THE CONSTITUTION OF THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY. INSTITUTED THE 10th OF DECEMBER, 1804. I. THIS Society shall be denominated " The New-York Historical Society." II. The object of the Society shall be to discover, procure, and preserve whatever may relate to the natural, civil, literary, and ecclesiastical history of the United States in general, and of this State in particular. III. The Society shall consist of resident and honorary members; the former, to be persons residing in the State of New-York; the latter, persons residing elsewhere. IV. The officers of the Society, to be elected annually and by ballot, shall be, A President, A first Vice-President, A Treasurer, A Recording Secretary, A Corresponding Secretary, A Librarian, A Standing Committee of seven Members. A V. It shall be the duty of the Standing Committee to solicit and receive donations for the Society; to recommend plans for promoting its objects; to digest and prepare business; and to execute such other duties as may, from time to time, be committed to them by the Society. They shall meet once at least in every three months; and at each annual meeting they shall make a report to the Society of the principal acquisitions and transactions of the preceding year. VI. All members (honorary members excepted, with whom it shall be optional) shall pay, on admission, the sum of ten dollars, and an additional sum of two dollars annually, or the sum of thirty five dollars as a commutation for the annual payment. VII. The Society shall meet quarterly, to wit, on the second Tuesdays in January, April, July, and October; but the President, or, in his absence, either of the Vice-Presidents, may call a special meeting, on giving eight days' notice thereof, to be published in at least two public newspapers printed in the city of New-York. The election of officers shall be at the meeting on the second Tuesday in January, and by a majority of ballots. VIII. The admission of members shall be by ballot; and there shall be a previous nomination of the persons at the last preceding quarterly meeting. IX. The constitution may be amended, from time to time, as the Society shall deem proper; but a motion for an amendment shall not be received unless a notice thereof shall have been given, and entered on the journals of the Society at the last preceding quarterly meeting. BY-LAWS OF THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY. I. FIVE members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; but no alteration of the constitution, or addition thereto, shall be made, nor any member elected, unless nine members at least be present, and two-thirds of them vote for the same. II. It shall be the duty of the President, or, in his absence, of either of the Vice-Presidents, or in the absence of the President and Vice-Presidents, then of the Chairman or some member of the Standing Committee, to preside at all meetings of the Society, to regulate the debates, and to preserve order and decorum; and in case an equal number of votes shall be given on the affirmative and negative of any question, the presiding officer shall have a casting vote. III. The Recording Secretary shall have the custody of the constitution, by-laws, records, and papers of the Society. He shall, under the direction of the President or Vice-Presidents, give due notice of the time and place of all meetings of the Society, and attend the same; and as soon as the President or other presiding officer shall have taken the chair, he shall read the minutes of the preceding meeting, and shall keep fair and accurate records of all the orders and proceedings of the Society. In the absence of the Recording Secretary, his duty shall be performed by the Corresponding Secretary. The Corresponding Secretary shall have the custody of all letters and communications of the So ciety; he shall attend all meetings, and read such letters and communications as he may have received: he shall prepare all letters to be written in the name of the Society, to any person or persons, to be approved of by the Society, and signed by the President; but the Society may, if they think proper, appoint a special committee to draw up any letter. He shall keep, in suitable books to be provided for that purpose, true copies of all letters written in the name of the Society, and preserve the originals of all letters and communications received. In the absence, sickness, or other inability of the Corresponding Secretary, his duties shall be performed by the Recording Secretary. IV. The Treasurer shall receive and keep all sums of money due and payable, and all donations and bequests of money or other property made to the Society. He shall pay all such sums as the Society shall direct, to the order of the President or presiding officer of the Society, and such sums as the Standing Committee may be authorized to draw for the ordinary expenses of the Society. He shall keep a true and faithful account of all moneys received and paid by him, and once in every year render a particular statement of the same to the Society, who may appoint a committee of three members to examine and audit the accounts of the Treasurer. V. The person first named on the Standing Committee shall be the Chairman, and the person last named the Secretary of the Committee. It shall be the duty of the Chairman to give notice to the members of the Committee of the time and place of meeting, and to call special meetings of the Committee whenever it may be requisite. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep accurate minutes, in a book to be provided for that purpose, of all the proceedings of the Committee, and, under the direction of the Chairman, to prepare all reports to the Society, to be approved by a majority of the Committee. |