Danville Political Club

A U.S. army paymaster by the name of Major Beatty wrote in his journal that, while staying in Danville, he and his companions were "very much disturbed by a Political Club which met in the next house where we slept and kept us awake till 12 or 1 o'clock."

The elder Thomas Speed had kept meticulous notes of the club's activities throughout its existence, though some were scribbled on bits of newspapers and old letters.

"[5] Eleven different club members participated in at least one of the ten constitutional conventions that helped separate Kentucky from Virginia.

[11] While studying at The College of William & Mary, Brown had been a member of the first ever chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and he borrowed heavily from that organization's constitution.

[12] Consequently, by the second meeting, held a week later at the home of Thomas Barbee, Brown was able to present a draft document to the club.

[11] Initially, meetings took place on Saturday nights at Grayson's Tavern in Danville, although fewer than half of the club's members were residents of that city.

[4] The resulting document was found in Thomas Speed's desk under the title "The Constitution of the United States as Amended and Approved by the Political Club.