The Centennial Reform Club

A large and enthusiostic meeting was held at the Court House on ï'riday evening last tor the purpoBe of orgauizing a campaign club lor the promotion of the election of Tilden and Hendricks. The meeting waa organized by electing E. B. Pond chairmau and Col. J. L. Burleigh secretary. Without the iormality of appointing a committee, the following plan of organization, reoommended by the State Central Committee, was unauiinously adopted : PREAMBLE. To draw the line distinctly and broadly betwueu uurselvea and that political party which lias origiuated BINGS IN " Post Tiaderships," " Land ürabs," " Stock Jobbery," " Safe Burglaries," "Government Aid to Railroads," " Sanborn Contracts," " Credit Mobilier," " Whisky Frauds," and the thousaud and one achemes to iilch our mouey. To give effect to our opposition to the course of that party which has raised to places of trust and responsibility men who have been utterly unworthy of the confidence of the people and unfit to be trusted with the money of others. To vigorously repudíate the course of the party in power, in sending abroad as representatives of the American People mon who, by their love of jobbery, have shamed our National character in the eyes of foreign nat ons. And, because we believe that to remam longer passive, while under " Republican " rule the commercial interests ot the country are in sore distress at home and our honor as a nation is impugned abroad, would be a just reproach to us as American citizens. We do subscribe to the foregoiug sentiments and do i'ledoe ourselves as citizena of the Republic to cast our votes and use our influence for the overthrow of the party in power, and to this oud will go the polls and cast our rotes on the "th oi November next, and will endeavor to have our friends and neighbors do likewise. We promise to be active in politics thit year. We live in a republic, and its honor is being dragged in the dust. For these purpoaes we do form a Society or Club to be govorned by the following : CONST1TUTION. ABTICLE I.- NAME. The name of the orgauization shall be the Centeumal Reform Club of the city of Anu Arbor, county of Washtenaw and State of Slichigan. ARTIOLE II. - OFFICERS. SEC. 1. The oracers of the organization shall cousist of a president, vice -president, and a Beuretary and treasurer, who shall hold their offices for one yoar or until their successors are chosen. Sec. 2. There shall be a committee of seven cbosen at the annual electiou ot officers, to be cnown as the executive board of the organizaion. Of this board a chairman may be chosen rom among its members who shall preside at ts meetings and be its spokesman in reports t meetings of the organization. DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE BOAED. Sec. 3. First - It shall be chosen froin men who will do their duty, and will feel that they aro chosen for that purpose. Sccond - It shall n;ike a canvass of the voters ui the several wardfl in the followiug form : Page l.J Dumocratil' or Opposition. Name P. O. Addrcss. Active or Quict. Page 2.J Republican. Name P. O. Address. Active or Quiet. Page 3.] Supi'ORTi.vo anï other Partï OroanIZATION. Nam? I P. O. Address. I What Organization and lleiuarks. [Page 4.] DODBTlUL, Indifferent or Wavkring. Naine I'. O. Address. Remarles. Upou thia oanvass the Board ahall minute such additions or changos as shall frona time to time take place, and shall, whenever any persou on such hat shall be pledged as hereinatter provided, indícate the tact by the letter " C " opposite his name. Skc. 4. ïho Executive Board ahall report the oanvass wheu completod, aud as early as may be, to the organization by filing the same with the Secretary, and ahall report and cause to be miuuted auy chuuges or plüdges which may be made thereafter. ARTICI.K DUTIES OF MKMBEES. Sec. 1. First - Every meuiber of the Society ia expected to realize the neoeasity ot indi vuiual action, and tor the sake of purer politica and the honor of the country to aid activaly m the campaign. Second - Every member shall use hls innuence to procure signatures to the pledge embodiod in the preamble, the form of which will be lurniahed by the Secretary, and shall aid in diatributing such newspapers and documenta as shall be sent to the Secretary for distribution. Sec. 2. The signatures to the Pledge, with P. O. address of the siguers, shall be reported by the persou obtainiug the same to the Executive Boar.l. Sec. 3. The Executive Board shall keep a record of the number oí piedles reported by any member, with the name and postoffice address of the member, and immediately at the close of campaign tor the year shall report to the Secretary the four members who have obained the greatest number of pledges, which four uames the Secretary shall forthwith ransmit to the Chairman of the Democratie btate Central Uommittee and to the county oranizatiou. ABTICLE V.- ELECTI0N8. Sec. 1. The Exeeutive Board shall, at least wo weeka before the meeting of the Board of tegiatration prior to any election, appoint uch aids trom the members of the society as may be deemed expedieut to ajsist iu getting f uil vote registered and polled. Sec. 2. At the time stated in the last aection aid Board ahall assign to each of ita members nd to each of such aids a duty for election ay, tor which he may ui the meantime preare, and shall assign to each of a sumeient luiuber of aids or of its own members a cer;ain locatity or district in the town or ward ut of which such aid or member shall see to t that the tull auti-Bepublicau vote ahall be egiatered and polled, aud shall be held to acount at the next meeting ot the Club for any uch vote. AETICLE VI - DUTIES OF OFFICEES. Sec. 1. The President ahall presido at all meetinga of the Society, and in his absence the rice President shall preside. Sec. 2. The Secretary shall report to the ouuty organizution the canvass made by the Sxecutive Board aud all chaugea therein retorted to him. Second - Shall see to the distribution of all ocumeuts aud newspapers sent to him for ïat purpose by the County or State organiza.on. Third- Shall furnish blank pledgea for the se oí members. Fourth - Shall transmit to the county organzatiou and to the Chairman of the State Committee the four names which may be furmahed ïim by the Executive Board under Article 3, ection 3. Sec. 3. The Treasurer Bhall be a person of well known integnty and responaibihty. He hall apply to such members or others as may e willing to contribute to the expenses of the rganization for subacriptions ; or on his apphition a committae may be appointed from ie society, of which he ahall be ex-ofticio hairman, to solicit subscriptions. He shall ceep a strict account of all receipts and liaursementa, and shall honor the written requistioua ot the Executive Board. ARTICLE VII. - roWERS NOT GRANTED. Sec. 1. All powers and authority not hereby grauted are vested iu the Executive Board, who shall, however, be controlled by a twoliirils vote of the society preseut at any ineetng. AETICLE VIII.- MEETINOa. Skc. 1. A special meeting of the Centennial teform Club may be callea by the President, r, upon hia ref usal or inability so to do, theu by the Executive Board. Sec. 2. The regular meetings of the Club ahall be held once in two weeks, on every altérnate Friday, comtnencing at half past seven o'clock p. M. Over 250 aignaturea had been obtained to the preamble before calling the meeting to order, and after the adoption of the coustitution a large number of names were added, wheu the club proceeded to the election of officera with the following reault : President- Ex-GJov. Alpheua Felch. Vice-Preaidont - Hou. H. J. Beakes. Secretary- Col. J. L Burleigh. Treasurer - W . D. Harrimau. Executive Board- E. B. Pond, Anson D. Besimer, A. S. Polhemus, L. C. Biadon, C. H. Manly, W. D. Harriman, C. J. Kintner. It is perhaps proper to say, that thia cotnmittee was selected by a special committee of three appointed tor that purpose, conaisting of Mesftrs. H. J. Beakea, C. H. Richmond, and B. Beahan, one being located iu each ward and onu at large. Alter the organization was perfected the Vice-Prsident elect- the Preaideut being absent - was called to the chair, and assumed the duties of his office in a brief and appropriate apeech. Messra. B. E. Frazer and D. Cramer were theu called out and made eft'ective and stirnng speeches. Col. Burleigh was also called out, but excuaed himself on the ground of the lateuesa of the hour and the high temperature of the room. The tact that 80 large a number gathered on such an evening, remained through the busi nesB meeting, and was uuwilhng to depar part without calling out so many speakers, i au evidence of the prevailiug interest, anc that the campaign is to be both a live one ani an agreasive one. Our old friend and fellovr citizen, S. B. Mc Cracken, announces as in preparation and to be published " under the sanction of the State Centennial Board of Michigan," an illustratet quarto of 700 pages, titled, Michigan anc the Ceuteimial: a Representativa Work for the CentenniaL Year," to edited by himself assi.íted by a competent corps of writers. It is to be arranged in five parts : I. The Centennial, to include summary of the eventa preceding the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, a history of the Centennial, with a review of the Exposition. II. Michigan at Philadelphia. III. Addresses, Sermona &C. on Ceiiteunial subjects. IV. Centenuial exercises in Michigan. V. Statistical Review of the State. The illustrations will include plates of Centennial buildings, articles on exhibition, Michigan State Institutions, and portraits of Michigan Governors, other " representativo men," and Presidential candidates for 1876. The work is to be printed on fine paper and in good Btyle, and sold only by subscription. Mr. McCracken might get up a book for which he would have a wider field and broader market, but we suppose he has a particular desire to do something for " Michigan, my Michigan," State of his nativity, and will theretore content himself with fewer ducats and more glory. We wish him plenty of both.