AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. PROPOSED I'.V I II I COMMITTEE ON REVISION OF THE CONSTITUTION, APPOINTED IN PURSUANCE OF III! RESOLUTION OF THE ANNUAL CON- GRESS OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY. APRIL 3 oth, 1892. March 2 1 3*~ ***** JUN 18 1914 To the Congress of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution : The Committee on Revision of the Constitu- tion, appointed in pursuance of the resolution of the Annual Congress of April 30, 1892, submit the following draft of a revised Constitution, and propose that the amendments indicated therein shall be adopted at the next meeting of the Congress. Very respectfully, HORACE PORTER, President- General. HENRY HALL, A. W. GREELY, U. S.A., GEO. BROWN GOODE, Ph.D., JOHN WHITEHEAD, JAMES C. CRESAP, U. S. N., CONSTITUTION OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. [New readings and additions are indicated by italics. The words and sentences, which it is proposed to drop out entirely, are enclosed in brackets. | ARTICLE I. NAME. The Name of this Society shall be "The Sons of the American Revolution." ARTICLE II. OBJECTS. [The objects of this Society are, to perpetuate the memory and the spirit of the men who achieved American Independence, by the encouragement of historical research in relation to the Revolution and the publication of its results, the preservation of documents and relics, and of the records of the individual services of Revolutionary soldiers and patriots, and the promotion of celebrations of all patriotic anniversaries; to carry out the injunction of Washington in his farewell address to the American people, "to promote, as an object of primary importance, institu- tions for the general diffusion of knowledge," thus develop- ing an enlightened public opinion, and affording to young and old such advantages as shall develop in them the largest capacity for performing the duties of American citizens ; to cherish, maintain, and extend the institutions of American freedom ; to foster true patriotism and love of country ; and to aid in securing for mankind all the blessings of liberty.] The objects of this Society shall be to unite and promote fellowship among the descendants, and perpetuate the memory, of the men, who, by their services or sacrifices during the War of the American Revolution, achieved the IndcpauL of the A mericau people ; to inspire among the members of the Society and the community at large a more profound reverence for the principles of the government founded by our forefathers ; to encourage historical research in relation to the American Revolution ; to acquire and preserve the records of the indi- vidual services of Revolutionary patriots, and documents, relics and landmarks connected with the War ; to mark the scenes of the Revolution by appropriate memorials ; to celebrate the anniversaries of the prominent events of the War ; to maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom ; and to carry out the injunctions of Washington in his farewell address to the American /< ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP. [Section I. — Any man is eligible for membership, who is of the age of twenty-one years, and who is descended from an ancestor who, with unfailing loyalty, rendered ma- terial aid to the cause of American Independence, as a soldier or as a seaman, or a civil officer in one of the several Colonies or States, or of the United Colonies or States, or as a recognized patriot; provided that he shall be found worthy.] 5 Section I . — Any man shall be eligible to membership in I his Society, who, being of the age of 21 years or over, and a citizen of good repute in the community, is the lineal descendant of an ancestor, who, while at all times unfailing in his loyalty, rendered actual service in the cause of American Independence, cither as an officer, soldier, seaman, marine, militiaman or minute man, in the armed forces of the Continental Congress or of any one of the several Colonies or States ; or as a Signer of the Declaration of Independence ; or as a member of a Committee of Safety or Correspondence ; or as a member of any Continental, Provincial, or Colonial Congress or Legisla- ture ; or as a civil officer, either of one of the Colonies or States or of the national government ; or as a recognized patriot, who performed actual service by overt acts of rebel- lion against the authority of Great Britain. Section 2. — For the purpose of making more nearly perfect the records of our Revolutionary ancestors and their descendants, any woman of Revolutionary ancestry may file a record of her ancestor's services and of her line of descent with any Registrar, who shall send a duplicate to the Registrar General. SECTION 3. — Any person is eligible to honorary mem- bership, subject to the limitations as to age and descent, established in the case of active members. [Section 4. — The National Society shall embrace all the members of the Societies of the Sons of the Amer- ican REVOLUTION now existing, or which may be estab- lished under this Constitution. Such Societies shall regulate all matters relating to their own affairs, shall judge of the qualifications of their members, and of those proposed for membership, subject to the provisions of this Con- stitution.] ARTICLE IV. NA TIONAL AND STA TE SOCIE TIES. Section i. — The National Society shall embrace all the members of the Societies of the Sons of the American 6 REVOLUTION, now existing or which may hereafter be estab- lished wider this Constitution. Section 2. — Whenever in any State or Territory, in which a State Society does not exist, fifteen or more persons, duly qualified for membership in this Society, shall associate themselves as a State Society of the Sons OF THE American REVOLUTION, and shall organize in accordance with this Constitution, they may be admitted by the General Board of Managers to the National Society as " The Society of the SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION," and shall thereafter have exclusive local jurisdiction in the State or Territory or in the District in which they are organized. Section 3. — Each State Society shall judge of the qualifications of its members and of those proposed for mem- bership, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, and shall regulate all matters pertaining to its own affairs. It shall have authority to establish local chapters within its own jurisdiction. It shall have authority, after due notice and impartial trial, to expel any member, zcho, by conduct unbecoming a gentleman and a man of honor, shall render himself unworthy to remain a member of the Society. SECTION 4. — Each State Society shall submit to the Annual Congress of the National Society a report, setting forth the membership and progress of the State Society during the preceding year, and making such suggestions, as it shall deem proper, for the promotion of the objects of the whole order. SECTION 5. — Whenever a member in good standing in this Society, changes his residence from the jurisdiction of the State Society of which he is a member, to that of another, he shall be entitled to a certificate of honorable demission from his oivn State Society, in order that lie may be transferred to the State Society to whose jurisdiction he has changed his residence. Each State Society shall, hozvever, retain full control of the admission of members by transfer. Section 6. — Wherever the word li State" occurs in this Constitution, it shall be held to include within its mean- ing the District of Columbia and the Territories of the United States. ARTICLE V. OFFICERS AND MANAGERS. SECTION i. — The General Officers of the National Society shall be a President General, [three Honorary Vice Presidents General], five Vice Presidents General, a Secre- tary General, Treasurer General, Registrar General, Histor- ian General, [Surgeon General], and Chaplain General, who shall be elected by ballot by a vote of the majority of the members present at the annual meeting of the Congress of the National Society and shall hold office for one year and until their successors shall be elected, [and who together with the Presidents of the State Societies, ex-officio, shall constitute a general Board of Managers, of which Board seven shall constitute a quorum.] Section 2. — The General Officers, together with the Presidents of the State Societies ex-officio, shall constitute the General Board of Managers, of which Board seven shall constitute a quorum. Section J. — An Executive Committee of seven, of whom the President General shall be the Chairman, may be elected by the Board of Managers from its own members, which Committee shall, in the interim between the meetings of the Board, transact such business as shall be delegated to it by the Board of Managers. ARTICLE VI. DUES. Each State Society shall pay annually to the Treasurer General to defray the expenses of the National Society twenty- five cents for each active member thereof. All such dues shall be paid on or before [the opening of each annual meeting of the National Society, in order to secure repre- sentation therein] the first day of April in each year, for the ensuing year, in order to secure representation in the Congress of the National Society . ARTICLE VII. MEETINGS AND ELECTIONS. Section i. — The annual [meeting] Congress of tin- National Society for the election of the General Officers and for the transaction of business, shall be held on the 30th day of April, or on the first day of May in every year. The time and place of such meeting shall be designated by the Board of Managers. Section 2. — Special meetings of the Congress [shall] may be called by the President General, and shall be called by him when directed so to do by the Board of Managers, or whenever requested in writing so to do by [twenty-five or more members representing] at least five State Socie- ties, on giving thirty days' notice specifying the time and place of such meeting and the business to be transacted. Section 3. — The following shall be members of all such [general] annual or special meetings, and shall be entitled to vote therein : (1). All the officers, the ex- Presidents General and the ex-Vice Presidents General of the National Society ; (2). The President and Senior Vice President of each State Society. (3). One delegate at large from each State Society ; (4). One delegate for every one hundred members of the Society within a State and for a fraction of fifty or over. |The following named officials shall be Honorary Mem- bers of the National Society, provided they are eligible to membership in the Society, but shall not be entitled to vote : (i). The President, the Vice-President, and the Chief Justice of the United States; (2). The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Secretary of War, and the Secretary of the Navy, of the United States; (3). The Governors of the States and Territories of the United States; AND ALSO the Senior officer of the Army, and the Senior officer of the Navy of the United States.] ARTICLE VIII. BY-LAWS. The Board of Managers shall have authority to adopt and promulgate the By-Laws of the National Society, to prescribe the duties of the general officers, to provide the seal, and to designate the insignia. ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS. [Amendments to this Constitution may be offered at any meeting of the National Society, but shall not be acted on until the next meeting. A copy of every proposed amendment shall be sent to each member, with a notice of the meeting at which the same will be acted upon, at least thirty days prior to said meeting.] This Constitution may be altered or amended at any meeting of the Congress of the National Society, provided 10 tJiat thirty days notice in writing of the proposed altera- tions or amendments shall be sent to the President of each State Society. A vote of two thirds of those present shall be necessary to its adoption. II