selling the then hall of the society, and the erection of a larger and more suitable edifice.

At the annual election in July, 1856, the management of the society underwent a decided "change of base." For years its control had been in the hands of the young lawyers of our city, and the institution had been in fact a species of gymnasium for the mental exercise of the youthful and ambitious "limbs of the law." In 1856, however, the control passed from their hands, H. P. Baldwin being elected president, and since that time their supremacy has been a divided one. In 1857 the act of incorporation was amended by the legislature, and the date of the annual election changed to April from July. Mr. Baldwin's annual report in 1857 stated the total number of members at 358, 38 being life members (the honorary list having become obsolete), and the number of volumes in the library at 3,005, and the circulation at 3,114. The number of debates had dwindled to three, and of lectures to fifteen, only three of these being by home talent, namely, Profs. W. P. Trowbridge and H. S. Frieze, and C. I. Walker, Esq. The bonded debt had been reduced to $7,700 and the annual income of the society was about $2,500. The election of April, 1857, was marked by the new feature of a spirited canvass and a close contest. Previous to that date there had been little or no opposition, and the elections had always passed off without either excitement or interest. In 1857, however, two strong tickets were placed in the field, and every possible influence brought to bear upon voters by the rival factions. As a matter of general interest, we give the names of the opposing candidates:

Directors, regular, Simon [Simeon] Towle, R. N. Rice, M. H. Webster, Jerome Croul, J. S. Farrand, G. S. Frost, T. R. Spence; opposition, T. H. Hinchman, William Brodie, W. P. Wells, J. M. Welch, John Hosmer, A. Dudgeon, Edward Orr, F. B. Porter.

At this election commenced the evil practice of rushing members into the society upon election day without regard to moral and mental fitness, their initiation fees being paid by the candidates to secure their support and their names disappearing from the roll soon after from non-payment of dues. The record shows that during the Palmer-Vernor contest the membership of

the society was increased by the addition of over 500 names to the roll, of whom 183 never paid their dues and ceased to be members before the expiration of the year. Concerning this canvass some amusing anecdotes are yet in circulation. Tradition asserts that the Vernor faction contemplated a coup d'etat, and for that purpose a large body of men were brought up from the locomotive works and concealed in the neighboring store of M. H. Webster, with the design of marching them out just before the closing of the polls, and thus springing a trap upon the Palmerites. By some misunderstanding, however, this reserve vote was let out from its concealment prematurely, and the leaders of the opposing faction immediately took the hint, made a descent upon every printing office, shop and saloon in the neighborhood, brought up voters by the score, and fairly distanced their opponents at their own game. The regular ticket was elected by a large majority, Mr. Palmer receiving 413 votes to 369 for Mr. Vernor. During Mr. Palmer's term, the receipts from initation fees and dues increased to over $1,600, and the indebtedness of the society was reduced $800. The number of volumes in the library increased to 3,252, and the annual circulation to 7,332, double that of the previous year.

The debates still hung on, but lectures by home talent ceased entirely. A historical committee was appointed, to whose labors and investigations is due the re-organization of the State Historical Society. Steps were also taken for the building of a new hall, which, however, the financial revulsion of '57 summarily quashed.

In '58 James E. Pittman was elected president and S. Dow Elwood vice president, receiving 264 to 166 for Alfred Russell and M. Howard Webster. At this time, A. H. Adams was succeeeded by J. C. W. Seymour, Mr. Adams having filled the post of treasurer for seven years with unequalled efficiency and ability. Mr. Bell was also succeeded as librarian by Samuel R. Mumford. The administration of Mr. Pittman was marked by more executive ability than that of any of its predecessors, and at the conclusion of his term, that gentlemen left the society vastly bettered and improved by his management and labors. Its resources were made far more available, and its general system was much amplified and advanced. During his term the act of incorporation was again amended by the legislature, so as to allow the society to own property to the amount of $200,000, and so as to increase the number of directors to eight, extending the terms of office to two years, the terms of four expiring each year. The by-laws and rules were materially modified and amended, much to the general advantage. Negotiations for the erection of a new hall continued, the society seeking to buy the university lot on the corner of Bates and Larned streets of the board of regents and becoming

thereby involved in a law-suit with the city, from the meshes of which it has not yet escaped. The number of paying members this year was reported at 565 and the number of volumes in the library at 3,662. The election of '59 was by far the closest in the history of the society. There were 406 votes cast, of which S. Dow Elwood had 203, W. A. Moore 200, and 3 were blank. No special event marked Mr. Elwood's term, save the payment of the old bonds of the society, falling due January 1, 1860, the money for the purpose being raised by the issue of $5,000 worth of new bonds, secured by a mortgage on the hall. The library commenced to show the effects of Mr. Mumford's admirable management, the number of volumes increased to 4,161, and the amount of circulation to 10,752, three times that of three years before. The books were re-arranged and catalogued, and a business-like system introduced into the management of the library.

The election of 1860 resulted in the choice of W. A. Moore as president, that gentleman having received 143 votes to 125 for John Hosmer. During Mr. Moore's term, the first effective steps were taken for the erection of the new hall. The contract for the purchase of the university lot was surrendered by the society, the regents, however, refusing to cancel it, and a lease-hold interest in a lot owned by Mrs. Biddle, in the rear of the new addition to the Biddle house, taken on very favorable terms. The lot was 80x156 feet in dimensions and connected therewith was also a passage way, 16 feet in width, affording access from Jefferson avenue, of which the society had the right of exclusive use. The tenure of the society was originally 25 years, from Jan. 1, 1861, with a privilege of a renewal by the society for a similar term, and a still further reservation of the same right for fifty years. If at the end of the original term, or the first renewal, the society desire to terminate its interest, it may demand of the lessor immediate payment of the value of the buildings then remaining, to be fairly adjusted, by appraisement. The rent to be paid for the first three years was only for the use of the passageway from Jefferson avenue, and nothing was to be required for the main body of the land. After three years the amount of rental was to be determined by appraisers, subject to new adjustment every fifth year. On the 8th of January, 1861, a contract for the erection of the hall was entered into with Messrs. Shearer & Chapoton, for the sum of $18,400, of which $6,000 was considered as discharged by the conveyance of the old hall, subject to a mortgage of $5,000, pledged for the redemption of the latest issue of the society's bonds. To meet the expenses of its erection, the society paid in $6,000, being the entire amount of its available cash resources at that time. A further sum was raised by the sale of stock at $15 a share among the members and friends of the society, from which the sum of $16,997.50 was real

ized. The stockholders have no control of the hall or buildings, but no sale or mortgage of the property can be effected without the written consent of a majority interest. The stockholders are also entitled to an annual division of the net profits, arising from the rent of the hall, etc., in excess of $800, which must be reserved for the society. The solicitations for subscriptions, made by Messrs. Miller and Ducharme, met with a liberal and prompt response, and the building commenced early in 1861.

The valuable services rendered and deep interest taken in the erection of the new hall by Sidney D. Miller, as a member of the board of directors. in '60-'1, led to his unanimous election as president on the following April. During his term the new hall was completed and inaugurated in the month of November, 1861, and the exercises of the occasion consisted of an address by the oldest living ex-president, Hon. Jacob M. Howard, and a poem by D. Bethune Duffield, who was president at the inauguration of the former hall. The entire cost of the hall was between $27,000 and $30,000, and the public is so familiar with it that no description is needed. The library was moved over, shortly after the opening of the hall, and the books re-arranged and classified and a system of numbering and recording introduced, which was originated by Mr. Mumford himself, and has attracted the attention. and elicited the commendation of experienced librarians of larger cities. The close of the year left the society with 70 life and 524 active members, 4,581 volumes in its library, a balance in its treasury of $146.53, an outstanding indebtedness of $2,489.65, and available resources amounting to $1,479.03. At the annual election in April, '62, R. W. King was elected president, receiving 242 votes to 148 for John Hosmer. During Mr. King's term, the outstanding bonds of the society, amounting to $1,700, were paid, and cancelled, and the Society is now entirely free from debt, and possesses a certain and sufficient income. No special event, aside from this, marked Mr. King's term of office nor is there at present any public record thereof, as from negligence or some other unexplained cause, his annual report has not yet been published. In April, 1863, gentlemen who recollected the efficient administration of Mr. Pittman and the advantages that accrued to the society from his management, renominated him, and he was re-elected by a large majority. But one other of the presidents of the society has been similarly honored, namely, Franklin Sawyer, Jr., its first presiding officer. During the past year the Young Men's Society has pursued the even tenor of its way. Its list of membership now exceeds 800, and the number of volumes in its library are about 5,000. Mr. Mumford resigned his position as librarian, and was succeeded by Frank Hawks, and he in turn, by the present incumbent, J. A. Fiske. The reading-room, however, is as yet a thing of talk and not

of fact. The chief foreign and American periodicals are taken in connection with the library, but few or no newspapers. The addition of a well managed and stocked reading-room to the society would furnish an important and desirable feature, and this matter is respectfully commended to the attention of the board of directors. A revival of the debates, if practicable, would also undoubtedly result in a great advantage to the society and its members, but of its possibility there are strong doubts. With or without them, the Young Men's Society is one of the noblest institutions of our city, and as such, possesses claims for public support too emphatic and imperative to be slighted or refused. Its decline would be a public misfortune, and its success is a public advantage. May its future history be as prosperous and successful as the record of its past is gratifying and honorable.

LETTER FROM C. W. PENNY, FOUNDER AND CHARTER MEMBER, ON THE ORIGIN OF "THE DETROIT YOUNG MEN'S SOCIETY"

F. RAYMOND

JACKSON, April 6, 1855.

Dear Sir: Your favor of the 3d inst., requesting a statement of the incipient steps which resulted in the organization of the Detroit Young Men's Society, is before me, and I am happy to give my recollections on the subject. My memory of dates is not good, but the chief incidents are fresh in my recollection. I can give you the first word, the first thought which contained the germ of that now useful and flourishing institution. It originated in a boyish idea of a small pecuniary speculation!

I went to Detroit in the fall of 1831. When navigation closed, the city, numbering about 4,000 inhabitants, was shut out from the world, and until spring there was literally neither business nor amusements for young clerks. Still we were obliged to keep the doors opened, and the confinement in idleness became intolerable. I sought for books, and ascertaining that Mr. S. Wells (who died in 1834) kept books to let, I proceeded to his bookstore and borrowed "Ivanhoe," in two volumes, with the privilege of reading the same at 1s 6d per volume. One evening when I had just finished the second volume and was revolving in my mind the expense of a winter's reading, a young man by the name of Silas P. Griswold came into the store. I said to him, "Let us put in five dollars each and find three other young men to do the same and buy $25 worth of books in company, read them and divide the books between us in the spring. This will cost us no more than to hire the