New-York tribune., 1868-07-06
THE UNION LEAGUE OF PHILADELPHIA.
ITS ORGANIZATION, ITS PURPOSES AND IFS
WORK,

ITS ORGANIZATION, ITS PURPOSES AND IT'S
WORK.
Prom Our Special CouesponieIt
PHILADELPHIA, July 1, 1868
IL is unquestionable that political association In
this country is better known than the Union League
of Philadelphia. Organized at the darkest hour Of
the rebellion it wrought out for itself history
honorable that attained by any institution owing
its origin TO the spirit Of liberty When one recalls
the 9th day Of December lS-the day of its organ
zation-he cannot but feel anew something of the
depressing influence of that terrible Winter when
the RappahannOck and the YazOo were the scenes Of
such terrible disasters 20 our troops II 1861 had ITS
Bull Run 1862 had ITS Pcninsuar defeat aud the hor
rors of the Chckahominyyea. second Bull Kun DIS
aster opened up the way for the INVASION OF Mary
land and the almost evenly balanced field Mt Antetam
was "a temporary but inadequate recompensc Tor the
losses that had gone before. When the repulse OF
Burnside at Fredericksburg, and of Sherman at
Vcksburg, were added, our cup OF bitterness over
flowed and patriotic hearts almost palsfd with
despair But worse than all this were the bIck-
erings of faction at the North; and SO intolerable
had the covert sneers and open gbes of Copperheads
and Rebel sympathlzcrs become, tha IN theli IlIst
annual report, the directors OF the Philadelphia
Union League were constrained to say In those
dark and dispritng days, the League House was
regarded by some refuge rather than as resort
for loyalty-a place where patriotism might harDor
from social antagOnisms, rather than public forum
whence il might speak TO the nation"
The Philadelphia Union League has history pc
culary its own and the details OF It's increase
i'm membership and annual income are interesting.
At the end of the first year the League numbered SS
members, and ITS receipts had been SS62l, and It's
expenditures $2lSl3, leaving balance in the treas,
ury Of 23S0S. The next year It's membership reached
1,l29, and while its disbursements were about the
same rs the previous year the balance III Its treasury
increased to $l lG4. At the close of the third year
the membership numbered 76O and the receipts from
all sources, including the balance of the
RreHtSnS meHfS s5SS $a T50 On the 1st Of December
1866 the roll contained the names OF lyIO members,
the highest number ever attained at the period OF
making the annual reports of the League The state
ment of ''men and money" already adduced is neces-
saTy to full understanding OF the work accom-
pshed by the League, independently OF ITS domestic
and its disbursements small for club of a social, as
well as political character; but the membership was
very small indeed for the large outays aside from
its domestic expenses, which were constantly
made in aid Of the war and its heroes.
The League started without any specific purpose,
but drifted naturally into the course which made II
such power in the land. The desire to disseminate
patTiOtic principles OF the first that sprung
up in the minds of its members. A Board OF Publ
cation was appointed and begun operations with
fund of over $4,000 subscribed by members of the
League. A portion of the League-liouse was devoted
to this work The good accomplished by the dissent
natOn of its publications cannot be estimated, and
even the State Central Committee of this State, III
beginning the campaign Of 1863 made application for
and received large supply OF the pamphlets OF the
League. More than 100000 copies OF speeches and
pamphlets were distributed before the close of the
war and the imprint of the Union League of Phlla-
delphia has been seen wherever there were mails to
carry Its publications..
The League had made extensive preparations for a
National celebration of the Fourth of July, 1868 But
IN the latter part Of June the guerrilla Jenkins and
his band invaded the State, proving the advance
guard OF Lees army. division OF the Rebel Gen.
Early's corp penetrated to WTightsville, opposite
Columbia, on the Susquehsnna River, and Carlisle
was bombarded by the forces under Gen. fltzhugh
Lee, and the Government buildings destroyed.
Harrisburg was threatened, and whether
Philadelphia or Baltimore would be the next
objective point was doubtful. gettysburg
gave a new significance to the National Anniver-
sary, the project of the League had been abandoned
and the funds raised for the purpose devoted TO
ments organized, equipped, and sent forward
before the military authorities had need OF their
services. Assistance was also given to the Dana
Troop in completing Its equipment; and on the re-
turn Of the three regiments from their campaign on
the border effort was at once successfully made
TO raise three years regiment.
These regiments did good service and returned
home with the wellearned plaudis of the loyal peo,
pie on the Border. A letter written TO The Richmond
Sentinel at this time said OF these people, Some
think Gov. Curtin has wand by which he can col
lect body of militia who will whip rs ont OF our
boots but the letter continues, :" A man in town
said to-day that the State militia did them worse
than own men, In this latter assertion 1t must
be confessed there is some truth. The Anderson
Cavalry troop of young men raised as body
guard originally for Cen Buell., who afterward dis
graced themselves at Murfreesborough, but who had
at that time little training as had the militia III
1863. the previous year galoped all over Southern
Pennsylvania and Western Maryland on horses
provided by the farmers and then signal
lied their services by stealing the horses
that were not ridden TO death. These ami
mails were never paid for either by the State
or General governments. A regiment of the n. Y.
S. N. g. encamped a mile south of Chambersburg,
who returned TO your city to complain loudly OF
their treatment by the Pennsy vania Dutch," sban-
doned their camp In terror two days before the APP
prOach of the Rebels. and would have gone home
without their knapsacks many without their arms
even, had not the Dutchmen carried these things
after them until their legs gave out and they could