•. -^^o^ ^\ 0" •, *^ V\ ^^^9^' .* > V-^' "Crv^^ >7 ^^ ♦ ^-^^^ \^^^ :i^A^ 'V./' ^^^SIK'- ^- -^ ' ^^-^ 'o, *;t:t« A \ '^'t^r.^t^ oV^ ';^o^ T^Q^ I' /%. **'\ L*' 51 , V-^^ ^^o^^*^' '^ o « • , *>i .^ ^O »bV" CONSTITUTION OF THE GENERAL SOCIETY OF COLONIAL WARS ADOPTED MAY loth, iSgj. Subject to Approval at an Adjourned Meeting OF THE General Assembly. H. K. BREWER & CO., STATIONERS AND PRINTERS, 33 Nassau Street, New York. 3 PREAMBLE. Wliereas, It is desirable tiiat tliere siiould be adequate celebrations commemorative of the events of Colonial History liappening from the settlement of Jamestown, Va. , May 13, 1G07, to the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775. Therefore, The Society of Colonial Wars has been instituted to perpetrate the memory of these events and of the men, who in Military, Naval and Civil positions of high trust and responsibility, by their acts or counsel assisted iu the establishment, defense and preservation of the Arat^rican Colonies, and were in truth the founders of this Nation. With this end in view it seeks to collect and preserve manuscripts, rolls and records ; to provide suitable commemorations or memorials relating to the American Colonial period, and to inspire in its Members the paternal and patriotic spirit of their Forefathers, and in the Community respect and reverence for those whose public services made our freedom and unity possible. CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE I. NAME OF SOCIETY. The Society shall be known by the name and title of the General Society of Colonial Wars. ARTICLE 11. MEMBERSHIP. Any male person above the age of twenty-one years of good moral character and reputation shall be eligible to membership in the Society of Colonial Wars who is descended from an ancestor 1. Who fought in battle under Colonial authority prior to the year 1700. 2. Or who served as a Governor, Deputy Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or member of the Council, or as a Military, Naval or Marine officer in the service of the Colonies or under the banner of Great Britain in North America in the wars in which said Colonies participated or furnished troops from the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, May 13^ 1607, to the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775. 3. A descendent of men, who by their conspicuous services in mili- tary, official or legislative life during such last mentioned period, assisted in perpetuating the American Colonies. Gift Mrs. Julian Jamoe 1912 ARTICLE III. GENERAL SOCIETY. The Gknkral Society of Colonial Waks shall consist of the societies now existing in the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massaoiii'setts, Connkotioitt and District of Columbia, and such other State societies as may be from time to time duly organized and authorized by the General Society after its organization. ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS. The officers of the General Society of Colonial Warp shall be : a Governor General, a Deputy Governor General from each State of the Society, a Secretary Genei-al, a Deputy Secretary General, a Treasurer General, a Deputy Treasurer General, a Register General, a Hislorian General, a Chancellor General, a Chaplain General and a Surgeon General. With the exception of the Deputy Governor Generals the above officers shall bo elected by a plurality vote of the Delegates present at a general assembly of the society. The Deputy Governors General shall be elected by a plurality vole of the delegates to the General Assembly from the State from which said Deputj' Governor General is chosen. The above officers shall serve until the next General Assembly, or until their successors are duly chosen. ARTICLE V. MEETINGS. The regular meetings of the General Society shall be termed General Assemblies, and shall be held once every three years at such time and place as the preceding General Assembly may elect. Special Assemblies may be held upon the order of the Governor General, or upon the request of three of the State Societies. Assemblies shall consist of the General Officers and five delegates from each State Society. Five delegates and two General Officers shall constitute a (luorum for the transaction of busi- ness which shall be conducted according to parliamentary law. The following order of business, so far as the same may be applicable shall be followed : 1. The General Assembly called to order by the Senior Officer pre- sent. 3. Prayer l>y the Chaplain General. 3. Reading of Minutes of last General Assembly. 4. Report from the Secretary General. 5. Report from the Treasurer General. 6. Report from Committees and Officers. 7. Unfinished business. 8. New business. 9. Reports from State Societies. 10. Election of Officers. 11. Benediction by the Chaplain General. ARTICLE VI. STATE SOCIETIES. Each State Society shall annually transmit to the Secretary General a circular letter stating the number of its membership, general matters of interest, and any suggestions which may be deemed for the advantage of the Society. Each State Society shall in the mouth of January in each year pay to the Treasurer General the sum of Twenty-five dollars. ARTICLE VII. POWERS OF THE GENERAL SOCIETY. The General Society shall not interfere in the regulations or govern- ment of any State Society, unless by a plurality vote of the General Assembly, when the sun-ender of a State Charter may be demanded, should an investigation show that such action is necessary for the welfare of the societies at large. The General Officers or a majority of them shall have the power to grant Charters to States other than those in which the Society is already organized, provided at least, twenty persons duly qualified to be members make such application. The General Society shall issue the certificate of membership and shall publish the Year Book of the Society, with the co-operation of the several State Societies, and the cost shall be defrayed by them proportionate to their membership. ARTICLE VIII. GOVERNOR GENERAL. The Governor General or in his absence, a duly selected Temporary Presiding Officer shall preside at all General Assemblies and meetings of said General Officers of the Society, and shall exercise the duties of a presiding Officer subject to an appeal to the Assembly or meeting of said General Officers. ARTICLE IX. SECRETARY GENERAL. The Serrotary General shall be the Keeper of the Great Seal of the Society and also of the General Society Flag. He shall conduct the general correspondence of the Society, and keep a record thereof. He shall have charge of the printing and publications of the Society. He shall give due notice of the time and place of the holding of allj General As8emblit3s and Meetings of OfRccrs. He shall keep fair and accurate records of all proceedings of the General Assembly and meetings of Officers. ARTICLE X. TREASURER GENERAL. The Treasurer General shall collect and keep the funds and securities of the Society, and deposit and invest them subject to the direction of the Board of Officers. Out of these funds, he shall pay such sums as may be ordered by the Board of Officers. He shall keep a true account of his receipts and payments and at each General Assembly, or when required by the Board of Officers shall render an account of the same. For the faithful performance of his duty he may be required to give such security as the General Assembly or Board of Officers may deem proper. ARTICLE XL REGISTRAR GENERAL. It shall be the duty of each State Society to file with the Registrar General a duplicate of the application of each member elected. The Registrar General shall receive and file all duplicate applications upon which membership has been granted, with a list of all diplomas signed by him and all documents which the Society may obtain. ARTICLE XII. HISTORIAN GENERAL. The Historian General shall keep a detailed record of all Historical and Commemorative General Celebrations of the Society, and shall edit and prepare for publication such Historical Addresses, Papers, and other Documents, as the Society may see fit to publish, and also a Necrological List for each year with biographies of deceased members. ARTICLE XIII. CHAPLAIN GENERAL. The Chaplain General shall be an ordained Minister of a Cnristian Church, and it shall be his duty to officiate when called upon by the proper officers. ARTICLE XIV. CHANCELLOR GENERAL. The Chancellor General ARTICLE XV. SURGEON GENERAL. The Surgeon General ARTICLE XVt. THE SEAL. The Seal of the Society General shall be ARTICLE XVII. THE INSIGNIA. The Insignia of the Society shall be the same as adopted by the New York State Society. It shall be worn by the members on all occasions when they assemble as such for any stated purpose or celebration and may be worn on any occasion of ceremony ; it shall be worn conspicuously on the left breast, but membei's who are or have been Gentlemen of the Council of a State Society may place a rosette of regulation pattern upon the silk band from which it is pendant. Members who are or have been General Officers or officers of a State Society may wear the Insignia with three Jewels in the crown and suspended from a regulation ribbon around the neck. Members who are or have been Governors, Deputy Governors, or Lieutenant Gov- ernors of State Societies, or officers of the General Society may in addition to the Insignia so suspended wear a ribbon of the Societies colors three and one-half inches in width extending from the right shoulder to the left hip. For State Officers worn under and for General Officers worn over the waist-coat. 8 ARTICLE XVIIl. DIPLOMA. The Diploma of this Society shall be ARTICLE XIX. FLAG. ARTICLE XX. STATE SECRETARIES. It shall be competent for the General Officers at any meeting to appoint State Secretaries in States where no State Societies exist, with a view to represent the interests of this Society, and if authorized to do so, prepare for the establishment of new State Societies. Such State Secretaries shall be subject to the direction and regulation of the Board of General Officers ; their appointment shall be for a limited term not to exceed a year, but may be renewed. They may be removed for cause and their office shall terminate upon the organization and charter of a Society in their State. They shall com- municate with and receive communication from the Society through the Secretary General. ARTICLE XXL The General Society or its officers shall elect to membership only, Charter Members of new State Societies whose membership shall be Ipsk Facto transferred to their own State Society, with the grant of its Charter. No State Society shall elect to membership persons resident within the territory of another State Society, but members changing residence from one State to another, or coming within the jurisdiction of a new State Society may, at their option, retain membership in the State Society to which they were originally admitted. A member of any State Society may be admitted to membership by action of the Council of another State Society, within the bounds of which he is resident, upon satisfactory proof of his membership in good standing in the Society from which he comes, and subject to the rules and regulations of the Society he enters. ARTICLE XXIL ALTERATIONS OR AMENDMENTS. No Alteration or Amendment of this constitution shall be made unless proposed by a Council of a State Society in writing. The Secretaiy shall send a printed copy of the proposed amendment to each State Society and state the time when, and the place where, it will be voted upon. Six mouths notice must be given to each Society. No amendment shall be made unless adopted by a two-thirds vote of the State Societies composing the General Assembly. ^8 W *bv" ^V' "»^ '» A^*^ * 'i.^ "^^ s.*""'..^'*. .^^^ ^*i ^^-^^^ \/ :^M^\ \<^'' yM£\ \.^^ *^^ y\ '^^Ws /\ 5.^^^. V'^^ ^^•i V-^' ^Co«=,- V<^^ .^^% 'o, ♦:Tcr« /s vv ^^'\ ^""^^^^ -' *• x«»« c*^ • • U ^^ -A ^N^^ri