fin UNION FOR THE SAKE OF THE UNION. CONSTITUTION AS PROMULGATED BY ORDER OF THE BOAUD OF CONTROL FIRST REVISED EDITION. CHICAGO. 0. J. WARD, PUBLISHER, 136 LAKE STREET. 1864. /^Z- » '. ,^ oonsrsTiTTJTioisr- ARTICLE I. The Objects op the S. B Section 1. — TJie Five Landmarks. The objects of the S. B. Association are compre- hended in the following extracts from the Covenants of the Comrades. 1. To preserve, through all coming time, the unity of the United States from disintegration and decay. 2. To secure to posterity our birthright of free- dom of conscience, speech and action. 3. To afford to people of other lands an asylum, a refuge from tyranny, oppression and political wrong. 4. To perpetuate the memory of the founders of this great Republic and of their worthy and immor- tal successors. 5. To teach, by covenants, emblems and solemn ceremonies, the harmony, strength and beauty of National unity. 4 CONSTITUTION OP 6. B. This summary of tjie aims of the S. B. Association shall forever stand as a basis of its legislation.* Section 2. — The Structure is Military in Form. The polity, rituals, ceremonies, nomenclature and discipline of the S. B. are military in spirit and form. The Revised Army Regulations of the United States and approved works upon Military Tactics are the general instructions? to the S. B., save where the rit- ual otherwise directs. By-Laws, Rules of Order and Local Regulations may be made af pleasure by the Company, Regiment and Division within the limits of this Constitution. Each exercises absolute control over its own finan- * The general principles of jurisdiction are these : First. — A Company for each township ; 25 or more to a com- pany. Second. — A Regiment for each County; 4 or more Companies to a Regiment. Regiments are known by their numbkrs, not by LETTERS. Third. — A Brifjade for each Congressional District ; four or more Regiments to a Brigade. Fourth. — A Division for each State or Territory. OflBceis to correspond with these subdivisions. By Special Order, a Company may be organized with a less Dumber than 25. ///J CONSTITUTION OP S. B. 6 ARTICLE II. Comradeship of the S. B. Section 1. — Comrades of the First Grade. The Comradeship of a Company Camp is divided in4;o three grades, viz: Those who enjoy full Comradeship with the privi- lege to vote and hold office, constitute the First and highest Grade. Of these each Company must have upon its Rolls not less than twentv-five to constitute a working Camp. The Comrades of the First Gradf. must be "free, white, male persons; eifective, sober, of good character and habits," and not less than 18 years of age. But soldiers and seamen, having once regularly served in the forces of the United States. are eligible to Comradeship of th*e First Grade, though under 18 years of age. Section 2. — Comrades of the Second Grade. — Cadets. « Those who visit and share in all the privilecres of the S. B. save those of voting and holding office, constitute the Second Grade ; they are styled Cadets. Their qualifications are the same a« Comrade?: of the First Grade, save that they are less than 18 (but not less than 14) years of age. 6 CONSTITUTION OF 8. B. Section Z.— Comrades of the Third Grade.— Honorary. Those who visit the Camps of S. B. as Honorary Comrades, are gentlemen^ of patriotic eminence, elected for that purpose. The President of the United States, the Vice Pres- ident and Cabinet, the Governors of the States, and all Supreme and Circuit Judges, are ez-officio Honor- ary Comrades during their respective terms of office. But Comrades of the Third Grade must be cove- nanted to all the requirements of the S. B. before they can enjoy any of the privileges of this Grade. They are not required to pay Dues or Fees of any kind. Recruits for the First, Second and Third Grades are elected to Comradeship, according to Section Sixth of this Article. Section 4. — Regimental Comradeship. Regimental Comradeship is representative, being made up of Officers of Companies appointed for that purpose. Section 5. — Division Comradeship. Division Comradeship is representative, being made up of the Officers of Regiments appointed for that purpose. /-y-Y CONSTITUTION OF S. B. *J Section 6. — Election to Comradeship. A Comrade in a Company Camp, being desirous to enlist a friend in either grade of Comradeship, may, at any regular meeting of the Camp, present a peti- tion therefor, which must be in the following form (changing names and dates) viz: S. B. Petition. The undersigned, a Comrade of the First Grade, in 3d Company, 9tU Regiment S. B. of Michigan, en- camped at Oxford, LaPeer county, Michigan, here- by recommends to Comradeship of the First Grade, Mr. Thomas Sawther, whose qualifications to the S. B. correspond with these required by the Constitu- tion of the S. B. Association and the By-Laws of the Compajiy. (Signed) Henry Short. Oxford, Mich., Aug. 1, 1864. This petition shall be read aloud by the Second Lieutenant, discussed with freedom by the Comrades present, and then put to the vote. The manner of voting sb.-i,l] be by slips of paper, on which ihe Com- rades shall write "A" for admission, or "0" for ob- jection. These shall be collected by the Corporals, and laid before the Captain, who shall count them and announce the result. If three objections be found, the application shall be referred to a commit- 8 CONSTITUTION OF 8. B. tee of five, of which the Captain shall be Chairman, with instructions to report on the objections at the next regular meeting, when, if it be found that the "Admissions" form a clear majority of not less than nine-tenths of the Comrades present, the Recruit shall be declared elected and the record so made up. The Second Lieutenant shall then give to the Comrade who presented the petition a certificate in the following form (changing names and dates), viz : s. a. Camp of 3d Company, 9th Rbg't S. B. of Michigan LN, » Encamp at Oxford, Mich., Aug. 1, 1864, This certifies that at a regular meeting of this Company, held at Headquarters this day, Mr. Thom- as Sawther was duly proposed by Comrade Henry Short, to become enlisted in the S. B. and it appear- ing, on inspection of the ballot, that the constitu- tional majority of nine-tenths of the Comrades pres- ent was favorable to his enlistment, it is hereby ordered by the Captain, that Mr. Thomas Sawther be admitted to all the rights and privileges of the S. B. in accordance with the Ritual thereof (Signed) Aaron Long, 2d Lit'ut. and Sec'y. CONSTITUTION OF 8. B. 9 Section 7 — How Comrades may Resign.' Any Comrade may resign his Membership at pleasure, by announcing his wish at a Regular Meet- ing of the Company. Provided, that he is under no pecuniary obligations to the Camp, and that no char- ges for unworthy conduct are outstanding against him. His request shall be stated to the Camp by the Secretary, and if no pecuniary or disciplinary charges are on the files against the Comrade, the Captain shall order his name stricken honorably from the Rolls. But no Officer who has been regularly commis- sioned, can resign his command except by permission of the Commander-in-Chief or the Major General of the Division^to which he belongs. ARTICLE III. OFFICERS OF THK S. B. Section 1 — Who are the Officer's. The Officers of a Company.of S. B.^are as follows 1. The Captain. 2. The First Lieutenant. % ' 3. The Second Lieutenant. 4. The Ensign. 10 CONSTITUTION Or 8. B. 5. The First Sergeant. 6. The Second Sergeant. 7. The First Corporal. 8. The Second Corporal. 9. The Sentinel. To these necessary Officers of the Company, there may be added at pleasure, a Company Chaplain, a Clerk, Third, Fourth and Fifth Sergeants, a Drum- mer, a Filer, and such other subordinate and non- commissioned officers as the Company, by its By- Laws, may provide. The minimum strength of a Company, including Officers and Privates, is twenty- five ; but the number may be increased at pleasure. The Commissioned Officers of the Company are the Captain, First and Second Lieutenants, and En- sign. The rest are appointed by the Captain. The Officers of a Regiment or Division of S. B. correspond in number and rank with the Array Regulations of the United States. Seclion 2— What are the Officers' Duties. The general theory of official duty in the S. B. corresponds with that of the Revised Army Regula- tions of the United States. In addition to military requirements, the business of the Company Camp is distributed among them as follows, viz : 1 The Captain.— His station in the Camp is at thfend of the Ciimp opposite the entrance. His weapon is the Sword. His rank is denoted by his shoulder straps. He is keeper of the Signet-ring. COKSTITUTION OF S. B. 11 « 2. The First Lieutenant. — His station is on the right of the Captain, and two paces distant. His weapon is the Sword. His rank is denoted by his shoulder straps. He is ex-officio Treasurer of the Company, and Quarter Master. 8. The Second Lieutenant. — ^\s, station is on the left of the Captain, and two paces distant. His weap- on is the Sword. His rank is denoted by his shoul- der straps. He is ex-officio Secretary of the Com- pany, keeper of the archives, and Commissary. 4. The Ensign. — His station is unchangeably by the flag-staff. His weapon is the Sword. His rank is that of Third Lieutenant, and is denoted by his shoulder straps. 5. The First Sergeant. — His station is to the right in front of the Captain, and facing the flag- staff. His weapon is the Sword. His rank is denot- ed by his chevrons. 6. The Second Sergeant. — His station is near the door of entrance to the Camp, and facing the Cap- tain. His weapon is the Sword His rank is denoted by his chevrons 7. The First Corporal. — His station is on the right of the First Sergeant, and one pace distant. — His weapon is the Lance. His rarik is denoted by his chevrons. He is one of the body guard of the Recruit during the ceremonies of enlistment and receives the Signet ring from the Captain. At elec- tions he collects the ballots in conjunction with the Second Corporal. 1 2 CONSTITUTION OF 8. B. 8. The Second Corporal. — His station is on the left of the Second Sergeant, and one pace distant. His iveapon is the Lance. His rank is denoted hy his chevrons. He is one of the body guard of the Recruit during the ceremonies of Enlistment, and receives the Book of Covenants from the Second Lieutenant. At elections he collects the ballots in conjnnction with the First Corporal. 9. The Sentinel. — His .station is outside the Camp. He has charge of the door of entrance. Wis weapon is the Musket. His rank is that of Second Corporal, ^nd is denoted by his chevrons. Upon his vigilance and fidelity the security of the Camp mainly depends. Section 3. — Duties of the Regimental and Division Officers. The duties of Regimental and Division Officers in the S. B. correspond with the Revised Army Regu- lations of the United States. Section 4. — Honor, the Basis of Obligation. The basis of all Military obligation is Honor. Each officer when invested with the insignia of his rank is solemnly pledged to the performance of the duties thereunto attached. Section 5. — How the Officer's are Elected. The Captain, two Lieutenants and Ensign, are elected at the Regular Meeting immediately after the formation of a company, or when a vacancy occurs. CONSTITUTION OP S. B. 1^ Each Comrade of the First Class, who is on the Company Books, is eligible to office and to vote. Providtd, That after the first election, no Comrade shall be elected Captain who has not previously served as Lieutenant, save by special permit of the Colonel. Nominations to office shall be permitted ; the vote shall be by slips on which the voters shall write. The Corporals collect the ballots, which are counted by tellers appointed by the Captain. Between the time of election of officers and their installation, the Captain shall select the non-commis- sioned officers. The Inauguration of the officers is performed un- der the supervision of the Colonel, Lieutenant-Col- onel, or a Deputy appointed for the purpose. ARTICLE IV. The Meetings. Section 1. — Regular Meetings. The meeting of the Company of S. B. are of three kinds. Regular, Festival and Called. The Regular Meetings shall occur at least once a month, and at such times and places as the By-L iws of the Compa- ny may designate. At Regular Meetings all ballotings shall be per- formed, moneys appropriated and the standard busi- 14 CONSTITUTION OF S. B. ness of the S. B. transacted. An Essay upon some patriotic thema may be delivered by a competent Comrade, and the correspondence of the Company read. Section 2. — Festival Meetings. There shall be two Festival Meetings annually, viz: on Washington's Birth-day and the Fourth of July. Section 3 . — Called Meetings . Meetings of the Company may be called at any time at the direction of the Captain, but not, ex- cept in case of great^ emergency, without giving three days' notice to the Comrades. The Captain shall enter his orders to that effect in the Orderly Book, and the Secretary shall immediately display the Flag Signals to correspond. The Flag Signals shall be extended from hand to hand by the Com- rades, in Company Meetings, uiilil all are notified of their meaning. The Enlistment ot Recruits is best done at Called MetHingp, i bough their election must be transacted at Regular^Meetings, as required in Section First of tiiis Chapter. * All the Meetings of the Company, whether Regu- lar, Festival or Called, shall be conducted upon the general plan given in the Ritual. CONSTITUTION Or S. B. IB ARTICLE V. Archives, Library, Paraphernalia. Section I. — The Archives. The Company shall carefully preserve its Archives. These consist of records and proceedings of the Company; its correspondence; the campaign rem- iniscences of the Comrades; patriotic essays and addresses by the Comrades; and the Orders and Pro- ceedings of the Regimental and Division oiganiza- tions. Section 2.—T/ie Library. The Company shall sednlously perfect and preserve its Library. This consists of books relative to the previous wars of the United States; war maps, charts and diagrams; plans of forts and battles; histories; books of Tactics and of the Science and Art of War, etc., etc. Section S.—TIie Paraphernalia. The articles necessary to a Camp, correspond with the Military theory of the S. B. Association as speci- fied in the Ritual. 16 CONSTITUTION OF S. B. ARTICLE VI. Discipline. Section 1. — Wliat are Off'enses. Offenses are violations of the Military Law as ap- plied to the S. R. The Revised Army Regulations of the United States, especially the Articles of War, describe them with minuteness. In addition to of- fenses strictly military in their character, the fol- lowing will afford grounds for charges against a Comrade, viz : Divulging the secresy of the S. B. Association ; neglect to pay the Dues and Feey re- quired by the By-Laws of the Company ; refusal to obey a regular summons from the Company. Section 2. — Court Martiah. Charge^ with suitable specifications may be pre- ferred by the proper Officers, and Court IMartials held agreeable to the requirements of Military Law. The penalties recognized by the S. B. are: 1, Public Reprimand; 2, Suspension for a limited period; 3, Degradation from rank, (if an Officer,) and Exptdaion from the Company, or Expulsion, if a private. No- tices of the penalties of Suspension and Expulsion shall be immediately forwarded to the General Office by the Secretary. All trials are under the supervision of the Colonel in person or by Deputy, and no penalty inflicted by a Court Martial is final until approved by a Colonel CONSTITUTION OF S. B. lY ' Discipline in the Regimental and Division organ- ization is conducted agreeable to the Revised Army Regulations of the United States. , Section 3. — Retired List. The Board of Control shall have the power to put on the ''Retired List" any commissioned officer who is absent from duty, or does not report for the space of three months. ARTICLE VIL Fees, Dues and Disbursements. Section 1. — Fees and Dues. Sec. 1. The Registration Fee in the S. B. shall be 25 cents. Sec. 2. All Comrades enlisted by a special agent where no Camp exists, shall pay the sum of one dollar. Sec. 3. Companies are required to remit to the General Office 25 cents for each member enlisted, and such sum lor Commissions and Documents, neces- sary to organize a Company, as speciliea in order M(j. — , of the Bo.trd ot Control. iSfic. 4. Oiganized Companies can charge such additional sum for enlistments as they may deem ex- pedient, to be regulated by theii By-Laws. Sec. 5. The Fees for line and field Officers, are such as are specified in order Xo. — , of the Board of Control. 18 CONSTITUTION OP S. B. Section Q.—Dishursementa, All Company Disbursements are made upon orders drawn by the Captain, and couniersigned by the Sec- retary. But no money shall be disbursed by the Treasurer, except by vote of the Company, taken at a Regular Meeting, save as provided for in the By- Laws. ARTICLE Vm. Miscellaneous. Section 1. — Change of Constitution. No Company has power to change this Constitution in any feature. Its own By-Laws and Rules of Or- der, however, may be adopted, amended, &c., at pleasure. Section 2. — Fraternal Correspondence. Each Comrade, when journeying from home should maintain a fraternal correspondence with the Com- pany, which shall be read by the Secretary, and pre-- served in the Archives of the Company. Section 3. — Military Instruction. The Company or Companies, established in each County should give annually, under their authority, at least two public courses of Drill and Instruction i CONSTITUTION OP 8. B. 19 in the use of arms. This is to the end that all the youth of our country may be trained up in habitudes of military art and discipline. Section 4. — Fraternal Attention. The wounded, the sick, and the poor in Comrade- ship with the S. B. shall receive the devoted atten- tions of the Comrades. Deceased Comrades shall be awarded the honors of a military funeral. Section 5. — Responsibilities. All Commissioned Officers of the S. B, are directly responsible to the Major General of the State, and the Board of Control. A monthly correspondence must be maintained by each Company, through its Secretary, (until the State Organization is effected,) with the General Sec- retary. Failure to make a Report, within the first ten days of the month, will call out a letter of in- quiry from him, and if no satisfactory explanation is made, and the Report not rendered by the close of the month all the Commissions under which the Com- pany ig operating will be peremptorily withdrawn, and a notice sent by the General Secretary to every other Company in the S. B. Association, notifying them of the dissolution of the recusant Company. 1^0 Comrade is entitled to travel and visit Camps until he has received from the General Secretary his Certificate of Registration upon the General Rolls of the S. B. Association. 20 CONSTITUTION OF S. B. ARTICLE IX. The Board of Control consist of three classes, viz: The First Class consists of 34 permanent members of the Board who shall fill all vacancies in said class. The Second Class consists of the ex-officio members, that is to say, of the Commander-in-Chief and the Major General of each State, Territory and the Dis- trict of Columbia. The Third Cla=s consists of one Delegate chosen annually by the several executive committees, one from each State, Territory and the District of Colum- bia. Five Members of the Board at any Meeting held at the General Office in Chicago, after notice, shall con- stitute a quorum. ARTICLE X. Section 1. — State Organization. Each State shall be entitled to a State Executive Committee, consisting of twice the number of their Representatives in Congress ; when it shall have at* least one Regiment in a majority of the Congression- al Districts. Such State Executive Committee to act in all matters affecting the interests (financial or otherwise) of the S. B. in the State, under the Rules and Regulations laid down in the Consti- tution and Ritual, and amenable only to the Gen- CONSTITUTION OF S. B. 21 eral Board of Control, and the Cojnmander-in-Chief. Said State Executive Committee to pay the General Board of Control 5u per cent, of all receipts. The Territories of the United States and the Dis- trict of Columbia shall each be entitled to an Execu- tive Committee of five Members as soon as they shall have organized five Companies, to be governed by the same rules and regulations as State Executive Committees. The Members of the State Executive Committee shall be elected by the General Board of Control on the nomination of the Major Generiil. The Major General shall hk President of the State Executive Committee, and the Brigadier Generals ex-officio members of the same.. Section 2. — County Organization. Each County shall be entitled to a County Execu- tive Committee, whenever said County has ten (10) organized Companies,'representing, in the aggregate 000 Comrades. Said Executive Committe not to exceed one member for every two thousand inhabi- tants; it shall consist of only sucli as are approved by the State Executive Committee, or in its absence approved by the General Board of Control. The County Board will be nominated by the Colonel or highest Officer in rank, and elected by. i\xk State Executive Committee, or in its absence by the Gen- eral Board of Control. Said County Executive