Press enter after choosing selection

The Jeffersonian Banquet

The Jeffersonian Banquet image
Parent Issue
Day
7
Month
April
Year
1893
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Two years ago this spring several students in the University of Michigan began broaching the question whether it would be advisable to 01ganize a democratie club which should be eomposed exclnsively of studeots. At that time th e students ofrepublican and prohibition tendencies were strongly orgauized, and doing ;t vast amount of good for their respective parties. NotwíthstaiKling fbe i'aet that othe students were organi.ed within thei respective party liues, it was found U be a difficult task to get the democrati students out, partly because ttaey wer i in the great rninority; partly, beoaus ' they were lacking in tliat great ele ment of success, enthusiasm for th work to be accouiplished. After many unsuccessful attempt by individual students to get out a representative body of democrati boys, the leaders tinally organized, anc took upon themselves the responsibil ity of callingameetiug; a meeting w:t called, and a grand success it provee' to be. A constitution and by-laws were drawn up, oflicers were elected, regu lar meetings were decided upon, anc speakers of local and national farue ii the democratie party were asked to lend a helpiog hand to ;the deserving cause, which with their characteristic unswerving devotion to their pam they did, and in the result they were so instrumental in bringingabout they see their reward, for surely they did not obtain pecuniary recompense, as the club was small in membership and impeded by an empty treasury. At the lirst meeting of the club sev enty-three loyal democrats enrolled themselves as members. and selected John A. Ilarmou, a law student from O'Neilli Nebraska, to preside over them. This he did with foresight and wisdom: andwhenhissuccessor, James E. Duffy, of Ann Arbor ,also a law student, was chosen to the position, the club boasted.a membership of 163. Soon after assuming his position as president of the club, Mr. Duffy was called to a position in the State Land Office at Lansing, and S. AVr. Curtiss, of Mouroe, Mich., a student .-in the senior class of the Literary Department, then vice-president of the club, assumed the duties'of acting president. The club continued to prosper and beiame more aggressive in spirit; and when the time arrived for choosing oflicers of the club for another term, Mr. Curtiss was elected to the position of president. During the fust portion of Mr. Curtiss' term in office, which was in February, 1892, the club had grown so in numbers and in inliuence that it was cousidered even by conservative members strongenough to appear in public and show its lighting qualities. At that time, Mr. Jas. A. Bordeaux, ■of Butte City, Montana, wbo occupied the responsible position of corresponding secretary of the club, proposed a plan for displaying the strength of tbe club, i. e., the celebration of Jeffersou's Birthday. The suggestion met the hearty approval of all the progressive members of the club, and they irnrnediately set about to make their first public appearance a success. The services of Hon. Don 11. Dickinson, of Detroit, were enlisted to secure speakers for the occasion, and vvhen April 13 had arrived the boys were jubilan t, for they knew success was theirs, for how could it be otherwise when Hou. Don M. Dickinson was the toastmaster, Governor E. B. Winans, the one cliosen to deliver the address of welcome, and those far-famed orators and statesmen, W. C. P. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, and Judge W. G. Ewin, of Cliicago, were slated to address the assembled students on national questions, and Hon. Tom Barkworth and Hon. J. .]. Enright to do justice to the state? All present voted the affair a grand success, and all who attended from the neighboring cities declared it one of the best celebrations held in Michigan. Last fall, when tlie national campaign had opened, Mr. A. G. Turnipseed, of Öhio, was chosen to preside over the destinies of the club, which he did in a most acceptable manner, and the club showed its mettle by sending speakers into all the small towns and villages adjacent to Ann Arbor, who drilled into the minds of their inhabitants the sound principies of Jeffersonian democracy. At tlie expiration of Mr. Turnipseed's term of office, Mr. Jas. A. Bordeaux succeeded him, and immediately set about making the second animal observance of Jefferson's birthday, which occurs April 13, a success. ïo say that with the aid of the club and Messrs. Campau, Dickinson, Marvin and Barbour, of Detroit, he has accomplished this, is but giving scant justice. Already 1,000 invitation have been sent to prominent democrats throughout the state, and more are ready to be sent on the application of those desiring them. Hon. Edwin F. ühl, the eloquent ex-mayor of Grand Kapids,Jias been chosen to act as toaatmaster; Judge M. V. Montgomery is to deliver the address of welcome, and the Ijst of speakers is headed by the Bon. Adlai E. Stevenson, who is l'ollowed by Hon. W. L. Wilson, of West Virginia, Hon. Bentón McMillin, of Tennessee, Hon. John DeWitt Warner, of New York, and Ilon. W. G. Ewing, of Chicago. The local and state democracy are taking a lively interest in the affair, and unless .some great misfortune shall happen, the 18th day of April wil) witness the grand est affair ever seen in Michigan.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News