The Order of The Founders and Patriots of America CONSTITUTION, BY-LAWS AND GENERAL REGULATIONS OF THE ORDER. PUBLISHED BY THE GENERAL COURT OF THE ORDER November, 1906 Gift Publisher Constitution of The Order of the Founders and Patriots of America ream bl( "D ECOGNIZING Almighty God as guiding our ancestors to this land, to establish, through their descendants, not a colony, but an independent sovereign Christian nation, destined by Him to occupy a commanding place among the nations of the earth and to protect and defend Liberty in all the Western Hemisphere; and, recognizing that the foundations of the nation were laid, in the perils and hardships of the first half century, by our ancestor settlers of that period, rather than in the years that followed; and, recognizing that, necessary to the end for which our ancestors came, was a patriot progeny, in the time of the Revolutionary struggle, out of which our country came to be independent and our nation came into being^— for ourselves, and those who may associate with us, we have formed an associ- ation, founded on Descent from such ancestry and their patriot descendants. ARTICLE I. NAME. The name of this Association is " The Order of the Founders and Patriots of America. ARTICLE II. OBJECTS. The objects of the Order are : 1. To bring together and associate men whose ancestors struggled together for life and liberty, home and happiness, in this land, when it was a new and unknown country, and whose line of descent from them comes through patriots who sustained the colonies in the struggle for independence in the Revolution- ary War. 2. To teach reverent regard for the names and history, character and perseverance, deeds and heroism, of the founders of this country and their patriot descendants. 3. To inculcate patriotism in the Associates and their de- scendants. 4. To discover, collect and preserve records, documents, manuscripts, monuments and history relating to the first colon- ists, their ancestors and descendants. 5. To commemorate and celebrate events in the history of the colonies and the republic. 6. Other historical and patriotic purposes. ARTICLE III. ORGANIZATION. The order shall consist of : 1. A General Court, to be known as " The General Court of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America." 2. A Society in each State, District or Territory of the United States, and in such foreign States and Countries as the General Court may authorize, each of which, prefixed with the name of the political division in which located, is to be known as "The" Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America." ARTICLE IV. GENERAL COURT. Section i. The General Court shall consist of the Founders of the Order ; also all past General Officers, also all General Officers, Councillors General, and Officers of the several Societies of the Order, during their respective terms of office ; provided, however, that no person shall be a member of the General Court unless he shall be at the time an Associate in good standing in one of the Societies of the Order. Sec. 2. The Officers of the General Court shall be a Gov- ernor General, a Deputy Governor General, a Chaplain General, a Secretary General, a Treasurer General, an Attorney General, a Registrar General, a Genealogist General, and an Historian General, each to hold office for one year, or until his successor is elected and installed. There shall also be nine Councillors General three of whom shall be elected each year, each Councillor Gen- eral to hold office for three years, or until his successor is elected and installed. The Officers and Councillors shall constitute the Council General. They shall be elected at the annual meeting, by ballot. No Officer of the General Court shall be elected to the same office for more than two successive terms, except by a unanimous vote. Sec 3. The annual meeting of the General Court shall be held on the 13th day of May in each year, or at such other time, as near as may be thereafter, as the Council General may determine. The General Court may hold such other meetings as it may de- termine by rule, order or resolution, or as may be called by the Governor General. The Governor General shall call meetings on request of nine members of the General Court. The annual meeting of the General Court shall be held in the City of New York except that in any odd-numbered year it may be held else- where, provided the Governor General shall fix another place therefor and shall make an order to that effect. (As amended May 14, 1906.) Sec. 4. Nine members shall constitute a quorum, at all meetings of the General Court. Sec. 5. In General Court each member thereof shall have one vote, except that, when a vote is taken by Societies, each member shall have one vote, and each Society shall have as many votes as it has enrolled Associates, in good standing, to be cast as a unit, unless any Society shall otherwise direct, and shall so certify to the Secretary General, in which case the vote of such Society shall be divided as nearly as may be equally among the members present from such Society and cast by .them severally. One third of the members, present in person at a meeting, may demand that any vote be taken by Societies, when the vote shall be cast in person. All other votes may be cast in person or by proxy. Sec. 6. The General Court shall have and exercise the fol- lowing powers : I. The chief executive, legislative and judicial powers within the order, and the general regulation of its affairs. 2. To entertain, hear and decide all appeals and complaints by any Society, or by an Associate, and to regulate the cases in which appeals may be taken. 3. To advise concerning any question arising under the Constitution or By Laws of the Order when requested by any Society or its Council. 4. Upon application of any nine Associates of the Order, residing in any State, District, Territory or Country in which no Society of the Order exists, to constitute them and those whom they may admit, pursuant to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Order, into a Society of the Order for the political division in which they reside, and to fix a time and place for the first meeting, and grant such Society a charter. 5. To issue all diplomas of membership, all insignia and rosettes. 6. To provide, order and direct the form, and on such terms as it shall fix, issue to the Societies of the Order stationery and blank applications for membership, also circulars or pamph- lets setting forth the purposes and objects of the Order, and regulate the use thereof. 7. To require from Societies of the Order such reports, re- turns and statistics of Associates, of funds, and of other infor- mation, and the payment of assessments, as it may from time to time order, 8. To revoke or suspend the charter of any Society, for failure to obey the requirements of the Constitution or By-Laws of the Order, or for nonuser of its rights and privileges, and in case of revoking the charter of any Society, to assign its mem- bers; or any of them to other Societies of the Order, according to their preference if asked and expressed, who shall thereupon become members of the Society to which assigned in the same standing as in the Society whose charter shall be revoked. (As amended May 13, 1903.) Section 7. No liability shall be incurred, or an appropri- ation of money made or authorized, except by a two-third ma- jority of votes cast in the General Court, such vote to be cast in person or by proxy, or by a two-third majority of votes in the Council General, but such vote in the Council General must also be approved by at least two Councillors General. (As amended May 14, 1906.) Sec. 8. The expenses of the General Court shall be pro- vided for by the sale of diplomas, insignia and rosettes, and by pro rata assessments upon each of the Societies according to its respective number of Associates. The General Court or Council General may enforce payment of said assessments, by the revoca- tion or suspension of the charter of any Society refusing or neg- lecting to pay the same, and such Society shall thereupon be de- barred from representation in the General Court, but, upon pay- ment, may be reinstated. Sec. 9. The headquarters of the Order shall be in the city of New York. ARTICLE V. SOCIETIES OF THE ORDER. Section i. Each Society hereafter organized shall hold its membership in the Order by virtue of a charter from the Gen- eral Court. After the receipt of its charter, the Society shall forthwith adopt a Seal, which shall not be changed, except by a two-thirds majority of the Associates present at an annual meeting. Any Society may be incorporated under the laws of its own State, District, Territory or Country, if a majority of its Associates present at an annual meeting shall elect to do so. Sec. 2. The Officers of each Society shall be a Governor, a Deputy Governor, a Chaplain, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a State Attorney, a Registrar, a Genealogist and an Historian, each to hold office for one year, or until his successor is elected and installed. There shall also be nine Councillors, each Coun- cillor to hold office for three years, or until his successor is elected and installed, provided, however, that the Society shall divide the Councillors first chosen into three classes, one class to serve one year, one two years, and one three years, or until their successors are elected and installed. The Officers and Council- lors shall constitute the Council. They shall be elected at the annual meeting, by ballot. No Officer of any Bociety shall be elected to the same office for more than two successive terms, except by a unanimous vote. Sec 3. Each Society shall hold an annual meeting at such time and place, before the month of May, as its Council shall determine. Each Society may hold such other meetings as the Society or its Council may direct, or as may be called by its Governor. Sec. 4. Nine Associates shall constitute a quorum, at all meetings of the Society. Sec. 5. At meetings of the Society, each Associate shall have one vote. Associates may vote by proxy at any meeting, if the Society shall so determine, or the laws of the State, Dis- trict, Territory or Country so provide. Sec. 6. Each Society may regulate its own affairs, subject to the provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Order, Sec. 7. Each Society may organize Chapters, to consist of not less than nine Associates, and grant charters thereto; and may revoke or suspend any such charter, for the failure of any Chapter to obey the requirements of the Constitution or By- Laws of the Order, or for non-user of its rights and privileges. Sec, 8. Each Society may provide for the suspension, or dropping from the rolls, after reasonable notice and an oppor- tunity to be heard, of any Associate in arrears for dues, after they shall be due and payable for one year, but, upon payment, he may be reinstated by the Council. Any Associate, suspended or dropped from the rolls for non-payment of dues, shall not hold office in the Order, or sit in the General Court, during such suspension or unless reinstated. Sec 9. No Society of the Order shall have the power to incur any debt or enter into any continuing obligation, except on its own behalf, and not on behalf of the Order, nor on behalf of the General Court. No debts shall be incurred, or money be appropriated, or any action be taken affecting property, without the consent of at least three of the Councillors. No liability shall be incurred, or appropriation made, exceeding fifty dollars, except by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast in the Society or its Council, such vote to be cast in person. Sec. 10. Each Society shall forthwith determine the loca- tion of its headquarters, which shall not thereafter be changed, except by a two-thirds majority of the Associates present at an annual meeting. ARTICLE VI. FOUNDERS OF THE ORDER. Those persons, nine in number, who, on the i6th day of March, 1896, subscribed the Certificate of Incorporation of the New York Society, and formed the Order, are hereby recognized as founders of the Order. ARTICLE VII. MEMBERS OF THE ORDER. Section i. All members of the Order shall be active mem- bers of a Society of the Order, except as hereinafter provided, and shall be called "Associates." Sec. 2, Any man of the age of twenty-one years, of good moral character and reputation, and a citizen of the United States, who is lineally descended, in the male line of either parent, from an ancestor who settled in any of the Colonies now included in the United States of America prior to May 13, 1657, and one or all of whose intermediate ancestors, in the same line, who lived in the period of the Revolution, from 1775 to 1783, adhered as patriots to the cause of the Colonies, shall be eligible to membership in the Order, except as hereinafter provided. Sec. 3. The male descendants of any Associate, being of good moral character and reputation and citizens of the United States, shall also be eligible to membership, provided that the claims of each such descendant shall be traced anew from the qualifying ancestors from whom the first Associate was eligible. (As amended May 13, 1902). Sec. 4. No person shall be admitted an Associate of the Order without previous investigation into and ascertainment of his qualifications for membership. Each Society may pro- vide for the manner of such investigation and ascertainment, and of the mode of election of its Associates, subject to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Order, and may reject any applicant who may not be acceptable to it. Sec. 5. Any person who shall have obtained membership by intentional misrepresentation or concealment, as to his qual- ification for membership, or who shall be guilty of any violation of the Constitution or By-Laws of the Order, or who shall be guilty of conduct unbecoming a patriot or a good citizen, after due inquiry and hearing, shall be expelled from membership in the Order. Any person who shall have obtained membership by or through an innocent but material misstatement or non-state- ment, shall, after due inquiry and hearing, be dropped from membership in the Order. Any person who shall have obtained membership as the de- scendant of an Associate of the Order, shall, after due inquiry and hearing, be dropped from membership in case it shall ap- pear that the Associate of the Order from whom he descended was not qualified for membership. (As amended May 13, 1902.) Sec. 6. Each Associate shall pay an initiation fee and one year's dues, and sign the Constitution and By-Laws of the Order, either in person or by proxy, within three months after notice of election to membership. If he shall fail to comply with these conditions within the time specified, without sufficient reason being given, his election shall be void. Sec. 7. An Associate of one Society of the Order may be transferred to another Society, upon his written request, under such regulations as the Society of which he is an Associate, and that to which he seeks transfer, may prescribe. Sec. 8, Membership in two or more Societies, by the same person, may be authorized and regulated by the several Soci- eties. All persons must first become Associates of a Society, if any, in the State, District, Territory or Country within whose jurisdiction they reside, and must retain such membership in their State Society so long as they remain residents of such State, to be eligible to membership in any other State Society. (As amended May 14, 1906). Sec. 9. The General Court may by a three-fourths vote elect to honorary membership such Associates as shall have rendered distinguished service to the country or to the Order. Honorary members shall be exempt from the payment of dues. ARTICLE VIII. INSIGNIA, ETC. Section i. The Insignia of the Order shall be a badge of gold, as follows : Obverse — Upon a radiated star or, a cross enamelled gules; thereon the effigy of an officer, in Continental uniform, sur- mounted by that of Captain Miles Standish, habited in morion and breastplate; both effigies within a chaplet of oak and laurel leaves, all or. Reverse — Upon a radiated star or, a star of thirteen points, enamelled azure ; in its centre, the arms of the United States, in relief, within a white circle, inscribed "Steadfast for God and Country," all or. A gold swivel ring, pendant from a larger gold ring, shall suspend the badge from a ribbon. The Ribbon of the Order shall be of watered silk, one and three-quarter inches in width, the colors of which, reading from dexter to sinister, shall be azure, argent, sable, argent and gules. 8 The Rosette, or Button, of the Order, shall be one half inch in diameter, of watered silk ; in its centre, a cross, gules, upon a white field ; on its edge, or rim, the colors azure, argent, sable, gules, argent and sable. The Flag of the Order shall be the Flag of the United States of America, as regulated by Act of Congress. The Standard of the Order shall be a field, argent, sur- mounted by a cross, gules; on a canton, azure, a constellation of thirteen stars of the first. The Seal of the Order shall be two and one-half inches in diameter, as follows: Upon a shield, or, a Continental soldier, at attention, habited proper, surrounded by a constellation of thirteen stars, azure ; upon the centre of the chief, a ship of the Seventeeth Century, under full sail, proper; above the shield, the dates 1607-1657; beneath the shield, the date 1776; the whole surrounded by an annulet, gules, inscribed " The.Order of the Founders and Patriots of America;" in exergue, 1896; the edge, beaded; the field, or. Sec. 2. The membership Diploma, Insignia, Ribbon and Rosette, or Button, shall only be issued from and by authority of the General Court, under such regulations as it from time to time may prescibe, and may from time to time be changed, but only by the General Court at an annual meeting and by a two- thirds majority of all the votes cast, the vote being taken by Societies, provided the change has been proposed by one Society of the Order, and notice thereof given by it to the Secretary General, and to the Secretary of each other Society of the Order, at least one month before the annual meeting of the General Court. The same notice and vote shall be necessary, to change the Seal or Standard of the Order. ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS. This Constitution may only be amended at an annual meeting of the General Court, by a two thirds majority, of all the votes cast, the vote being taken by Societies; provided the amendment has been proposed by one Society of the Order, and notice thereof given by it to the Secretary General, and to the Secretary of each other Society of the Order, at least one month before the annual meeting of the General Court. By-Laws of the Order. ARTICLE I. OFFICERS OF GENERAL COURT. Section i. The Governor General shall be the official head of the Order, and shall perform such duties as pertain to that office. He shall preside at all meetings of the General Court and the Council General. He shall appoint all commit- tees unless otherwise ordered by the General Court or Council General. Sec. 2. The Deputy Governor General, in the absence of the Governor General, shall perform his duties and exercise his powers. In the absence of the Governor General and Deputy Governor General from a meeting, a chairman pro tem. shall be chosen to preside. Sec. 3. The Chaplain General shall perform such religious services as may be called for by the General Court or the Council General. Sec. 4. The Secretary General shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the General Court and Council General, and shall have charge of the Constitution, By-Laws, Seal and General Records of the General Court and Council General. He shall give due notice to each member of the General Court of its meetings, and to the members of the Council General of their, meetings. He shall conduct the general correspondence of the Order under the direction of the Governor General, keep a record of all checks countersigned by him, and perform such other duties as may be required of him by the General Court, or by the Council General. All the books, records and papers kept by him, or in his charge officially, shall be the property of the Order. He shall make a report in writing at the annual meeting of the General Court, and at such other times as the General Court or the Council General may direct. Sec. 5. The Treasurer General shall collect and receive all funds belonging to the General Court, and deposit the same to the credit of the Order, in such manner as the General Court or 10 Council General may direct. He shall give such bond as may be required by the Council General. He shall pay out money only as the General Court or Council General shall order, by check, signed by him and countersigned by the Secretary General. He shall make a full and classified report, in writing, of money received and paid out, at the annual meeting of the General Court, and at such other times as the General Court or Council Ceneral may direct. He shall keep full and accurate accounts in books, to be the property of the Order, which shall always be open to the inspection of any officer of the General Court. Sec. 6. The Attorney General shall be the law adviser of the General Court. He shall have charge of and supervise the pro- ceedings relating to the formation of Societies of the Order. Sec. 7. The Registrar General shall have the custody of all duplicate applications for membership, shall examine the same, approve or disapprove thereof, and advise the Registrar of the Society, from which they come, of such approval or disapproval, within one month after their submission to him, and the reason therefor when disapproved, which approval or disapproval shall be manifested before the admission of an Associate, subject to appeal to the General Court, which appeal shall be submitted to the Genealogist General, for examination and report, by the Registrar of the Society concerned therein. The Registrar General shall give a number in the Order to each Associate, in the order of the notification of the elections. He shall keep a roll of all associates of the Order, the Society to which each be- longs, the residence of each, and his number in the Order. He shall make a report in writing at the annual meeting of the General Court, and at such other times as the General Court or the Council General may direct, and perform such other duties as the General Court or the Council General may require. Sec. 8. The Genealogist General shall examine and report to the Council General upon all appeals from- the decision or want of action of the Registrar General, which shall be sub- mitted to him for that purpose, within one month after their submission to him, and shall at the same time advise the Regis- trar of the Society, from whom he received such appeal, of the result of his examination. Sec. 9. The Historian General shall have the custody of all documents and papers relating to the geneaology and history of the first colonists, their ancestors and descendants, II which may be in the possession of or loaned to the General Court, which shall be subject to the use and control of the Gen- eral Court, or Council General, and shall, when necessary, be subject to the inspection of the Genealogist General. He shall make report in writing, at the annual meeting of the General Court, and at such other times as the General Court or the Council General may direct. He shall perform such other duties as the General Court or the Council General may require. Sec. io. The Council General shall exercise the powers of the General Court, when the General Court is not in session. Five of its members shall constitute a quorum of the Council General. Meetings of the Council General may be called by the Governor General, or, at the request of five of its members, must be called by the Secretary General. The Council General may, by rule, order or resolution, provide for its own meetings. The Council General may remove from office any Officer or Councilor of the General Court, for any violation of the Consti- tution or By-Laws of the Order, or for conduct unbecoming a patriot or a good citizen, but only after an opportunity to be heard, and, pending the inquiry, it may suspend the person so charged and delegate his duties to another Associate. Sec. II. In case any person, elected as an Officer or Coun- cillor of the General Court, shall fail to file with the Secretary General, within one month after notice by mail of his election, an acceptance in writing, the Council General shall appoint an Associate to fill the position until the next annual meeting of the General Court. The Council General shall fill all vacancies in the General Court, until the next annual meeting of the Gen- eral Court. Any officer or Councillor of the General Court may resign, by mailing his resignation to the Secretary General. \ ARTICLE II. OFFICERS OF SOCIETIES. Section i. The Governor shall preside at all meetings of his Society, and of its Council, and perform such duties as usually pertain to a presiding officer, or as the Society or its Council may require. He shall appoint all committees, unless otherwise ordered by his Society or its Council. Sec 2. The Deputy Governor, in the absence of the Gov- ernor, shall perform his duties and exercise his powers. In the absence of the Governor and Deputy Governor from a meeting, a chairman pro tem. shall be chosen to preside. 12 Sec. 3. The Chaplain shall perform such religious services as may be called for by his Society or its Council. Sec. 4. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meet- ings of his Society and its Council, and shall have charge of the Charter, By-Laws, Certificate of Incorporation, Seal and Rec- ords of his Society and its Council. He shall keep a roll of Associates of his Society, and a mailing address book for the post office address of Associates. He shall give due notice to each Associate of his Society of its meetings, and to the mem- bers of the Council of their meetings. He shall keep a book, containing the Constitution and By-Laws of the Order and the By-Laws of his Society, to be signed by all Associates of his Society. He shall conduct the general correspondence of his Society, under the direction of its Governor, keep a record of all checks countersigned by him, and perform such other duties as may be required of him by his Society or its Council. All the books, records and papers kept by him, or in his charge officially, shall be the property of the Society. He shall make a report in writing at the annual meeting of his Society, and at such other times as the Society or its Council may direct, and a copy of such report and copies of all printed papers shall be sent at once to the Secretary General for the information of the General Court. Sec. 5, The Treasurer shall collect and receive all funds belonging to his Society, and deposit the same to its credit, in such manner as his Society or its Council may direct. He shall give such bond as may be required by the Council. He shall pay out money only as his Society or its Council shall order by check, signed by him and countersigned by the Secretary. He shall notify all Associates of their election, and collect their fees and dues. He shall notify the Council, and also the Secre- tary, of all Associates in arrears for six months, also of the failure of a person elected to membership to pay his fee and dues within three months. He shall make a full and classified report, in writing, of money received and paid out, at the annual meet- ing of his Society, and at such other times as the Society or its Council may direct. He shall keep full and accurate accounts in books, to be the property of the Society, which shall always be open to the inspection of any officer of the Society. Sec. 6. The State Attorney shall be the law adviser of his Society, and perform such other duties as the Society or its Council may require. 13 Sec. 7. The Registrar shall have the custody of all blank applications for membership, and shall issue the same as required or provided by his Council. He shall receive the duplicate applications for membership, and examine, approve, or disap- prove thereof, and certify them in order and report thereon, to the Society or its Council, for approval. Before or after such report, he may require of the applicant for membership correc- tion of his papers or further proofs. Upon the approval by the Society or its Council of any applicant, the Registrar shall endorse upon the duplicate applications the date of the approval, and forward one duplicate to the Registrar General, and retain for the Society the other duplicate, causing the same, if the ap- licant is elected as an Associate, to be bound into books as the Council may direct. He shall notify the Secretary and Treas- urer, and also the Registrar General, of each Associate elected, and of his residence, place of business and post-office address, and of the date of election. He shall retain all such historical information as shall accompany applications for membership, and on request of the Historian General or Historian, shall furnish copies thereof. He shall perform such other duties as his Society or its Council may require. He shall report in writing, at the annual meeting of his Society, and at such other times as the Society or its Council may direct. Sec. 8. The Genealogist shall examine and report to his Council upon all appeals from the decision or failure to act on the part of the Registrar, which shall be submitted to him, for that purpose, by the Council. Sec. 9. The Historian shall have the custody of all docu- ments and papers relating to the Genealogy and history of the first colonists, their ancestors and descendants, which may be in the possession of or loaned to his Society or its Council, which shall be subject to the use and control of the Society or its Council, and shall, when necessary, be subject to the inspection of the Geneaologist. He shall also edit and publish such books, documents and papers as the Society or its Council may direct. He shall act as Necrologist. In case of the death of any mem- ber of the General Court, or any past Councillor General, the Historian of the Society of which such person was an Associate shall furnish to the Historian General such necrological infor- mation as may be in his possession. He shall make a report in writing, at the annual meeting of the Society, and at such other times as the Society or its Council may direct, and a copy of 14 such report and copies of all printed papers shall be sent at once to the Historian General for the information of the General Court. Sec. io. The Council of each Society of the Order shall exercise the powers of the Society, when the Society is not in session. Five of its members shall constitute a quorum of the Council. Meetings of the Council may be called by the Gov- ernor of the Society, or, at the request of five of its members, must be called by the Secretary. The Council may, by rule, order or resolution, provide for its own meetings. The Council may remove from office any Officer or Councillor, for any viola- tion of the Constitution or By-Laws of the Order, or for conduct unbecoming a patriot, or a good citizen, but only after an oppor- tunity to be heard, and, pending the inquiry, it may suspend the person so charged and delegate his duties to another Associate. Sec. II. Each Society may provide for other Officers, and for a Deputy or Assistant to an Officer of the Society, but no such Officer shall thereby become a member of the General Court, nor of the Council of his Society, but shall have only such other powers and perform such duties as his Society shall provide. Sec. 12. In case any person, elected as an Officer or Coun- cillor of a Society, shall fail to file with its Secretary, within one month after notice by mail of his election, an acceptance in writing, the Council shall appoint an Associate to fill the posi- tion until the next annual meeting of the Society. The Council shall fill all vacancies in its numbers, until the next annual meeting of the Society. Any Officer or Councillor may resign, by mailing his resignation to the secretary of his Society. ARTICLE in. MEMBERSHIP. Section i. Every applicant for membership must apply in writing and in duplicate to a Society in the State, District, Ter- ritory or Country within whose jurisdiction he resides, unless such Society shall waive its jurisdiction. (As amended May 14, 1906). If no Society exists therein, the applicant may apply to any Society. The applicant must state his age, residence, occupation, place of business, his post-office address, and such information as the Society or General Court may direct, or such as may be required by the Constitution or By-Laws of the 15 Order. He must be recommended by two Associates and the application must be presented to the Council of the Society, and shall be accompanied by such historical information concerning his ancestors as the Society or its Council may request. The application shall be examined as the By-Laws of the particular Society shall require, in order to ascertain the qualifications of the applicant, and shall be reported, approved or disapproved, to the Society or its Council for election. Such election must be by ballot, and one negative ballot in every five cast, or five nega- tive ballots in all, shall reject the applicant, and he cannot again apply for membership within one year thereafter, nor to any other Society than that in which rejected, without its consent. Prior to the election of any Associate, one of the duplicates of the application papers shall be forwarded to and approved or disapproved by the Registrar General, subject to appeal to the General Court. If such appeal be decided against him, he can- not again apply for membership in the Order, within one year thereafter. After the election of an Associate, and payment by him of the initiation fee and one year's dues, and his signing the Constitution, in person or by proxy, he shall then become an Associate. Every Associate shall retain his membership in any Society to which admitted, until such connection is severed by resignation, transfer, suspension, dropping from the rolls or expulsion. Sec. 2. Any Associate in good standing, not in arrears or otherwise indebted to any Society or to the Order, may resign his membership in the Order, by written notice to the Secretary of any Society in which he is enrolled. Sec. 3. Any person, or Associate of more than one Society, may. resign his membership in any Society, in the same manner and on the same terms as he may resign his membership in the Order. Sec. 4. Each Society may provide for and regulate the suspension or expulsion of its associates, subject to an appeal to the General Court. ARTICLE IV. FUNDS. Section i. The initiation fee shall be five dollars. Each Society shall fix the amount of its annual dues, not exceeding five dollars, payable in advance; provided that the dues, paid 16 by an Associate elected within three months before the annual meeting of liis Society, shall be in full of annual dues for the current year following such annual meeting. Associates shall pay dues to the several Societies in which they are enrolled. Each Society may provide for resident and non-resident members, and fix the dues for each class of members, its non-resident membership to consist of all Associates residing more than a certain distance, which each Society may determine for itself, from its headquarters. Sec. 2. Any resident Associate may commute his an- nual dues by paying, at any time, a sum equal to ten years' annual dues, and shall thereupon become a life member, and shall thereafter be exempt from the payment of dues to the Society in which he shall have so commuted his dues. ARTICLE V. NOTICES. All notices, required by the constitution or By-Laws of the Order, or the By-Laws of any Society, shall be mailed to the person to be notified, to the address he shall have furnished with his application papers, or afterwards to the Secretary of his Society, or to the Secretary General. The number of days' notice, which shall be deemed a due notice, shall be determined, for the General Court or Council General, by resolution, and, for any Society, or its Council, by the By-Laws of the Society. ARTICLE VL AMENDMENTS. These By-Laws may be amended at any annual meeting of the General Court, by a two thirds majority of all the votes cast, the vote being taken by Societies. 17 General Regulations of the Order. (Adopted May 14, 1900.) The General Court and the Council General shall meet whenever called by the Governor General. II. The roll of the General Court and of the Council General shall be made up from the records of the General Court and the returns of the several Societies of the Order, but the title of any member may be investigated as the General Court may direct. III. Every officer of the General Court shall orally, if present, and also in writing to be filed with the Secretary General, make pledge to support and maintain the Constitution, By-Laws, Rules, and Regulations of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, and to discharge the duties of the office to which he is elected or qualified to the best of his ability. IV. 1. Committees shall be permanent. Standing or Special. A Permanent Committee is one so designated by the General Court, and continues in being until expressly discharged. A Standing Committee is one annually appointed, and continues in being until the next following annual meeting of the General Court. Every other Committee is a Special Committee and is discharged by the acceptance of its report, unless expressly continued by the body appointing it. 2. The Council General appoints only its own Committees. 3. The Standing Committees of the General Court are: (i) On installation to consist of five members, who shall conduct all installations, and to whom shall be referred by the Secretary General for their approval, all written pledges of Officers of the General Court. 18 (2) On Finance, to consist of three members, to whom shall be referred the returns from all the Societies and their Officers, as to numbers of their associates and their finances, and to report from time to time, a budget of the probable expenses of the General Court and of its Officers, and the proportion thereof to be assessed upon each Society. (3) On Nominations, of five members, three of whom shall be past Governors General or actual or past Governors, or Dep- uty Governors,to nominate to the annual meeting of the General Court candidates for all the offices of the General Court (4) On Audit, of three members, who shall have power to examine, audit and authorize payment by the Treasurer General of all accounts and claims against the General Court which shall have been authorized by it or for which appropriation shall have been made ; and after each annual meeting until such Com- mittee shall be appointed the Governor General, Deputy Gen- eral, and Secretary Generaf shall act as such Committee. 4 All Committees of the General Court or of the Council General shall be appointed by the Governor General unless the body shall otherwise order. 5. When any Associate ceases to be a member of the Gen- eral Court, he shall at the same time cease to be a member of any of its Committees. (Adopted May 13, 1902.) 6. There shall also be a Committee on the Colors consist- ing of three members, to have the care and custody of the Flags, and see that they are presented at meetings or at formal func- tions whenever they should be presented. (As amended May 13, 1904.) V. The Insignia of the Order shall be worn by all actual and past Governors General and all actual and past Governors, also by all actual Officers of the Order, suspended from the Ribbon of the Order about the neck of the wearer, and by all other As- sociates of the Order fastened upon the left breast of the coat. VI. The Insignia, Rosette, Ribbon and diploma of the Order shall be issued to the Associates by or upon the Order of the Registrar General, upon the payment of such fee as the General Court shall fix for each thereof. Upon the Insignia shall be en- graved the name. State and National number of the member to whom issued. Upon each Diploma shall appear in his genuine 19 handwriting the name of the Governor General and Registrar General. VII. At every meeting of the General Court, the presiding officer having called the members to order, and they being seated, shall announce, " Associates, let us receive the colors," at which all the members of the General Court shall rise, face the outer door of the room from which the colors shall be borne by two officers detailed for that purpose ; the colors shall be carried to the sta- tion of the presiding officer and there securely and properly sta- tioned and rested, during all of which the members of the Gen- eral Court shall remain standing and continue to face the colors as they are carried. When the colors shall have been rested, and while the members of the General Court remain stand- ing, the Chaplain, or in his absence the person to be ap- pointed by the presiding officer, shall offer a prayer ; the mem- bers shall then be seated. VIII. The Secretary General is authorized from time to time to order such stationery as may be necessary for the General Court and its Officers upon the approval of the Attorney General as to form. (Adopted May 13, 1901.) 20 )S 190/ ^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011 644 680 7 ^