
and loyalty to country was alone an immense
stimulus to that cause, but beyond that wen?
the material results accomplished through the
outpouring of financial aid. the record of which
will stand as an undying- honor to th» Union
League Club as long as our great city stands.
"The first and the greatest aid was In uphold
ing: the arms of the government when its very
existence was In peril. The government credit
was fast ebbing away when by and through the
members of the Union League, m«?n of highest
standing in the world of trade and finance, the
tide was turned and a golden stream poured
into the nation's treasury, making possible th»
preservation of the republic. Then, there was
the mustering and equipment (though In the
face of strong opposition) of three regiments of
cofored men, the 12th, under Colone! Nelson R.
Bartram; the 2»Jth. under Colonel William SlT.i
man. and the Slat, under Colone! Henry C.
Ward. The club proclaimed the negro a man
and a citizen, and placed his suffrage en a level
with that of the whites.
"There are many who may recall the march of
one of these regiments down Broadway from
the clubhouse, which was then at Broadway
and Seventeenfh-st. Not all of New-York's In
habitants wen then the stancbly loyal men the;.'
should have been, and many mutteringa and
threats were heard against the proposed march,
but march the regiment did, and that between
two crowds full enough of enthusiasm to sweep
away any hostile Intent. The comfort and suc
cor extended by the club to the thousands of
the sick and wounded, the tired and waybouad
soldier* passing through the city, need no en
comiums. Abundant support was in turn gives
to the great fair that poured COO, OOO into th»
treasury of the sanitary fund. An Irnrnena*
work was carried on in fitting up the decimated
ranks at the front — no less than $400,000 was
subscribed with which to procure the necessary
substitutes.
"The sum of the financial aid extended by the
club and through its members, men representing
the greatest financial institutions in the country,
heads of great business firms, and capitalists,
would be found to exceed that subscribed by
all the rest of New- York together. Not only
;h^ record, but the sequence, would be Incom
plete did we not include that charity for it.
dead, that last tender and reverent care for
those who had given their lives, their all. In the
country's defence. In honoring them, In bear
ing them on their way to their last resting place.
i: honored Itself. And after the struggle was
over, when the echoes of strife were hushed,
came that broad minded charity in welcoming
back the wanderers from the fold and helping
them to become once more loyal and true Ameri
cans. Within its clubhouse has always existed
that honorable forbearance between men of dif
fering opinions. Questions may have arisen that
were secondary only to the great policy of the
nation's life and safety, but the club ha*
avoided- all dangers through the charity, the
decorum, the gentlemanly honor that have ever
animated its members. In the nigher field ot
municipal action it came forth as a champion
of honest government, and wrested the city from
the hands of the infamous Tweed and his associ
ate?. In the narrower as In the broader field
it has always fought for stainless freedom.
Under the seeris of it* protection can never be
found doubters or denlers of American Institu
tions — there Is no charity, no tolerance for sue.
— but the steady onward march of brave end
loyal men toward th>? attainment of the Ideal o'.
pure and patriotic government and a citizenship
beyond reproach.
O I /) ES TM.i YIN THF CL I 7J
Career of Isaac Tozvnscnd Smith —
His Relations -nth Siam.
Isaac Townser.d Smith, who join- . the Union
League in laM rani now as the oldest man
In the ciub. lie Is also the oldest consul In the
world. 2!r. Smith was born in Boston, March 12.
1313. He comes of that invincible stock of New-
England that Ijved the sc!l of liberty ar.d was
patriotic to the bone. r»rimarily engaged In mak'.ns
money for himself ar.d 'others, he never neglect?!
his duties as a citizen, nor his neighborly affeeiiors
with mankind. Although nearly ninety years oW.
he rarely misses his daily visit to his club. He
Is appreciated and respected by all who knew Ma,
especially by his club associates on Murray Hill.
He early entered aamilai life as a supercargo.
being BOW the last •' the old East: India super
cargoes living. He made several voyage to China,
Manila. Singapore. Java and South Africa. Then
he settled in this city, where as a merchant m-A
shipowner he continued business for sever:«l yer.'-s.
He was an inccrporator uml for many Tears y'.tti
.lent of the Metropolitan Savins* Tank. ;v>l v^as a
commissioner of immisratior; for the Sta:^ of ew^
York for several years. He was a Presiaentia:
Elector In 1851. when Abraham I-ir.coln was re
e'ected. His recent lectuy on the struggle o* lh ~
cariy settlers of this country against Knsl.ir.^l
for American imlepomlence. before the students of
some of the largest universities, prominent club*
and historical satieties, has been most favorairfj
commented on by all who have- heanl it.
For fifty years he has been in fr'emUy arttl official
touch with I us as financial agent, consul and
consul Rpncra! for the United Str.tes.
The first roir.me.riial relations between the United
States and Siam were opentd in 15-TO. when Ki"jf
Mongut sent a commission i<» Mr. Smith to hsva
prepared in this country and sent to rfiani m >dels.
drawings ar.J specifications for two v«v«se!s ii> b*
constructed in Bangkok by native worknwn, »:."■•
to have steam ♦risirses and machinery tnaae her»
hivJ sent to Bunskok to be put in the vessel?.
These vessels were in «t.!e tiisie built and ma^ 3
rtiidy for the arrival of the machinvry. Great oiffl
culty was experienced in those days In ftn.U"s
transportation accommoUutiona for seniliriu th-*
•.nachinery. A. A. Low. father of Mayor f.ow. then
encaged in the China trade, cum to Mr. Smith s
ala by furnishing room in one i>f his ship*. When
.Mr lloWs ship arrived in tho China s>ea. he <a y *
orders to go out of thetr rfgular course and go v?
the Gulf of Siam and land the machinery &'-
Bangkok. This act of kindness by Mr. Low aa»i
great satisfaction to ihe lvins.
One of the two vessels constructed was OSJfa as
a yacht for the King, who named It th<» l^y^;
Seat This yacht in conception and work was ha^.
Siamese anil half American. The woodwork «nd
construction were Siamese, the models and «s"»
chinery American. The entire work of puttins V*
yacht together was done under the superintendence
of an American. John M. ChmwUeT. who later be
. line tutor to the t.'rown Prince, the present Kir.-r
Chulalongkom. \Yh:n Towr.ser.d Harris was se;^
out from '.!:■■ United States to make a tre.iry witn
Siam. in In*, this yacht was sent down the river
u> take htm to the palace. . ••
The other vessel was mud*, a ship of xvar fcr tn*
Siamese r.avy. and nu.i numol tii<» Knemy Chas*"'.
This vessel v.ith her American armament quick..-'
Cleared the Strait of Malacca and the aUJaceß'
waters of Malay juratt* that preyed upon com-
At it dinner given recently by Mayor I.ow to tt»a
Crown l"rtnce. i. w.ts :« remarkable coincident**
th.it all of Lhf parties t.» this t!r*t comm^rci.tl
irur.sactlon should tr* <»■;. resisted there, after tn*
'.Hist- vf half a ceutf.r;-; the frown Prince, grandson
tf th" Kins, thn f.ust einjer statesman who ■;•"■.
tli.* Iwst kuhlcN for li»yii> ? : in- foundation of a steam
marine, and set-t to IN? United States to *?»**
them, ar.d the Mayor of Xew-York. who U> «»•*"»
of A. A. Low. who transported the. i-i "I' l ' "i" 1
machinery and Mr. Smith, the only survivor of vi.»
original parties, the connecting: link betwssa *»•
old time and the new.