The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-03-09
BOSTON'S BIRD CLUB
Claims to Have Been the Founder
Of the Republican Party.
rr<ere4t ting Facts from Its Early His-
cory and Names OF Some of its
More Prominenf Members
or the Past.

~ w
walls Of a little room in School
street. opposite city hall, the rePup-
| lican 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 its forty
eighth anniversary on Saturday, De-
cember q, 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 X. Champliu, ex-mayor OF
Cambridge, who, also, was unani-
mously reelected to the presidency
for another year.
Some time prior to 1854 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-
tions that agitated the American
people half century ago. In April
Of 1854, Hon, Frank w. Bird, prom
inent leader in the Free SoiP' party,
organized this little coterie into 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.
| While not in any sense q political
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. 1t also enjoys the distinction Of
having had around its mahogany the
most prominent men in national.
state and municipal affairs. Under
the influence Of its able president il
is again renewing its youth, and s
destined to retain its prestige of be-
ing the "lsingmaker" of the common
wealth of Massachusetts, distinc-
ton that it has enjoyed for very
many years.
| Since its organization as the Bird
| club it has been known as the Banks
club, and later took its present name.
| Among the prominent members Of
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
afiliation until 1874; William Lloyd
Garrison, secretary of the original
free soil party; Wendell Phillips,
also free soiler; Charles w. Slack,
founder and editor of The Common-
wealth; John A. Andrew, war gov
ernor of Massachusetts,; John /. Ba-
ker, state senator and member of the
harbor and land commission; John
2. 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 club; 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. VIII
liam Schouler; Judge Otis P. Lord
one of Gov. Rice's appointees; Gen
Nathaniel p. Banks, Gov. Alexander
S. Bullock, orator and anti-slavery
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 CASTOR, gov
ernor of Massachusetts, and mem
ber of the club before his election
and until he passed away; Leopold
Morse. merchant member of con
gress; Frederic I. Greenhalge, gov
ernor of Massachusetts,, to whom ont
of the largest dinners in the history
Of the club was given; Gen. John !.
| Swift, collector of the port of Bos
ton under Lincoln; Gov. Seymour
Of New York; James G. Blaine, o.
Maine; John O. A. Brackett, govern
or of Massachusetts,; Judge Thomas
Russell, who it will be recalled put q
stop to garroting in Boston.
The senior and nestor of the club
Is Morris Fitch, of Lynnfeld, who
| joined in 1854, and who was one ol
Mr.. Birds trusted Heutenants in tn,
great days Of the anti-slavery move
ment, and who takes the greatest
pleasure in recalling the events and
incidents Of the strenuous time,
leading up to the civil war.
| In January the two thousandtf
meeting and dinner of the club viii
be made a special occasion and will
be complimentary to Mr.. Fitch. Will
its remarkable past the club is look
ing into a still greater future. and
at the present time is gathering
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