The History Committee of the New York Young Republican Club is proud to announce that it has secured copies of the “State of the Club Addresses” delivered by the Club’s presidents between 1934 and 1953. Below is a summary of some of the most distinguished Club presidents, their notable lifetime achievements, and the most noteworthy talking points they delivered in their addresses to the Club.
In 1934, Alexander M. Hamilton served as President. He was a grandson of J.P. Morgan, the financier, and a great-great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States.
In his address, he declared one of the Club’s guiding principles, which still stands today: “To draw constantly the fresh blood of intelligent youth into a body politic and translate a militant idealism into the administration of government.”
In 1935, David W. Peck served as President. He was a future Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals of the Supreme Court of New York.
In Peck’s address, he discussed how the New Deal was “threatening to undermine the constitutional foundation of our system of government” and assured the audience that “the Republican Party offers a constructive and realistic program to correct our economic ills and the restoration of prosperity for all the people.”
In 1942, Charles M. Metzner served as President. He was a future Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
During his address, the nation was at war. He highlighted 145 active members were inducted into the armed forces. He then went on to say how the Club was “furnishing the manpower” and, through the Club’s activities, “would endeavor to furnish future leadership.”
In 1948, Henry V. Poor served as President. He was an intelligence officer in the US Naval Intelligence and would later become Associate Dean of the Yale School of Law.
He encouraged members to “select a district, and familiarize themselves with it by meeting individual voters, stressing the importance of registering and voting, and explaining superior merits of Republican candidates.”
In 1952, John V. Lindsay, the future Major of New York City, discussed the importance of “1952”. First, it would be the 40th year of the Club. He also described how members worked intensively at the city, state, and national level for the nomination and election of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States.
The History Committee continues to examine the Club’s archives to identify and secure additional “State of the Club Addresses” for inclusion on this list.