THE 
 
 CONSTITUTION & BY-IiAWS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 / 
 
 NEW-YORK 
 
 instituted in the City of New-York, the 10th day of December, 1804. 
 
 Printed at GRATTAN'S OFFICE, 22 Wall-street. 
 1829. 
 

CONSTITUTION. 
 
 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 natu- 
 ral, civil, literary, medical, and ecclesiastical history of 
 
 he United States in general, and of this State in par- 
 cular. 
 
 III. The Society shall consist of resident and hono- 
 rary 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 an- 
 \lly and by ballot, shall be, 
 
 A President, 
 
 A first Vice-President, 
 
 A second Vice-President, 
 
 A Treasurer, 
 
 A Secretary, 
 
 A Librarian. 
 
 V. All members (honorary members excepted) shall 
 pay, on admission, the sum o£ten dollars, and an ad- 
 
letter. He shall keep, in suitable books to be provid- 
 ed 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. 
 
 IV. The Treasurer shall receive and keep all sums 
 of money due and payable, and all donations and be- 
 quests of money or other property made to the Socie- 
 ty. He shall pay all such sums as may be incurred 
 for the ordinary expenses of the Societ}^ He shall 
 keep a true and faithful account of all moneys received 
 and paid by him, and once in every year render a par- 
 ticular statement of the same to the Society, who shall 
 appoint a committee of three members to examine and 
 audit the accounts of the Treasurer. 
 
 V. All donations of books, pamphlets, manuscripts, 
 and articles of curiosity, shall be received with thanks, 
 and entered on the books of the Society, with the 
 names of the donors. 
 
 A member, on paying to the Treasurer annually, the 
 sum of dollars in addition to the dues established 
 by the constitution of the Society, shall have the privi- 
 lege of proposing the purchase of a work or works, by 
 delivering to the Librarian, in writing, the title, price, 
 and publisher's name. The proposition shall be sub- 
 mitted to the officers of the Society, and they shall 
 adopt or reject the same, as to them shall seem expe- 
 dient. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Librarian to procure all 
 
works so proposed and adopted by the officers, and 
 without delay, by importation or otherwise. 
 
 All works so proposed, ordered ^nd procured, shall 
 be deposited by the Librarian in cases apart from the 
 general Library, to be circulated among and referred 
 to by such only, as shall have contributed to the fund 
 expressly raised and appropriated for the purchasing 
 such recommended works. 
 
 No work or works shall be ordered or procured un- 
 der this section if the cost thereof exceeds the amount 
 of funds in the Treasury belonging to this special ac- 
 count. 
 
 The amount paid to the Treasurer on this account, 
 shall be kept distinct from the other concerns of the 
 Society. 
 
 YI. The Librarian shall also be the keeper of the 
 Cabinet until the Society think proper to appoint an- 
 other person to that office ; he shall carefully keep 
 and preserve, in suitable cases to be provided for that 
 purpose, or in such manner as the Society may direct, 
 all the books, pamphlets, manuscripts, and articles be- 
 longing to the Society. 
 
 • All pamphlets, except duplicates, shall be bound in 
 volumes, and all the books shall be numbered by a la- 
 bel on the outside, and on the title-page of each vol- 
 ume shall be written the number, and the words, "The 
 property of the Historical Society." All manuscripts 
 to be marked and numbered, and kept in cases to be 
 
8 
 
 numbered, and the contents marked on the outside. — 
 Every member taking any book or manuscript out of 
 the Library, shall -jive a receipt for the same in a book 
 to be provided for that purpose ; which receipt shall 
 contain a promise to return the book within three 
 months, and to make good all damages which it 
 may suffer in the mean time ; and in case the book 
 shall not be returned within the time specified, that he 
 will replace the same, if it can be obtained, or deliver 
 to the Librarian such book or books as in the opinion 
 of the officers of the Society shall be of equal value, or 
 pay the value thereof in money ; but the Society may 
 direct the Librarian not to lend such particular books 
 and manuscripts as are of great rarity or value. 
 
 No book or, manuscript shall be lent to any person 
 but a member of the Society ; and if any other person 
 is desirous to have the use of any book or manuscript, 
 application must be made in his behalf to the Libra- 
 rian, by one of the members, who shall give a receipt 
 for such book or manuscript, expressing the name and 
 place of abode of the person to whom the same is lent, 
 and engaging for the return of it within three months, 
 and to be accountable for the damage or loss thereof. 
 
TO THE PUBLIC. 
 
 The Address of the New- York Historical Society. 
 
 Having formed an association, for the purpose of 
 discovering, procuring, and preserving whatever may 
 relate to the natural, civil, literary, medical and ecclesi- 
 astical history of our country, and particularly of the 
 State of New-York, we solicit the aid of the liberal, 
 patriotic and learned, to promote the objects of our in- 
 Btitution. 
 
 The utility of societies for the advancement of sci- 
 ence, has been so fully proved by the experience of the 
 most enlightened nations of Europe, and by that of our 
 own country, that there can be no need, at this time, of 
 any formal arguments in support of their claim to public 
 patronage. 
 
 It is well known that many valuable manuscripts and 
 papers relating to the history of our country remain in 
 the possession of those who, though unwilling to en- 
 trust them to a single person, would yet cheerfully con- 
 fide them to a public institution, m whose custody they 
 might be preserved for the general benefit of society. 
 To rescue from the dust and obscurity of private repo- 
 
 1* 
 
10 
 
 sitories such important documents, as are liable to he 
 lost or destroyed by the indifference or neglect of those 
 into whose hands they may have fallen, is a primary 
 object of our attention. 
 
 The paucity of materials relating to the first settle- 
 ment and to the colonial transactions of this State, and 
 the extreme difficulty of procuring them can be fully 
 appreciated by those only who have projected an his- 
 torical monument of those events, and for this purpose 
 have examined into the nature and amount of their 
 resources. Without the aid of original and authentic 
 documents, history can be nothing more than a well 
 combined series of ingenious conjectures and amusing 
 fables ; and, therefore, as the cause of truth is interest- 
 ing to all men, those who possess the means, however 
 small, of preventini^ error, or of elucidating obscure 
 facts, will confer a benefit on mankind by communica- 
 ting them to the world. 
 
 We do not aspire to the higher walks of general sci- 
 ence, but shall confine the range of our exertions to the 
 humble task of collecting and preserving whatever may 
 be useful to others in the diflerent branches of histo- 
 Hcal inquiry. We aim not to be rivals to other institu- 
 tions, but, on the contrary, shall rejoice to co-operate 
 with them in pursuing the objects of our common re- 
 searches ; satisfied if, in the end, our efforts shall be 
 attended with equal success. 
 
 Our inquiries are not limited to a single State or dis- 
 
11 
 
 trict, but extend to the whole Continent ; and it will be 
 our business to diffuse the information we may collect 
 in such manner as will best conduce to general intruc- 
 tion. As soon as our collection shall be sufficient to 
 form another volume,* and the funds of the Society will 
 admit, we shall commence its publication, that we may 
 better secure our treasures by means of the press, from 
 the corrosions of time and the power of accident. 
 
 That this object may be sooner and more effectually 
 attaraed, we request all who feel disposed to encourage 
 our design, to transmit, as soon as convenient, to the 
 Society, 
 
 Manuscripts, Records, Pamphlets, and Books rela- 
 tive to the History of this Country ; 
 
 Orations, Sermons, Essays, Discourses, Poems, 
 and Tracts ; delivered, written, or published on any 
 public occasion ; or which concern any public transac- 
 tion or remarkable character or event ; 
 
 Laws, Journals, Copies of Records, and Proceed- 
 ings of Congresses, Legislatures, General Assemblies, 
 Conventions, Committees of Safety, Secret Commit- 
 tees for General Objects, Treaties and JVegociations 
 with any Indian Tribes, or with any State or Nation ; 
 
 Proceedings of Ecclesiastical Conventions, Synods, 
 General Assemblies, Presbyteries, and Societies of all 
 denominations of Christians ; 
 
 * Four volumes have been published by the Society. 
 
12 
 
 Narratives of Missionaries, and Proceedings of Mis- 
 sionary Societies ; 
 
 Narratives of Indian Wars, Battles, and Exploits ; 
 of the Adventures and Sufferings of Captives, Voya- 
 gers, and Travellers ; 
 
 Minutes and Proceedings of Societies for the Aboli- 
 tion of Slavery, and the Transactions of Societies for 
 Political, Literary, and ScientiHc Purposes ; 
 
 Accounts of Universities, Colleges, Academies, and 
 Schools ; their origin, progress, and present state ; 
 
 Topographical Descriptions of Cities, Towns, Coun- 
 ties, and Districts, at various periods, with Maps, and 
 whatever relates to the progressive Geography of the 
 Country ; 
 
 Statistical Tables — Tables of Diseases, Births and 
 Deaths, and of Population ; of Meteorological Obser- 
 vations, and facts relating to Climate ; 
 
 Accounts of Exports and Imports at various periods, 
 and of the progress of Manufactures and Commerce ; 
 
 Magazines, Reviews, Newspapers, and other Pe- 
 riodical Pubhcations, particularly such as appeared an- 
 tecedent to the year 1783 ; 
 
 Biographical Memoirs and Anecdotes of eminent 
 and remarkable Persons in America, or who have been 
 connected with its settlement or history ; 
 
 Original Essays and Disquisitions on the Natural, 
 Civil, Literary, or Ecclesiastical History of any State, 
 City, Town, or District. 
 
13 
 
 As the Society intend to form a Library and Cabinet, 
 they will gratefully receive Donations of books and 
 pamphlets relative to the above objects, they will be 
 thankfully accepted, and all communications duly no- 
 ticed in the publications of the Society. Coins and 
 Medals will be very acceptable to the Society. 
 
DONORS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 ACKERLEY, DR. 
 
 ALBANY INSTITUTE, 
 
 ALDEN, REV. TIMOTHY 
 
 ALLEN, WILLIAM 
 
 ANDERSON, DR. ALEXANDER 
 
 AMERICAN FHILOS. SOC, PHILADELPHIA 
 
 BARD, DR. SAMUEL 
 
 BARD, WILLIAM 
 
 BAYARD, SAMUEL, of New-Jersey. 
 
 BECK, DR. I. B. 
 
 BENSON, JUDGE EGBERT 
 
 BENTLEY, REV. WILLIAM, of Salem. 
 
 BIBLE SOCIETY, AMERICAN 
 
 BLAKE JOHN L., of Providence. 
 
 BLEECHER, AXTEIONY L. 
 
 BLEECPIER, COLONEL JOHN 
 
 BLEECHER, LRONARD 
 
 BLUNT, JOSLPK 
 
 BOUDINOT, ELLAS, of N. Jersey. 
 
 BRADBURY, JOHN 
 
 BRASHER, PHILIP 
 
 BRUCE, DR. ARCHIBALD 
 
 BRUCE, GEORGE 
 
16 
 
 BUCHAN, EAKL OF 
 BURRILL, JONATHAN 
 BURTSELL, PETER 
 
 CAMPBELL, SAMUEL 
 
 CHRISTIAN, CHARLES 
 
 CLINTON, DE WITT 
 
 COLDEN, CADWALADER D. 
 
 COLEMAN, WILLIAM 
 
 COLLINS, ISAAC 
 
 COLLINS & CO., THOMAS 
 
 COLLINS fc PERKINS, 
 
 COMMISSIONERS OF THE CANAL FUND, 
 
 CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, 
 
 COOPER, JAMES FENNIMORE 
 
 COOPER, WILLIAM 
 
 CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF N. YORK, 
 
 CRANE, TIMOTHY B. 
 
 DARBY, WILLIAM 
 DAVIDSON, DR. R., of New-Orleans. 
 DAY, THOMAS, of Connecticut. 
 DE KAY, DR. JAMES E. 
 DEL AFIELD, JOHN, 1st. 
 DELAFIEl.D, JOHN, 2d. 
 DELAFIELD, JOHN, Jun. 
 DELAFIELD, RICHARD 
 DELAPLAI^'. JOS., of Philadelphia. 
 DE PEYSTER, FRED. JUN. 
 
 DE WITT, 
 
 DE WITT, SLMEON 
 DIXEY, MR. 
 DRAKE, D. 
 DUER, WILLIAM 
 
17 
 
 EARL OF BUCHAN, 
 EASTBURN, JAMES 
 EBELING, CHRISTOPH DANIEL 
 EDDY, JOHN 
 
 FAIRLEY, JAMES 
 FALCONER, WILLIAM 
 FISH, WHITEHEAD 
 FRANCIS, DR. JOHN W. 
 FRAZER, DR. 
 
 GELSTON, DAVID 
 GELSTON, MALTBY 
 GHAN, HENRY, (Swedish Consul.) 
 GOELET, PETER P. 
 GOODRICH & CO. 
 GOULD, E. B. 
 GRACIE, WILLIAM 
 GREENHOW, ROBERT 
 GREENLEAF, JOSEPH 
 GREGOIRE, ABBE, of Paris. 
 GRISCOM, DR. JOHN 
 
 HALL,JOPIN E., of Philadelphia. 
 
 HARDCASTLE,MR. 
 
 HARDIE, JAMES 
 
 HAZARD, EBENEZER, of Philadelphia. 
 
 HOFFMAN, JUDGE 
 
 HOPKINS, GEO. F. 
 
 HOSACK, DR. DAVID 
 
 HOSACK, DR. ALEX. 
 
 HOW% REV. T. T. 
 
 HULL, GENERAL WILLIAM 
 
18 
 
 JARVIS, I. W. 
 JARVIS, REV. SAMUEL F. 
 JAY, PETER AUGUSTUS 
 JENKINS, ELISHA, of Albany. 
 INSKEEP & BRADFORD, of Philadelphia. 
 JOHNSON, WILLIAM 
 JONES, JOHN 
 ^ IRELAND, DR. WM. M. 
 IRVING, WASHINGTON 
 
 KENT, JAMES, (Chancellor.) 
 KIMBERS, E., of Philadelphia. 
 KING, CHARLES 
 KING, FREDERICK G. 
 KIRK & MERCEIN, 
 KUNZIE, REV. DR. 
 
 LAIGHT, HENRY 
 
 LEGISLATURE OF STATE OF N. YORK. 
 
 LEWIS, ZACHARIAH 
 
 LIVINGSTON, BROCKHOLST 
 
 LONGWORTH, D. 
 
 LUDLOW, THOMAS L. 
 
 LYCEUM OF NAT. HIST. N. YORK, 
 
 M'COMB, JOHN 
 
 M'KEAN, REV. fJOSEPH, of Cambridge. 
 
 M'KESSON, JOHN 
 
 M'LEOD, REV. DR. 
 
 MASON, REV. DR. JOHN 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 MELICK, B. 
 
 MERCIEN, THOS. R. 
 
 MESIER, PETER A. 
 
19 
 
 MEYER, JOHN 
 
 MITCHELL, DR. SAMUEL LATHAM 
 MOORE, RT. REV. BISHOP 
 MOORE, JOHN, of Hampstead. 
 MORAN, EDWARD 
 MORRISS, GOUVERNEUR 
 MORRISS, MRS. GOUVERNEUR 
 MORRISS, THOMAS 
 MORTON, GEN. JACOB 
 MULLIGAN, JOHN W. 
 
 NASH, M. 
 
 NEW-HAMPSHIRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 
 
 NEW -YORK ATHEN^UM, 
 
 PAINE, THOMAS 
 
 PEALE, CHARLES W. 
 
 PEALE, REMBRANDT 
 
 PINTARD, JOHN 
 
 PRESCOTT, S., of Boston. 
 
 PRIOR & DUNNING, 
 
 REID, MAJOR JOHN 
 
 RIKER, RICHARD, ^Recorder.) 
 
 RILEY, CAPT. JAMES 
 
 RILY, E. 
 
 ROMEYNE, DR. I. B, 
 
 ROSE, WM. M, 
 
 RUSH, RICHARD, of Philadelphia. 
 
 RUTHERFORD, JOHN, of New-Jersey. 
 
 SAMSON, WM. 
 SANDS, JOSEPH 
 SCHAEFFER, REV. DR. 
 SCHENCK, JA'MES 
 
20 
 
 SCHIEFFELIN, JACOB 
 SEYMOUR, JONATHAN 
 SHIPPEY, JOSEiUA 
 SMITH, WILLIAM, of Quebec 
 SMITH, WILLIAM 
 SMITH, JAMES A. 
 SPALDING, DR. LYMAN 
 SPAFFORD, HORATIO GATES 
 SPRAGUE, CHARLES, of Boston. 
 STANFORD, I. N. 
 STEVENS, GEN. EBEN. 
 STEWAR1\ WALTER, of Philadelphia. 
 STOUGHTON, JAMES 
 STU YVES ANT, NICHS. W. 
 SWORDS, JAMES 
 SWORDS, T. cV^ J. 
 
 TAYLOR, I. W. 
 TORHEY, WILLIAM 
 TRUMBULL, COL. JOHN 
 
 VAN DER KEMP, ADRIAN 
 VAN RENSSELAER, STEPHEN 
 V A RICK. RICHARD 
 VAUGflAN, JOHN, of Philadelphia 
 VER PLANCK, D. C. 
 VER PLANCK, GULIAN C. 
 VESCHIO, MR. 
 
 WATNW RIGHT, REV. L M. 
 WALDRON, WM. I. 
 WARD, MATHIAS & WILLIAM 
 WARD, SAMUEL, Jun. 
 WARD, SAMUEL, the 34. 
 
 LL 111 -jS 
 
21 
 
 WARDEN, DAVID B., of Paris. 
 WATSON, ELKANAH 
 WILKINSON, GEN. JAMES 
 WINTHROP FRANCIS 
 WOLCOTT, OLIVER 
 
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