The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-14
THE LEAGUE.
Annual Meeting of the Union LcngueAElec-
tiOn of Officers.

Last evening the annual meeting of the Union
League OF Philadelphia was held at the League
House, Broad and SAMSON streets After the
transaction of the usual routine of business, the
annual report was read of which the following
is an ABSTRACT
The Report commences with a eulogy of Cen
eral Grant, and expresses satisfaction that no
single act of the President looks like a depar-
ture from the strictest principles of the Union
party. The policy of General Grants admins
tration is then adverted to- and it is claimed that
IL is characterized by honesty, economy, impair
tiality, and wisdom. The report states:-
If the promises which the administration now
gives be veriied-and it needs little more than
adherence to the present policy to bring that
about-who may calculate the wealth, the power,
the political solidity, and the influence in the
worlds affairs to which our country will attain
within the life OF generation of men? The
bonds which hold together these States are
stronger to-day than they have ever been since
the adoption of the Federal Constitution. As
far as the eye may look, we can see no cause,
however distant, that may again threaten the
Union.
We have had reason to rejoice, with our fell
low members of the Union party, at three i'm
pOrtant events which have taken place in our
State since the last annual meeting of the
League; the passage of u constitutional Regis
try law, the decision of the courts in the con-
tested election cases, and the reelection of
our candidates for Governor and Supreme Judge.
In the early part of the summer a single
point of public interest invited and received the
attention of the board. The banishment of the
heads of Washington and jackson from the
postage stamps most in use, and the remarkable
substitution of the representations of locomo-
tive engine and q mounted post-boy in their
places, had been publicly criticized in the
League with great dissatisfaction and regret,
and subsequently the subject was brought
directly to the attention of the board. In such
an un worthy change we were satisfied the
administration of President Grant had taken no
part The new stamps had been
prepared by the contractors under
| appointed to communicate to the
| Postmaster General what the board believed
| to be the general feeling in the League on the
| subject, and such representation was accord
ingly made. The miscarriage of his letter ap-
| pears to have deprived the Board of the receipt
| of the Postmaster Generals acknowledgment of
| our communication. We learn, however, that
| the memorial of the committee was received
| and its suggestions carefully considered. We
| have reason to suppose that our views coincided
| with those of the Postmaster General, as we
have the satisfaction to learn that new dies are
| now in preparation, and five profile and FIVE full
| face heads of Washington, Hamilton, Franklin,
| Jackson and Lincoln are to be substituted for
| the ten denominations of stamps, and that the
| present stamps are to be withdrawn as soon as
| possible.
The report of the Library Committee exhibits
| n sensible and proper activity in that depart
| ment. Last year the Board of Directors made
| an appropriation of two thousand dollars for the
purchase of books and this year they have ap-
same purpose. With these appropriations the
foundations of library have been laid.
The total number of volumes now in the
library amounts TO twenty-siX hundred and
eighty-nine. rs..
The roll of the League, on the first day of De-
cember, 1869, contained the names of one thou
sand eight hundred and ffty-cight members. OF
this number, ninety-three were elected since the
date of the last report. We have lost since that
date, sixty eight members by resignation twenty
by death, and thirty-nine were suspended for
non-payment of their annual dues.
The reports of the Treasurer and of the Audi
tors for the year 1869 are now upon the table for
examination. The income of the League for the
year ending on the first of December 1869, was
fifty thousand and eighty-tWo dollars and fifty
eight cents which, added to the surplus of the
| previous year. amounts to siXty-seven thousand,
nine hundred and siXty-twO dollars and thirty
six cents. The disbursements for the same Pc
riod were forty-seven thousand, five hundred
and ninety-eight dollars and one cent, leaving a
| surplus of twenty thousand. three hundred and
| siXty-four dollars and thirty-fiye cents. There
| is no Indebtedness outstanding to diminish this
amount. Taking into consideration the flourish
ing condition of our treasury, the directors have
! fixed the annual tax for the following year al
twenty-five dollars.
An election of officers for the ensuing year
was then proceeded with, and after an exciting
contest the following ticket was elected
| PRESIDENT.
Horace Bnney, Jr
| VTCE-PREsIDENTS.
AdOph +. BOrie D. Gingham Fell,
| Morton MCsilchael, Charles Gibbons.
DIRECTORS.
George H. Boxer, James E. Claghorn
James III, Orne, Edward 3. Clarke,
Stephen A. Caldwell, John +. Verree,
| Edward G. Knight, Henry Lewis
Kdwn r. Cone Samuel q. Perkins
Richard Wright Joseph Trimble
| John Rice Alfred ID. Jessup,
4 j. Fralley Smith
4 The Presidents message was telegraphed il
b full to the leading papers in Canada.