New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-05
BIRTHDAY OF A CLUB.
UNION LEAGUE MEMBERS TO DANCE.

! TWENTY-FIVE YEARS or NOBLE WORK FOR THIS
CITY AND TIE COUNTRY AS WELL
The entertainment tomorrow night with which
the Union League Club will celebrate the twenty
fifth anniversary of its foundation, will eclipse in
brilliancy all previous displays Of hospitality which
have contributed to the fame of the club. II will
be worthy of the club and Of the occasion an oc-
casion Of much significance to not a few of the
members now living, who recall the gloom that
prevailed when the club was founded The Union
was then menaced with desolatiOn; the members
OF the club were pledged to do their utmost to
prevent that. Loyalty to the Government and
devotion to the Union were the ties that in those
days bound them together and their aims being
patriotic and general, and not local, the club
speedily acquired prominence, and entered upon
career OF prosperity and progress unparalleled in
the history Of clubdom.
But tomorrow night, when the magnificent halls
and rooms of the club will be thronged with fair
women and brave men" and the strains Of music
and the perfume of flowers penetrate everywhere,
there will be nothing to suggest the turbulent times
in which the club had its origin. The celebration
VIII he entirely OF social character No Oratorlca
programme has been prepared Dancing and
spcech-malting do not go well together. The orator
cannot contend with beauty-when music invites
to the dance
Hundreds of invitations have been issued. Pres
ldent Cleveland and the members Of the Cabinet
Supreme Court, many Senators and Representatives
OF distinction, General Sheridan and officers of his
staff General Sherman, Army and Navy officers
here and elsewhere. Judges Of the Court Of Appeals
and the State Supreme Court and other courts
representatives of foreign governments at Wash
lngton prominent clergymen and men and women
distinguished in various walks of life.
The gathering will have q brilliant setting for
the handsome and spacious rooms Of the club read
lily lend themselves TO sumptuous display. They
will be ornamented with pictures and tapestry and
flowers choice
fusion and magnfcence will be tempered by good
aste and Judgment. The House Committee, Sigour
shaw have charge Of the general arrangements
The club has fine collection of pictures. valued
at 100000, but these will be reinforced by q
loan collection, which will include some of the
finest pictures now in private houses in the city.
These latter will be hung in the art gallery Among
them will be fine examples Of DE Ncnyille. De-
table Rousseau and COrot There will be fouI
pictures by Jules Breton, and q similar number by
B0uguereau and Knaus.
PAINTINGS IN THE BALLROOM.
The halls will be adorned with paintings and.
something that has never been done before at
entertainments Of the club. the general meeting
room, where the dancing will take place, will also
be hung with paintings The arrangement and
selection Of the pictures will be done by the Art
Committee, consisting of William II. Payne,
George +. Crane Eastman Johnson, Thomas Hicks,
George X. Sheldon. Edwin S. Chaplin and Joseph
Mibank. There will be two bands of music one
in the ballroom and the other in the lower hall
immediately inside the main entrance to the club.
The guests will begin to arrive at o'clock. and
supper will be served at IL o'clock. The chef has
received orders to excel himself, and some mar
velous artistic effects may be expected which will
equally tempt the appetite and delight the eye.
The club is fortunate in having as prcsdent-than
whom man can better discharge the duties Of
host-Chauncey NJ. Depew He will receive the
guests in the library, 1t has been announced that
he would present them to President Cleveland,
but that little ceremony will have to be omitted,
because Mr. Cleveland has sent letter regrettlng
his inability to attend.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS or CLUB LIFT.
The invitation cards are gotten up in exquisite
taste The dates 1868 and 9SS with the mono
gram Y. T. c." between them shown in en-
bosscd silver, happy selection as it is, TO
speak the silver wedding Of the clDb-its wedding
to the Republican party. which then meant the
Unlon-that is to be celebrated. When the club
organized its house was at No. &c East Seven
feminist. Thereafter for many years IL occupied
the building at Twcnty-siXth-st and Madison-ave.,
now occupied by the University Club The present
handsome and spacious clubhouse at Thirty ninth
ST. and Fifth-ave was formally opened on March
5, 1881. The club has now 500 members, and
prospect of any speedy consummation OF their
wishes. The revenue of the club last year was
1882 1874 49,
President Dcpew has had some distinguished
predecessors. This is the list Robert b Minturn,
Jonathan Sturges Charles III. Marshall, John Jay,
H. Choate John Jay again, George Cabot Ward
Hamilton Fish and William NJ Evarts. Mr.
EyartS served four terms before Mr. Depew stepped
in and he is now enjoying his second term Large
as the clubhouse is its capacity is limited. But
many who cannot go to the ball may console them
selves by looking at the pictures which will be
kept on exhibition for the rest of the week