Waterbury Democrat., 1903-02-07
BOSTON's BIRD CLUB
Claims to Have Been the Founder
 of the Republican Party.
Interesting Facts from It's Early HiS~ &ory and Names of Some of It's More Prominent Members
 of the Past.


 How few there are in this city who know and realize that within the four walls of a little room in School street, opposite city hall, the repub- Gcan party of the United States was founded; and how few there are who know that to one of the oldest din- ing clubs in the country, the Boston club, which celebrated it's forty eighth anniversary on Saturday, De- cember 27, belongs this great dis tinction. Such is the fact, reports the Boston Transcript. That after noon, the one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seventh regular meeting and dinner of the club took place, attended by large company of mem bers and guests, welcomed and pre- sided over by the president, the Hon. Edgar R. Champlin, ex-mayor of Cambridge, who, also, was unani- mously reelected to the presidency for another year.
 Some time prior to 1854 a few of the prominent men of Boston were accustomed to meet weekly or semi weekly, as the case might be, to talk over and consider the grave ques- tioRs that agitated the American people a half century ago. In April of 1854, Hon. Frank w. Bird, a prom inent leader in the ssFree Soil'' party, organized this little coterie in%o the Bird club, and on the last Saturday of December of that year the first annual meeting was held. At these meetings the father of the free soil party gave expression to his views and found ready listeners, although all present were not wholly in ac- cord with the sentiments expressed. club, yet the organization, in claim ing the honor of being the father of the great republican party, refers with special qualification to the fact that men of other political affilia- tions have been and are members, or have been frequently entertained by it. It also enjoys the distinction of having had around it's mahogany the most prominent men in national, state and municipal affairs. Under the influence of it's able president it is again renewing it's youth, and IS destined to retain it's prestige of be- ing the ''kingmaker'' of the common wealth of Massachusetts, distinc- tion that it has enjoyed for very many years.
 Since it's organization as the Bird club it has been known as the Banks club, and later took it's present name. ha ac the organization may be mentioned Henry Wilson, United States senator and vice president of the United States; Charles Sumner, one of the original members, who retained his affiliation until 1874; William Lloyd Garrison, secretary of the original free soil party; Wendell Phillips, also a free soiler; Charles w. Slack, founder and editor of The Common wealth; John A. Andrew, war gov ernor of Massachusetts; John I. Ba- ker, state senator and member of the harbor and land commission: John z. Goodrich, lieutenant governor of this commonwealth and the first re- publican collector of the port of Boston; Charles o. Rogers, former proprietor of the Boston Journal and one of the most enthusiastic mem- bers of the cluD; John B. Alley. of Lynn. member of congress; ,Hanni- bal Hamlin, vice president with Abra- ham Lincoln; Martin Brimmer. a prominent abolitionist and republic an, and who always looked forward to the Saturday meetings of the club with great pleasure; Adjt. Gen. Will liam Schouler; Judge Otis P. Lord. one of Gov. Rice's appointees; Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks, Gov. Alexander 5. Bullock, orator and anti-slaverv man; Alexander s. Rice, governor of Massachusetts and congressman; Henry l.. Pierce, ex-mayor of Bos- ton and contributor to the anti slavery cause; William Gaston. gov ernor of Massachusetts and a mem Der of the club before his election and until he passed away; Leopold Morse, merchant member of con- gross; Frederic T. Greenhalge, gov ernor of Massachusetts, to whom ore of the largest dinners in the history of the club was given; Gen. John l.. Swift, collector of the port of Bos- ton under Lincoln; Gov. Seymour. of New York; James G. Blaine, of Maine; John Q. A. Brackett, govern or of Massachusetts; Judge Thomas Russell, who it will be recalled put a stop to garroting in Boston.
 The senior and nestor of the club Is Morris Fitch, of Iynnield, who joined ill 1854, and who was one of Mr. Birds trusted lieutenants in the great days of the anti-slavery move ment, and who takes the greauesr pleasure in recalling the events and incidents of the strenuous times leading up to the civil war.
 In January the two thousandth meeting and dinner of the club will be made special occasion and will be complimentary to MT. Fitch. With it's remarkable past the club is look ing into still greater future, and at the present time is gathering around it's hospitable board the largest minds and most progressive men ip the affairs of the najon
 Home Preaching.
 Rev. Dr. Goodman-I'm so sorry