Evening star., 1926-10-03
Second Banquet i'm 1864.

On January 26. 1864, the second ban
Quet was given. at the National Hotel
and this was followed by a dance of 20
numbers, when Senator Chandler and
his young daughter attended and Capt
Alger was d floor manager. This was
the coming Gen. Russell A. Alger,
later to be Secretary of War under
President Mckinley.
One outstanding date in the society's
annals was the banquet of 1867 given
on January %. according to custom
and at which Gen. Grant was guest of
honor. At the banquet of 1871 Presi-
dent Grant honored the association
with his presence and enjoyed the
merrymaking. In 1872 the society
changed its name to the present title,
The Michigan Society Of Washington,
ID. G., and it has since then continued
ITS work, with woman members admit.
ted on equal terms with the men.
This meeting was held in the old
Masonic Temple, at Ninth and f
streets. The annual ball was given in
Mar1ni's Hall, on h street and the Vice
President. Schuyler Colfax, was a
guest, with the Secretary of War. VIII
liam w. Belknap, and the Secretary of
the Interior, Columbus Delano.
Through the SOS and COS the Michi
gan Society held It's regular meetings.
but, as was the custom at the time
the social aspect became merged in the
political, and for time the activities
we're conducted under the name of
The Michigan Republican Associa-
ton" Maj. John Knox was a power
at this time and was president Col
Charles p. Lincoln. Zabina Moses.
Henry Sherwood. NJ +. ~ Howell
George c. Maynard. Representative E.
NJ. Marble and Judge Benjamin A.
Harlan were among those who directed
the society during the last Is years of
the nineteenth century.
In the opening twentieth Charles
Moore, now chairman of the Fine Arts
Commission. was president. Mr. Moore
came TO Washington first with the late
Senator Mcmillan, and he at once be-
came identified with the affairs of his
native State. He made an excellent
executive. and his duties being press
ing, he gave way TO Henry NJ. Rose
The annual banQuets to celebrate
Michigans union with the States had
then become one of the noted social
events of the Winter, attended by the
entire legislative branch and many
distinguished citizens. In 1900 it was
given in Rauschers and was a bril-
liant success.
Other Past Presidents.
Presidents Of the society from 1908
until the present include such out
standing names a Edward B. Moore,
Judge George NJ. Buck, Maj. James W.
Long, Fred {. Coldren, LuciuS Z. Grid
ley, Gen. Ira c. Abbott. Judge Rufus
II. Thayer, Carl O. Markham, Henry
T. Newcomb and Senator William
Alden Smith. The banQuets have been
held in the Interior Department. in the
City Club and at RausCherS. and al
ways a company Of some 200 assem-
bles to honor State day.
An annual meeting is held every De.
cember. at the cali OF the president.
Last December Representative Roy o.
Woodruff was elected president, Sena-
tor James {. CouzenS vice president,
Joseph b. Fenton treasurer and
Charles F. ConSaul secretary. The eX-
ecutive committee, which arranges the
banquetS and other affairs. is com
posed of residen. eX-presidents and
other officers. The present body con-
sists of Henry NJ. Rose, assistant sec
retary of the Senate; Frederic G. Col