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Constitution.
Article I.
The name of this
Association shall be the Scotch-Irish Society of America.
Article II.
The purposes of this
Society are the preservation of Scotch-Irish history and associations, the
increase and diffusion of knowledge regarding the Scotch-Irish people, the
keeping alive of the characteristic qualities and sentiments of the race,
the promotion of intelligent patriotism, and the development of social
intercourse and fraternal feeling.
Article III.
Any person above the age of
twenty-one years, who is of Scotch-Irish descent, shall be eligible to
membership in this Society.
Article IV.
The officers of the Society
shall be a President, Vice-President General, two Vice-Presidents at
large, a Secretary and a Treasurer, with Vice-Presidents for each State,
Territory, and Province, and the District of Columbia.
Article V.
The President,
Vice-President General, Vice-Presidents at large, Secretary and Treasurer,
shall be elected by ballot at the annual sessions of the Congress. The
Vice-Presidents for the States, Territories and Provinces, and the
aforesaid District, shall be chosen in such manner as each Congress shall
direct.
Article VI.
There shall be a National
Council of the Society, composed of the officers named in Article IV.
Article VII.
During the Congress at
which their terms of office begin, the National Council shall choose an
Executive Committee, to consist of the President, Vice-President General,
Secretary and Treasurer, and seven other members of the Society.
Article VIII.
The annual Congress of the
Society shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the
Executive Committee.
Article IX.
This Constitution may be
altered, amended or repealed only by a majority vote of the members of the
Association present and voting at the annual Congress, or at a special
meeting called for that purpose after twenty days' notice in writing to
the members.
Article X.
The Executive Committe
shall have authority to establish by-laws, rules and regulations for the
government of the Society, subject to the revision of the annual Congress.
By-Laws.
Section I.
1. Any person eligible to
membership may send his application to the Secretary with suitable
reference and annual dues, and, upon a favorable report of the Membership
Committee, shall become a member of the Society.
2. The annual dues up to
January 1, 1891, shall be $2.00, but thereafter shall be $3.00, for which
each member shall be entitled to the annual volume and other publications
of the Society.
3. The payment at one time
of $100.00 shall constitute a life member, who shall be exempted from all
annual dues.
4. The financial year of
the Society shall end the 31st day of March of every year. Any member
whose subscription shall remain unpaid at that date, no satisfactory
explanation being given, may be dropped from the roll after thirty days'
notice. Such members shall be restored upon fresh application and the
payment of all sums due the Society.
5. The Executive Committee
may, by a two-thirds vote of their number, suspend for just cause, or
remove altogether any person from the roll of the Society.
Section II.
1. A majority of the
members who shall have reported their arrival to the proper officer at the
place of meeting, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the
business of the Congress.
Section III.
1. The President, or, in
his absence, one of the national Vice-Presidents, in the order named,
shall preside at all meetings; but should all these officers be absent, or
from any reason be unable to act, a Chairman shall be chosen for the
special occasion.
2. The Vice-President
General shall be especially charged with the duty of extending the
membership and influence of the Society, and organizing branch Societies
under the direction of the Executive Committee.
3. The Vice-Presidents at
large shall assist the Vice-President General in the discharge of his
duties, and co-operate with the Secretary and Treasurer to the utmost of
their ability in the fulfillment of their respective duties.
4. The Vice-Presidents for
States, Territories and Provinces shall act as the official heads and
representatives of the Society in their respective territories, and shall
use their official influence in furthering its interests therein.
5. The Secretary shall keep
an accurate roll of the members of the Society; preserve a record of all
its proceedings; conduct its general correspondence; collect its funds;
keep its seal and valuable papers ; present at each Congress a
necrological report, and see that its orders are properly carried out. His
salary shall be fixed each year by the Executive Committee.
6. The Treasurer shall have
custody of the funds of the Society; they shall be deposited in some bank
to the credit of the Society, and shall be drawn thence only on the
Treasurer's check for purposes of the Society. Out of these funds he shall
pay such sums as may be ordered by the Congress or the Executive
Committee. He shall keep a true account of receipts and expenditures, and
render report of the same at each annual meeting of the Congress, when his
accounts shall be audited by a committee appointed for that purpose.
Section IV.
The Executive Committee
shall carefully carry out all the directions issued by the Congress; they
shall have full powers in the affairs of the Society, not disposed of at
the annual meeting; they shall appoint whatever committees deemed
necessary; they shall, in conjunction with the Vice-Presidents for the
States and Territories, and also with the Secretaries of branch
organizations, industriously seek out and carefully preserve all
historical materials interesting and valuable to our Society, and, so far
as ability and means will allow, spread information concerning the past
achievements and present aims and condition of the Scotch-Irish race.
Section V.
1. Branch organizations
whose objects are in harmony with those of this Society may become and
remain affiliated with the same by the annual payment of one dollar for
each paying member of said branch association.
2. Installments of this sum
may be sent at any time by said branch organization to the Secretary of
this Society, who shall at once forward for every dollar so paid one of
our annual volumes to such persons as said branch society may designate.
3. Such branch
organizations shall each year furnish a list of its paid-up members to the
Secretary of this Society before the annual Congress, and this shall
constitute the basis of representation.
4. Every branch
organization complying with the foregoing conditions shall be entitled to
one delegate in the annual Congress far every five of its paid-up members. |
