Author . t * o o Title •* *** Cla8s.LC..C5-S.3L- Booki.-JSL3-H.-3.. Imprint 16—47372-1 GPO THE amita Jitwarg %ssatmtm OF B \&©~© \KLY 1 ACT OF HfCOKPOMOT, CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS tmltm ftarg ^8S0tratt0rt ®F @S8@@KILYRI« FOUNDED, 1830, B E K L Y N : IP E. ISTEB FOE THE ASSOCIATION, 1853. ^ AST ©f aM©®ia[?®[aia , irQ®Ki l (Lawa of 1842. Chapter 122.) Sin &ct to incorporate Hamfe f itarg ^srafum of $rrolilp. Passed March 30, 1842, by a two-third Vote. The people of the State of New-York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows : — § 1. Alden J. Spooner, Joshua M. Van Cott, Robert Coch- ran, Junior, Abraham B. Baylis, Charles B. Marvin, Harmanus B. Duryea, Henry E. Shackerly, William Barbour, Samuel H. Howard, George Howard, William Jones, Junior, Philip V. R. Stanton, James McLean, Daniel Trembley, John Greenwood, John S. Mackay, Samuel McLean, Samuel 0. Putnam, Joseph E. Paine, Alexander Kissam, Edmund Terry, William H. Van Cott, Corydon S. Sperry, William K. Northall, Andrew A. Smith, S. Alpheus Smith, John P. Marvin, William M. W. Cochran, Robert Shirwell, Joseph L. Brigham, Edward Pilley, Benjamin Stark, Junior, Samuel C. Barnes, James C. Gascoigne, Rollin Sandford, David A. Bokee, I. Stanley Milford, George C. Ripley, I. Warren Hill, Edmund S. Monroe, Cornelius S. Stryker, William H. Tiffany, Howard 4 ACT OP INCORPORATION. Olmsted, Edwards W. Fisk, James H. Lanman, Andrew B. DouglasSjWilliam G-.Wfee, James L.Campbell, Alexander Camp- bell, James Plant, Andrew A. 0. Spooner, William J. Coffin, Arthur W. Benson, Henry W. Johnson, James Hazlet, John M. Pratt, Hiram B. Lathrop, S. Morgan Bossiter, members of the Hamilton Literary Association of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, and all persons whom they shall hereafter associate with them, are hereby created a body corporate, by the name of " The Hamilton Literary Association of Brook- lyn," for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a Library, Beading Boom, Literary and Scientific Lectures, Debating Ex- ercises, and of employing such other means as may be suitable for promoting moral and intellectual improvement, with power for such purposes, to take by purchase, devise or otherwise, and to hold, mortgage, transfer and convey real and personal estate to the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars. 3 2. The power to purchase, mortgage, transfer and convey real and personal estate, direct and manage the fiscal concerns, and contract, receive and pay the debts of the Association, shall be vested in an Executive Committee, to consist of the Presi- dent, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Associa- tion, for the time being, and five Managers. A majority of the Executive Committee shall be necessary to form a quorum ; and a majority of such quorum shall be sufficient to decide any question. The times of the meeting of said committee, and the manner in which they may be called together, shall be fixed by the By-Laws of the Association. \ 3. The Officers of the Association shall be elected annual- ly, or oftener, at such time, by such persons, and in such manner as the said Association, in and by its By-Laws, shall appoint and direct ; but they may, nevertheless, hold over until their successors shall be chosen. 1 4. All the powers of this Corporation not vested in the Executive Committee, shall be exercised by such members, officers, and committees, and according to such rules and regu- lations as the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association, ACT OF INCORPORATION. 5 not inconsistent with the Constitution and Laws of this State, and of the United States, shall from time to time direct and ordain. I 5. The Executive Committee shall not sell or mortgage real or personal estate, nor incur debts without the assent of the Association, signified in such manner as the By-Laws shall direct ; and they shall report their proceedings to the Associa- tion as often as required by its vote, and the directions of the Association shall be binding on the committee. I 6. All vacancies in any of the offices of the said cor- poration, which may from time to time happen, shall be filled as the said corporation shall, in and by its By-Laws, direct and appoint. I 7. The estate, property and funds of the said corporation shall be devoted solely to the purposes and business of the said corporation, as set forth and declared in and by the first section of this act ; and the real estate of said corporation shall be subject to taxation, in the same manner that real estate is, which is held or owned by individuals. I 8. The said corporation shall possess the powers, and be subject to the provisions and liabilities of the Third Title of the Eighteenth Chapter of the first part of the Revised Statutes. \ 9. This Act shall take effect immediately. ©©MiTQTUDTOCDM AETICLE I. Name. This Association shall be styled " The Hamilton Literary Association of Brooklyn." ARTICLE n. Object. The object of this Association shall be moral and intellectual improvement, by means of Debate, Original Composition, Lec- tures, and other appropriate exercises. ARTICLE in. Officer?. The officers of this Association shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Editor. ARTICLE IV. standing; The Standing Committees shall consist of an Executive Com- " mittee, a Committee of Criticism, a Literary and a Lecture Committee. ARTICLE V. Presidency. No person shall be eligible to the office of President for two successive terms. ARTICLE VI. President. The President shall deliver an Inaugural Address on enter- ing upon his official duties, and on retiring therefrom a Vale- dictory. He shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee ; preserve order and decorum ; enforce the observance of the Constitution and By-Laws ; de- cide all questions of order, subject, however, to an appeal to CONSTITUTION. 7 the Association, or the Committee, on motion duly made and seconded ; shall appoint all committees not otherwise provided for ; supply the place of officers and members appointed to any duties, who may be temporarily absent, and when the Association is equally divided on any question, he shall have a casting vote. He shall also have the power of calling extra meetings of the Association, and of the Executive Committee, and shall be required to do so on the written request of five members. ARTICLE VII. In the absence of the President the Vice-President shall vice perform the duties of that officer. He shall also, at the last regular meeting of the term, present a written report upon the state of the Association. ARTICLE VIII. The Secretary shall record the transactions of the Association ; Secretary, read at each meeting the minutes of the preceding ; file and pre- serve the papers of the Association ; conduct the correspondence, and perform such other appropriate duties as the President may direct. ARTICLE IX. The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of the Association, and Treasurer, collect, invest and disburse its monies as the Executive Com- mittee shall direct. ARTICLE X. The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, Executive with five managers, shall constitute the Executive Committee. This Committee shall direct and manage the fiscal concerns of the Association, and make such appropriations of money in the Treasury as may be necessary to pay the debts, and meet the current expenditures ; but no appropriation exceeding the sum of twenty-five dollars shall be made for any one object, without the assent of the Association, except to pay debts and fulfil engagements before approved. This Committee shall preserve a regular record of its trans- O CONSTITUTION. actions, and shall report the same when required by vote of the Association. AETICLE XI. Committee The Committee of Criticism shall consist of two members. Criticism. They shall report the questions for debate, and present a written criticism on each debate at the regular meeting nest ensuing. ARTICLE XII. Editor, The Editor shall read before the Association at each regular meeting, a paper, with such appropriate communications as he may receive, reserving to their respective authors the right to have the same read by any member to whom they may be addressed. He shall preserve on the files of the Association all such papers and communications. AETICLE XIII. ^ Library The Library Committee shall consist of three members. They ' shall have charge of the Library of the Association and expend all moneys appropriated to its use. AETICLE XIV. L t The Lecture Committee shall consist of five members. It Committee, shall be the duty of this Committee to provide for the delivery of a course of lectures before the Association whenever the As- sociation shall direct, and to make all necessary arrange- ments in connection therewith. The surplus proceeds, if any, arising from such lectures, shall not go" into the general treas- ury, but shall be held by the Treasurer in trust as a Lecture Fund. AETICLE XY. Session. The session of the Association shall be held from the first day of September to the first day of May in each year, and shall consist of two equal terms of four months each. The stated meetings shall be held weekly during the session. CONSTITUTION. 9 AETICLE XVI. Candidates for membership shall be at least seventeen years Election of of age, and shall be proposed not less than one week previous to Members - their being balloted for. When ballotted for, if there be not three dissenting votes, they may become members upon signing the Constitution and paying the initiation fee, within four weeks after their election. ARTICLE XVII. Honorary members shall be possessed of the qualifications of, Honorary and be elected in the manner prescribed in relation to regular em ers- members. They shall not be required to pay an initiation fee or dues ; they shall not be eligible to any office, nor shall they vote in the proceedings, but shall be privileged to take part in the Literary Exercises of the Association. AETICLE XVIH. Any member who shall allow his dues to exceed the sum of Forfeiture of four dollars shall forfeit his membership, and when the fact shall em ers ip be established by the written certificate of the Treasurer, his name may, by vote of the Association, be stricken from the roll. Any member guilty of disorderly or improper conduct shall be liable to expulsion ; but no sentence of expulsion shall be passed, unless two weeks notice of the charge against the ac- cused has been rendered him in writing by the Secretary, that he may prepare his defence ; nor then unless by vote of two- thirds of the members present. ARTICLE XIX. No By-Law shall be enacted, altered or repealed, unless no- By-Latre. tice has been given at least one week previously, which notice shall also specify the time when the subject will be brought up, nor shall any article be suspended save by the consent of two- thirds of the members present. 10 CONSTITUTION. AETICLE XX. Constitution No alterations of, nor additions to, this Constitution shall be made, without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present at a regular meeting of the Association, notice of the terms of such proposed alteration or additions, and of the time at which it will be called up, having been given by the Presi- dent at a regular meeting at least two weeks previously. No article shall be suspended except by the unanimous con- sent of the members present. BY-LAWS. CHAPTER I. ARTICLE I. The stated meetings of this Association shall beheld on each Meetings of • ii. ii i Association. Monday evening of the session. The chair shall be taken at half-past seven o'clock. Five members shall constitute a quo- rum for the transaction of business. ARTICLE II. The order of business shall be as follows : 0rder of Business. 1. The calling of the roll. 2. Reading of minutes. 3. The Editor's paper. 4. The Critique of the Committee of Criticism. 5. The selection of the question and the appointment of disputants. 6. The Debate. 1. Unfinished business of the last meeting. 8. Proposing and balloting for members. 9. Reports. 10. Motions and miscellaneous business. ARTICLE III. The Committee of Criticism shall propose no subject for Questions debate directly connected with party politics or with sectarian religion. Every question shall be adopted by vote of the Asso- ciation, two weeks previous to .the evening appointed for the debate. 12 BY-LAWS. ARTICLE IV. E Office°£ 0t The 0fficers and Standing Committees (the Lecture Commit- tee excepted) shall be elected by a majority of votes by written ballot, at the first regular meeting in December and April, or at a regular meeting as soon thereafter as possible, and shall enter upon their respective duties at the first regular meetings in January and September. The Lecture Committee shall be elected in the same manner as other officers, at the first regular meeting in April, and shall enter upon their duties on the first day of May thereafter and hold office for one year. ARTICLE V. Selection of Upon the adoption of a subject for debate, the President and Manner shall appoint four Disputants — two upon each side — these shall a e ' be appointed two weeks previous to the evening of debate. The Disputants having each spoken once, the argument shall be closed by one on each side in a speech of not over ten minutes duration, and the President shall then give a decision upon the merits of the argument, after which the debate shall be thrown open, and the merits of the question decided by vote of the As- sociation. ARTICLE VI. Election. At every election the President shall appoint two members to canvass the ballots, and shall require from them a written certificate of the result. The Secretary shall not state in his minutes whether or not a member has been unanimously elected, nor shall he record the fact of the rejection of any person pro- posed for membership. ARTICLE VII. Meetings of The stated meetings of the Executive Committee shall be Executive . Committee, held on the first Monday evening of each month during the session. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. BS-LAWS. 13 ARTICLE Yin. The Executive Committee shall report to the Association Report of . Executive any subject requiring its assent, at least one week previous to Committee, the same being acted upon, and the assent of the society shall be signified by a majority vote of the members present. ARTICLE IX. The President shall give notice of any vacancy which may Vacancies, occur by resignation or otherwise, in any office or standing committee at the earliest opportunity after its occurrence, and at the next regular meeting the same shall be supplied by elec- tion, in the manner prescribed by the By-Laws. ARTICLE X. Each member shall pay an initiation fee of Three Dollars, *?<» of r J Members. and for each term of his connection with the Association, Two Dollars. ARTICLE XI. Leave of absence may be granted by vote of the Association Leave of to any member about leaving the city, on application, and after such leave has been granted, his dues shall be remitted for each full term he is absent from the city. ARTICLE, XII. 1. Every motion, at the request of the President, shall be Rules of submitted in writing. 2. All amendments shall be considered and decided before the original question, unless there shall be a call for the previous question, which shall always be put, if the call be sustained by a majority of the members present. 3. The motions to adjourn, to postpone, to put the question pending, and to amend, and the call for the previous question, shall always be in order, and except the motion to amend, shall be put without discussion. 4. Every question shall be decided by a majority of votes, 14 BY-LAWS. except in cases otherwise provided for by the Constitution and By-Laws. No question shall .be reconsidered at the same meeting, but with the consent of two-thirds of 1 the members present, nor at a subsequent meeting, unless notice shall have been given at a previous regular meeting. 5. "When any member is called to order, he shall take his seat until the President shall decide upon the propriety of the call. 6. An appeal from the decision of the chair shall not be dis- cussed except by the member appealing. 7. The name of any member may, at his request, be recorded in the minutes as voting in the affirmative or negative of any question. The names of all voting for or'against any motion may, by resolution to that effect, be entered upon the minutes. 8. No member may speak more than fifteen minutes upon any question, nor shall any one, except the proposer of a mo- tion speak more than twice upon the same question without permission. Any member, however, may explain when he con- ceives his remarks to have been misunderstood, or misinter- preted. LIST OF MEMBERS Date of Date of Election Election E. A. 1837 Ellison. A. B. 1838 Arnold. S. G. 1839 Kdgerton, Joseph K. 1844 Anthon. Wm. H. P. • 1850 Ackley, Wm. B. 1839 Filley. Edward 1852 Atwater. Robert F. 1841 Fisk. Edwards W. B. 1847 Pellowes, Charles H. 1830 Barnes, Charles L. G. l; Bartow. Edgar J. 1837 Gilbert ■ 1832 Bigelow. John M. 1838 Greenwood, John Beldeu, William " Graves, Jr.. Roswell 1835 Barbour. William 1839 Gascoigne. James C. Baylis. A. B. 1841 Gascoigne. S, A. 1839 Brigbam. J. L. 1843 Greenwood. Jos. M. Barnes. S. C. 1S51 Glover. Charles H. '• Brace. Wm. H. H. 1840 Bokee. D. A. 1830 Hadden. Alexander Benson. A. M. " li Howard, Jr., Joseph t; Bailey. Hamilton " Howard, John T. 1842 Birch. Thomas L. 1832 Hadden. Henry G. 1844 Baldwin, Thomas D. 1833 Hegeman. Joseph. Bancroft. Henry " Halsiead, E. S. i: Benson. John " Hubbard. H. T. Betts. W. 0. ' : Howard, Samuel H. 1845 Bridges. M. K. 1837 Hatch. 1847 Burrill. S. E. " Howard. Benj. C. •' Bryce. John W. ' : Howard. George A. 1850 Brainerd. Roswell C. a Howard. George " Brophy. H. G. 1838 Hitchcock. John A. 1851 Benson. Jr., John. 1840 Hill. J. Warren 1852 Brown. Elias G. Hazlet. James C. Holbrook. H. S. 1833 Cochran. Jr., Robert 1842 Hubbard. James. 1836 Clapp. J.' B. 1850 Hammond. Jr., Wm. G 1840 Cochran, W. W. " Hess. John " Campbell, J. L. I. " Campbell. Alexander 1844 Ingraham, Richard Coffin. W. J. 1850 Ingraham. Wm. M. 1843 Curtis, Wm. E. J. 1845 Corson, J. W. 1830 Jewett, Jr.. John 1847 Chapman, C. R. .( Jones. Jr.. William Chapman. Jr.. Lebbeus 1837 Johnson, William M. " Cady. Howard C. 1841 Johnson, Samuel E. 1851 Clarke. James D. •' Johnson, Henry W. 1852. Coffin. Wm. J. 1844 Jones. J. Wyman " Cleveland. G. N. K. D. 1830 King. Thomas G. 1830 Dow, Josiah 1838 Kissam. Alexander " Dow, Richard W. 1840 Kimberly. O. P. <; Dow, Horace A. 1843 Kendrick. John " Dow. George W. 1844 Kissam. Seabury 1831 Dubois, James E. L. 1832 Dow, Charles A. 1830 Low, A. A. 1833 Duryea. H. B. 1832 Lawrence, John D. 1S36 Dixon, George C. 1832 Lawrence, A. T. 1841 Douglass, A. E. Low, Seth A. 1847 Dawson, Rodman B. 1838 Lyon, R. A. 16 LIST OF MEMBERS. Date of IDate of Election L. Election S. 1838 Lee. F. A. 1S30 Sanford, F. P. 1841 Lathrop, H. B. " Silliman, Henry " Lanman. J. H. » Searles, A. M. Little. C. H. i: Schoonmaker. John 1843 Low, H. W. 1833 Spencer, W. W. 1844 Landon. D S. Spencer, H. W. 1847 Lewis. E. Z. 1834 Schackerly, Henry Lux, Joseph 1835 Southwick, Saloman M. 1836 Stanton, P. V. R. 1830- Murphy, H. C. 1837 Smalley. John 1831 Maryin, Chas. R. 183S Smith, S. A. 1832 Merwin, M. T. Smith. S. O. « March, Joshua S. Stevens. A G. 1833 Mackay, John S. 1839 Smith, A. A. 1835 McLellen. James ' ; Sperry, Corydon S. 1836 McLean. James " Shirwell. Robert '• Morse. N. B. ' ; Stark. Jr. Benjamin 1837 Meeker, W. J. 1840 Spooner, A. W. O. 1838 McLean. Samuel Sanford. Rollin 1840 Marvin, J. P. '■ Stryker,' C. S. i; Monroe, E. S. 1S42 Smith, Jesse C. " Milford, J. S. 1843 Smith, Charles H. 1843 Murphy. H. W. 1843 Sweetzer, J. A. 1844 Morse. John E. 1844 Sterling, W. G. tt McCue. Alexander 1847 Smith, Isaac H. 1847 Mills, S. B. Scudder, H. J. 1851 Mcintosh, J. '■ Stewart. J. B. 1852 Miles, Edward C. " Seymour, Edward N. 1848 Stone, Summer R. 1832 Northall, W. K. 1849 Stevens. Gerard M. 1841 Noble, John S. 1850 Smith. Edgar M. 1847 Napier, Alexander ■ ' Stoddard. E. R. 1851 Nichols, Charles A. O. Olmstead, J. H. O'Rourke. John P.' Phillips. Fred. A. Powell, S. S. Proctor, Charles Putnam, S, 0. 1852 Sherman. Benj. M. 1840 1851 1830 1S33 T. Tucker, Robert Turner. A. R. 1831 1832 1837 1838 1836 1S39 1840 Talbot. H. Tremblcy. Daniel Terry. Edmund Tiffany. Wm. H. Paine. J. E. 1S42 Taylor, George F. 1840 Plant, James 1847 Thorne. Jr., James 1841 Pratt. John M. U. 1852 Peet, Wm. M. R. Raymond, J. W. 1845 Underbill, R. C. 1830 1833 V. Van Cott. J. M. " Raymond. John H. 1839 Van Cott, Wm. II. 1832 Rolfe. JohD P. 1841 Van Bergen. Peter 1834 Raymond. Robert R. 1847 Van Cott. Jr.. G. 1835 Rutherford, C. 1850 VanWyck, Courtlandt 1836 Rutherlord, S. W. Wright, John S. Walcott. J. P. Waldo. W. B.- Williams. Willetts, Franklin Wallace Wilfred Wise, W. C. Winslow, Daniel C. 1837 1839 1840 if 1841 1843 1850 it Riley, H. Roberts, D. S. Ripley, G. C. Richards, A. C Rossiter, S. M. Reynolds. G. G. Remington, J. H C. Rice. Edwin T. Rogers, S. R. Rhodes, John H. Reed, Jr., Lewis B. 1835 1836 1837 1838 1841 1842 1S44 1850 1852 1850 Wetmore, Augustus Woodhull, Caleb S. S. y. 1830 Spooner, A. J. 1840 Young, Henry L.