Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution
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:»,J?T;,^..5J'.'.V,/,yjj ij-t.^' u -^ ^^^iSi A' r- I Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Institute of Museum and Library Services through an Indiana State Library LSTA Grant http://www.archive.org/details/massachusettssocsons MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY OF THE ^ons of tl)e American 3l^e\Jolution» Committee of publication. LUTHER ATWOOD, EDWIN SANFORD CRANDON, LUKE STEARNS STOWE. Compiler* HERBERT WOOD KIMBALL Consstftution anh is^taW of ti^e jwasijiaci^ujsettjs ^ociett CONSTITUTION OF THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION As Amended April ig, igio ARTICLE I NAME The name of the Society shall be The Massachusetts Society OF the Sons of the American Revolution. ARTICLE II OBJECTS The objects of the Society are: to perpetuate the memory and 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 Revo- lutionary soldiers and patriots, and the promotion of celebrations of all patriotic anniversaries; to carry out the injunction of Wash- ington in his Farewell Address to the American people, "to pro- mote, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge," thus developing an enlightened public opinion, and affording to young and old such advantages as shall develop in them the largest capacity for performing the 14 ^onfi of tl)e 9lmerican iSetoolutton 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 bless- ings of liberty. ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP 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 material 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, as a recognized patriot provided that he shall be found ; worthy. ARTICLE IV OFFICERS The officers of the Society shall be a President, three Vice- Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Registrar, a Historian, a Chaplain, and a Board of Managers, consisting of fifteen members and the officers of the Society ex officiis. The offices of Secretary and Registrar may be held by one person. The Society or Mana- gers shall also elect a Delegate-at-large, and such other Delegates as it may be entitled to by the Constitution of the National Society. ARTICLE V LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS Ten or more members of the Society, resident in any locality as may be approved by the Board of Managers, may form them- selves into a Chapter, to be called by such name as said members may assume. A Charter may be granted to such Chapter by the Board of Managers, upon application in writing of ten or more members of the Society, stating name to be assumed, the location, and names of its proposed members. Such Chapter may enact a Constitution and By-laws not inconsistent with those of the National Society, or of this Society. * The Constitution of the National Society omits the words "civil oflBcer" as a basis for eligibility. jHa^i^acftu^ctt^ ^ocietp Constitution 15 No person shall be admitted to such Chapter unless he is a member in good standing of The Massachusetts Society of THE Sons of the American Revolution; and all members of this Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, resident within the territory of such Chapter, shall be eligible to member- ship therein. If any member of such Chapter should cease to be a member of the State Society, his membership in the Chapter shall also cease. Membership in Chapters shall not in any way change the rela- tions of members to the State Society, nor impair obligations of payment of dues and other requisitions of the Constitution and By-laws of said Society. Provided, however, that the Board of Managers may from time to time, by vote, authorize the' return to designated Chapters, or classes of Chapters, of a portion of the annual dues paid the Society by members of said Chapters. Every Chapter shall annually report a list of officers and members to the Secretary of the State Society on the first of April. ARTICLE VI QUORUM A quorum of the Society for the transaction of business shall consist of forty members; of the Managers, five members; but a less number may adjourn. ARTICLE VII amendments This Constitution or the By-laws may be altered or amended at any meeting of the Society, by a vote of three-fourths of the members present provided that notice of such intended alteration ; or amendment be borne on the notification of said meeting. BY-LAWS ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Applications for membership must be made in duplicate on blanks furnished by the Society, and with the initia- tion fee and dues for the current year be forwarded the Registrar, the money to be returned in case of rejection. Section 2. The applicant shall become a member after a favor- able report and election by the Managers. Section 3. The initiation fee shall be three dollars, the annual dues two dollars, payable in advance. The payment of twenty- five dollars at one time shall constitute a Life Member, and shall exempt from further dues. The annual dues of a member elected between the fifteenth day of January and the fifteenth day of April in each year shall continue his membership until the end of the next succeeding fiscal year. The Board of Managers shall have authority to use their dis- cretion in remitting individual dues. Section 4. The Board of Managers shall have power to drop from the rolls, after thirty days' notice has been given him, any member who shall be in arrears for dues for one year, and he may be reinstated in his membership by said Board upon the payment of his indebtedness to the Society. Section 5. Members in arrears shall be debarred from the privileges of membership. Section 6. The Board of Managers shall judge of the qualifica- tion of candidates for admission to the Society and vote upon the same, and they shall have full power and authority, after due notice and impartial trial, to expel any member who, by conduct unbe- coming a gentleman, shall render himself unworthy to remain a member of the Society. Section 7. A member may resign, if his dues are all paid, by simply notifying the Registrar in writing. Section 8. Members, in good standing, may be transferred to another Society, on application from the same; and members in good standing in other Societies may, on application, be admitted to membership in this Society, by vote of the Managers. Section 9. Members admitted by transfer from another State Society shall be exempt from the payment to this Society of an- other admission fee. ARTICLE II ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND MEETINGS Section 1. The officers shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting, and a majority shall be required for choice. Proxies shall not be allowed. The term of office shall be for one year, and until a successor shall be elected. Vacancies occurring during the year shall be filled by the Managers. Section 2. The Managers, consisting of fifteen in number, shall be elected at the organization meeting, November 8, 1907, and the members thereof divided into three classes of five each. The term of office of the first class shall expire April 19, 1908; the term of office of the second class shall expire April 19, 1909; the term of office of the third class shall expire April 19, 1910. At each annual meeting of the Society there shall be elected by ballot five Managers to succeed those whose terms of office expire at that time, and to hold office for three years. No member of the Board of Managers elected, as such, shall be eligible for reelection until one year after the expiration of his term of office. Section 3. The Society shall hold its annual meeting on the nineteenth of April in each year, the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, except when such date shall fall on Sunday, in which event the meeting shall be held on the following day. Section 4. Special meetings shall be held on the written re- quest of twenty-five members, by vote of the Managers, or on the call of the President. Section 5. Notices of all meetings of the Society shall be mailed to each member at least seven days before the meeting. — 18 c&ott^ of tf)e ^Imetican iHeboIution Section 6. The following shall be the order for business for the meetings of the Society or Managers : 1. Reading of the Records. 2. Communications, and action thereon. 3. Reports of Standing Committees. 4. Reports of Special Committees. 5. Reports of Officers. 6. Unfinished business. 7. New business. This order may be changed by unanimous consent. ARTICLE III DUTIES OF OFFICERS, ETC. PRESIDENT Section 1. The President, or in his absence the senior Vice- President present, or in their absence a chairman pro tempore, shall preside at all meetings of the Society or Managers. He shall preserve order, and shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Society or Managers. SECRETARY Section 2. The Secretary shall notify all members of their election and of such other matters as may be directed by the Society or Managers.