LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 903 986 5 HolLingcr pH 8.5 Mm Run F03.2193 E 714 .3 .S49 Copy 1 ONSTIXUTION ...OF... The Service Men OF THE Spanish War. Adopted January 12th, 1899. CONSTITUTION ...OF. The Servicemen OF THE Spanish War. Adopted January 12th. 1899. Thos. Gilbert, Printer and Stationbb, 1899. Tr^ . (v . fi . M- CONSTITUTION The Service Men of the Spanish War. Adopted Jan. 12th, 1899. JPREAIVtBLE. The subscribers hereto, being mutually agreed that the cohesion and patriotism of our own people afford the best guarantees of domestic tranquility, as well as the stoutest defence against foreign aggression or dangerous schism in the body politic, seek to promote the ends to be desired by cement- ing the friendships formed during the War with Spain and stimulating the sentiment of fraternity among the soldiers, sailors and marines who were united in the conflict that ended Spanish rule in Cuba, and accordingly ordain, adopt and pledge themselves to the support of this Constitution of The Service Men of the Spanish War — a Society organized to foster fealty to the United States of America and to contribute to the continuance of a Republican form of Government. 4 CONSTITUTION OF THE SERVICE MEN ARTICLE I. Section 1. The units of organization shall be the Local Camps, each to be given the name of some deceased American soldier, sailor or statesman, and to be numbered in the order of organization. Sec 2. The parent Camp — Henry Clay, No. 1 — established at Lexington, Ky., shall be supreme in all matters pertaining to the ritual and regula- tions, organization of new Camps and the general government of the Society, until a National Camp has been regularly constituted by representative authority. Sec. 3. Every officer — Army or Navy — commis- sioned between the date of the Declaration of War with Spain, and the signing of the Treaty of Peace at Paris, and every enlisted man ?nustered out of the service, is eligible to membership in the organiza- tion. Dishonorable discharge or dismissal "with- out character" shall be a bar to membership. Sec. 4. The officers of each Camp — local, State or National — shall be as follows: Commander; Vice- Commander; Adjutant and Chief of Staff; Treas- urer; Surgeon; Chaplain; Officer of the Day, and Sentinel. The first five are elective officers, and shall be elected at the annual meeting by a majority vote of all members or representatives present and voting. The Chaplain, Officer of the Day and Sentinel shall be selected and appointed by the Commander. OP THE SPANISH WAR. O Sec. 5. The methods of procedure in the conduct of business in the Camps of the Society shall con- form to the rules recognized and observed in other deliberative bodies. Sec. 6. Two Representatives to the State Camp shall be elected annually by ballot, by each Local Camp, and the one so elected who receives the larger number of votes shall also be accredited as Representative to the National Camp. The elec- tive officers of the State Camps shall be received as Representatives at Large in the National Camp and shall each have equal voice with other Repre- sentatives in the deliberations of that body. If a Local Camp shall fail to elect Representatives, or a vacancy shall occur in the representation after election and before the meeting of the State or National Camp, the Commander of the Local Camp may appoint the requisite quota of Repre- sentatives or fill vacancies. Each Representative to the State or National Camp shall present, as his credential, the certificate of the Adjutant of the Camp by which he is accredited, attesting his election or appointment. Sec 7 Membership fees and annual dues of members may be fixed by Local Camps, but the amount of dues so fixed must be payable quarterly, and out of the amount derived from this source of revenue, twenty-five cents per capita of the mem- bership, or such sum as the National Camp may direct, shall accrue annually to the treasury of the 6 CONSTITUTION OP THE SERVICE MEN National Camp. The revenue necessary to main- tain the State Camps shall be derived from the Local Camps, under such regulations as the State organization shall prescribe. And only such Local Camps shall be entitled to representation in the meetings of the State or National Camp as have paid the per capita or other dues that accrue re- spectively to these organizations. ARTICLE II. Section 1. Upon application regularly made over the signatures of twenty or more officers or enlisted men— the latter bteing mustered out of service- addressed to the Adjutant of the parent Camp (Henry Clay, No. 1), or its successor in control, and accompanied by the charter fee, a dispensation will be issued by order of the Commander, grant- ing authority to organize a Local Camp, which will be given number next in order after the last assigned. Charter will be issued by the National Camp three months thereafter if it has then been organized and no valid reason then exists why a charter should be withheld. If a charter is de- nied, for sufficient cause, one-half of the charter fee will be refunded. Sec 2. So soon as three or more Local Camps have been instituted in any State or Territory of the United States, a State Camp may be organized. And so soon as State Camps have been regularly organized in three or more States, the date will be OF THE SPANISH WAR. determined and the place designated by the Com- mander of the parent Camp for the assembhng of the first National Encampment. ARTICLE III. Section 1. Only such regulations may be made for the government of State Camps as are clearly in harmony with the Constitution and the laws adopted by the National organization. Matters purely local in their purpose may be governed by By-Laws adopted by the Local Camps and ap- proved by the Adjutant of the National Camp. Sec. 2. Only such Ritual as is approved and authorized by the parent Camp (Henry Clay, No. 1) or its successor in control, the National Camp, shall be used in any ceremonial of the organiza- tion. And the use of any other uniform, insignia, or emblem suggestive of the objects of the organi- zation than that prescribed by the same authority is prohibited The blank forms necessary to the uniform conduct of the business of the Society may be supplied by the respective State Camps, but must have the approval of the Adjutant of the National Camp. ARTICLE IV. Section 1. The executive power in each Camp shall be vested in the Commander, whose authority shall be absolute so long as the exercise of it does not contravene the Constitution or laws of the society, or violate the By-Laws of the Camp of 8 CONSTITUTION OF THE SERVICE MEN which he has control. Appeal from his decisions may be made through regular channels to his superiors, or to the National Organization when in session. Sec. 2. The Vice-Commander shall preside at any meeting of any Camp upon invitation, or by direction of the Commander, or in the absence of the latter from the meetings of the Camp, may exercise all the functions of the Commander. Sec. 3. The absence of the Commander of the parent Camp (Henry Clay, No. 1), or its successor, the National Camp, from the United States shall make it competent for the Vice-Commander to assume charge of the headquarters of the society and direct its affairs. Sec 4. The Adjutant shall be at all times the voice and the executor of the will of the Com- mander, and shall be the record-keeper of the Camp. He shall receive all moneys accruing to the Camp, and after making record of their source and purposes, shall transfer the same to the Treas- urer, taking receipt therefor. Next after the Vice- Commander, and in the absence of both Com- mander and Vice-Commander, it shall be compe- tent for the Adjutant to act in an executive ca- pacity. Sec. 5. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of all the funds of the Camp, and if required by authority of the National organization shall give OF THE SPANISH WAR. 9 bond in such sum as may be designated by that authority. Sec. 6. The Surgeon shall be charged with the collection of vital statistics related to the mobiliza- tion and maintenance of the army called into service for the war with Spain, and shall include in his annual reports any suggestions that might ameliorate the physical condition of suffering sur- vivors of the war. Sec. 7. The Chaplain shall exercise the functions that usually attach to the office, and shall partici- pate in mortuary ceremonials of members of the society. Sec. 8. The Officer of the Day shall have general charge of the "Tent" or meeting place of the Camp, the custody of paraphernalia and the di- rection of arrangements for the assemblages of the society. Sec. 9. The Sentinel shall have charge of the entrance to the "Tent" in which the meetings of the Camp are held ARTICLE V. Section 1. Memberships may be transferred from one Local ('amp to another upon proper applica- tion and certificate. Upon a majority vote of those present in the Camp from which the member would withdraw the Adjutant will issue the neces- sary certificate. The admission of the demitted member into another Camp will be by majority 10 CONSTITUTION OF THE SERVICE MEN vote of the members of the Camp in which the certificate is presented. ARTICLE VI. Section 1. Benefits to sick members and mortuary expenses may be assumed by Local Camps under such regulations as they may, themselves, pre- scribe, but they may not be made a charge upon the society at large. ARTICLE VII. Section 1. The assemblage of five members of a Local Camp, at the time and place designated by notice issuing from the office of the Adjutant, shall constitute a quorum for the regular trans- action of business. ARTICLE VIII. Section 1. Proxies shall not be voted at any meeting of a State Camp or of the National Camp after the initial meeting. ARTICLE IX. Section 1. Quarterly reports indicating the strength and condition of each Local Camp and its financial status must be made by the Adjutant and the Treasurer respectively, of each Camp, through the Adjutant and Treasurer of the State Camp to the Adjutant and Treasurer of the Na- tional Camp These reports shall be submitted for OF THE SPANISH WAR. 11 the information of the Commander of the Na- tional Camp. Sec. 2. Official Communications originating in the Local Camps, asking for any action at the hands of the National Commander, must be sent through the offices of both the State and National Adjutant. Copies of such communications may, however, be sent direct. ARTICLE X. Section 1. The organization of Camps of the Service Men of the Spanish War in harmony with the plan of organization set forth in its prospectus and consistent with the purposes represented in its articles of incorporation, shall be construed as a ratification of this Constitution. Sec. 2. This Constitution may be amended by majority vote of the whole number of represen- tatives accredited to the annual meeting of the National Camp The amendment to be offered must, however, have been published in the Local Camps three months prior to the annual meeting of the National Camp at which the amendment is to be voted upon. OFFICERS OF CAMP HENRY CLAY No. 1. LEXINGTON, KY. Col. ROBERT W. LEONARD, Commander. Lt.-Col. ROBT. W. banks, Vice-Commander. Capt. WILSON I. DAVENNY, Adjutant and Chief of Staff. Col. GEO. W. GUNDER, Treasurer. Major JEFFERSON D. GRIFFITH, Surgeon. Chaplain. Major J. EMBRY ALLEN Officer of the Day . Sentinel. LJ.BKHKY U\- LUNOKtbb lll'lllllii 013 903 986 5 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 903 986 5 HoUinger pH 8.5 Mm Run F03.2193 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 903 986 5 HoUinger pH 8.5 MiU Run F03.2193