 After the first couple months in Erzurum membership became in hundreds.In 1885, the "Armenian Democratic Liberal Party" was established in Van by Mëkërtich Portukalian, who later went into exile in Marseilles but kept in touch with local leaders, and published a journal of political and social enlightenment titled "L'Armenie".The Armenians of Van continued to develop the political principles behind Armenian nationalism, in secret.