, 1876-03-05

OF ano1her organization called the s1zatc;, c,,t
OF Which Prot. S. F. B. Morse and Wastinrta r
Irving vera members. It speedily hac,ma ~,
1epfesentAtiVe club Of tho authors and a~,;st
OF that day, but, With vide-open ,,,,ora,+1, -.
ce1Ved also members Of the ,aoat ,,-e,a:n;ae
mefchants, aud bankers, without e,,dc;ng !
punished journal in 1851, Of wbicr, Snsrro,r
grase Cozzons and John H, Gonr1ia wara N,
ulse eoltofa: It started an art gallery. whic, =
no" one of the rarest aud most vai,1ahia !,
tho CITY. From the first, Distinguished atrsn
Es.S Eant,nA na'e oeea rogaliy entertained by tue
1 tons nou ~ =, originated the ladies rocep
gnn, I!au .ne custom OF celebrating Twelfth Night
nept W 4or many years. bur now fallen ipto par
~! o'suse. Altar considerable wandering in its
@ uao4'dsons. the Century has settled down in ts
3Ioa Union Square, or Fourth avenue. It's col
lcetlon OF literary and artistic treasures is i'm.
menseiy valuable, and it is considered a creat
aar eaeas 10 e ani9y the privilege OF inspecting ts
ehattcr ggt a1u 4 npfary ei In 1870 it adopted
the fine arts. Its rules are u,ore
nsld in prohibiting gaming that those
OF tbs guio1s. at present it has membership
o. g. nea1iy esa soo and yearly income OF nearly
oo00- Its rerasts arc less pre1entious than
those OF the Union or Union League, md ita
principal features are etiff regard to the pro-
sutetles Of life, and a recognition Of its re-
qnuements III every sense. The Century is
/ 1.-The grave and reverend aeignor" OF the CITY
! clubs, but it embraces within lta ranks 30 many
| men eminent ln the literary and artistic world
that it u1arst ever be regarded with affection and
/! respect William G. Bryant ia its Presidont
and probably will be so long Is hc lives. Its art
| receptions aye frequent. nrd are always at-
| tended by tho elite OF the city. They are ou-
! 3oyable in eyerr Way.
THE rS1oS LEAGUE cLrp.
! This is probably the best known to strangers
Of all our city clubs. Its building stands on
| the east side OF Madison Square, within sight OF
| the Fifth Avenue Hotel, tho Hoffman, Albe-
marie. St. james, and Brunswick Hotels, and it's
| flag tes almost the ycRr round. .Aa it's name
IMPLIES, this Club grew out Of the exigencies OF
! the War for the Union. In January, 1868, q
| number Of gentlemen of social prominence re-
solved to ruite in an organization for strength
ening the National cause in this city. The re-
| suit was the Union League,--later the Union
League Club. It Was bold beginning Of its
| history that it raised the means to re-
! cruit several regiments Of colored troops+
and sent them TO ts,s 'front.' Hora:io Seymour
Was Governor at tho time, aud gayo only cold
consent to the scheme. 1t was laughed st By
Eemocle etic politicians, but was persevered in
until successful. When the first regiment was
ready TO march there was demonstration ut the
clubhouse, then on Seventeenth street, near
Broadway. The Democratic ''Eolds" of the
city we're shocked. but the Leaguers persisted,
sud materially aided the Govefnnent IN tho
na6olal struggle. Tho League also eriSinated
the great Sanitary Fur, which yielded the Sani-
t@ry Commission over S1,U00, ,G03 for its work.
CT course, under such auE1ices, reecptions Of
popular heroes, fror, President Gran. down, have
been part OF its regular programme which
ill.,
As Means of shaping political sentiment in
social circles it has been RI eminent R,1cccss.
Its present membership is uearly 1850 and
financially. socially AMI otherwise, it is prosper
Gus to tbo highest degree. Its present club
house IL oae Of the most elegant III the city. It
has just been repaired after suffering severely
FROM ire in the upper stories. Tho furniture
is very costly. and i'll all its aqpo1n tmeats the
interior ranks as ono Of tho most magnificent in
tho wo:ld, Ladies' receptions are among it's
features, and its art exhibitions are marvellous in
tho variety and val1o of the pictures
exhibited. The government Of the Club is
somewhat on the plan of a divided Responsible
lty, in the form Of committees aud aub-comlnit-
tees, which are limited in their powers duties.
aud privileges by tbs bylaws There is more
machinery to this Club tnan in any other city
club, but it works harn1oniouslg iu practice. 1t
is in substance, though not III letter, political
association devoted to tho Republican party,
though few we't-known Democrats are on its
rolls. In 1872 IT'S receipts from I'LL sources we're
$1s5, 1893: its disbursements 3I3f, 600. The Clut
OWNS Government bonds and other securities
worth nearly $500, 01O. aud will doubtless very
soon build an elegant and spacious clubhouse
ior its Own use. /
TIE MANHATTAN CLUE.
As the Union League il Republican Club, in
political sense, 20 the Manhattan is the repre-
sentative Democratic Club. III the mutations |
OF municipal politics it has come to be regarded
az the exponent Of the upper-crust Ct the /
city Democracv-somet1m called the '*Swal- |
low-Tai|s in contradstction to tho 1ower-crust,
called the " Short-Hairs." It was originally Or
ganized in 1864, pending the Presidential can
v2ss in that year, and as q rival OF the Union |
League. It IS sometimes iocuiar1y mentioned |
as Manton Marbles Club, as he has been its
Secretary from the start. It commenced on a
solid basis by raising sufficient funds
to buy handsome building all |
ready for housekeeping and situsted
in frsteciass location on Fifth avenue. It's |
political origin has necessarily limited its sphere
IN the club history of New York, but it has been
3 marked SUCCESS es social experiment. 1t is
designed to promote socal intercourse amoug |
and its rooms have been the head
1uarters of the Democrats leaders OF tho Gov.
seymour, s L. N. Barlow, Gov. 1illeu stripe
prlor to any important election. 1t embraces d
membership Of nearly 500, and lts income is
bout $50 600 per year. For & Democratic club,
t is exceedingly aristocratic in its arrangements
lnd exclusive in its rules. Liveried servants are
plentiful, it's cuisine one Of the wonders Of New ]
iork aud it's condition healthy aud prosperous.
LII the wealthy Democrats in the city are On its
oils.
THE LoTos CLUB
sss organized in 1870, and is one Of the strong
st in its personnel and most successful in
chieyiu. tbs declared objects Of the Club in the
ity. 1t VAS an after-dinner affair, and original