BZc^Z E 202 .5 .fll3 1899 Copy 1 National Society OF THE Daughters of the American Revolution, The Committee on By-Laws of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution has the honor to report that, in accordance with the order of the last meeting of the Continental Congress, it submits herewith to the next annual meeting the amendments wliich are necessary to shape the By- Laws in accordance with the Constitution and the usages of the Society. Certain points heretofore governed by unwritten law, or bv the votes of the Continental Congress or the National Board of Management, but whicii properly belong in the By- Laws, have been inserted in the proposed amendments ; while such existing portions as more properly belong among Rules of the National Board foi' its own guidance have been omitted. The provisions for amendments to the By-Laws are necessarily new, and have been given most careful thought by your Com- mittee. ■ Respectfully sulniiitted. Anita Newcomb McGee, Chairman. Eliza S. Washington Hunter. Katharine Lincoln Alden. Ellen Haudin Walworth. Mary H. L. Shields. X AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS OFFERED AT THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS OF 189S, AND TO BE ACTED UPON AT THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS OF 1S99. AMENDMENT i. Strike out contents of Article I. and substitute the follovvins^ : AltTICLE I. Election of National Officers. Section i. The President General shall appoint a Chief Teller on the first day of the Annual Meetings of the Continental Congress, and each State delegation may appoint two assistant tellers. Nominations shall be made from the floor, and elections shall follow immediately — {or "on the succeeding day"). A blanket ballot shall be used. The tellers shall hold a list of ac- credited voters, and each voter shall announce her name when depositing her ballot. The tellers shall make a separate report for each office, stating the total number of votes cast; from this total the number of blanks shall be deducted, and a majority of the remainder shall be the number necessary to elect. The re- port shall state tlie number of votes cast for each nominee. Sec. 3. Honorary Officers of the National Society shall be elected for life, and in the same manner as National Officers. AMENDMENT 2. Strike out Article II. AMENDMENT 3. Strike out Art. Ill, Sec. i, and substitute : Article II. President General. Section 1. The President General shall oversee the atlairs of the National Society. Sec. 2. She shall be the presiding officer of the Continental Congress, but, if present, she may call any member of tiie body to represent her in tiie ciiair during the current session. She is. ex officio., Chairman of the National Board of Management and J of tlie Executive Committee, and a member of every other com- mittee. Sec. 3. She shall appoint the members of the standing com- mittees v^'ithin one month after the annual meeting; she shall also appoint members of special committees v\'hen requested to do so by the Continental Congress or the National Board. AMENDMENT 4. Strike out Art. IV, Sec. 3, and substitute the following: Article III. Vice-President General iii Charge of Organization of Chap- ters. Section i. The Vice-President General in Charge of Organ- ization of Chapters shall, in connection with the respective State Regents, supervise the organization of Chapters, and shall, after approval bv the National Board, grant applications for the form- ing of Chapters. Sec. 2. She shall sign Commissions of National Officers and shall sign and issue Charters and Commissions of State and Ciiapter Regents. Sec. 3. She shall have authority to nominate a State Regent for any State having no Chapters, said Regent to be elected by the National Board and to serve until the close of the next annual meeting of the Continental Congress. Sec. 4. She may appoint Chapter Regents for the term of two years in anv .State having no State Regent. She shall perform the functions of .State Regent for Chapters in foreign countries. Sec. 5. She shall submit reports to the National Board of Management and to the Continental Congress. AMENDMENT 5. Strike out Art. IV, Sees, i and 3, and substitute the follow- ing : Article IV. Vice-Presidents General. Section 1. In the absence of tlie President General from any session of the Continental Congress or the National Boai-d of Management, one of the Vice-Presidents General shall be elected to preside, pending the arrival of the President General, or until close of the current session. Sec. 3. In case of prolonged absence or inability to act of the President General, the executive authority shall be vested in a Vice-President General, to be elected by ballot by the National Board for that purpose. AMENDMENT 6. Strike out Art. V, Sec. i, anil substitute the following: Article V. Recording Secretary General. Section i. The Recording Secretary General shall give notice of meetings of the Continental Congress, The National Board of Management, and the Executive Committee, and shall keep com- plete records of these meetings. .She shall notify officers and Chapters of votes, orders, and proceedings affecting their duties. Sec. 2. She shall sign Cliarters and Certificates of Member- ship and application papers that have been approved by the National Board, and shall notify applicants of their election. .Sec. 3. She shall issue a commission to each National Officer immediatelv after the adjournment of tlie meeting of the Conti- nental Congress at which she was elected. vSec. 4. She shall prepare and sign the minutes of the National Board of Management, and shall, after approval, publish them in the American Monthly Magazine. Sec. 5. She shall have the custody of tiie Seal and all tlie prop- erty of the National Society not in the immediate charge of other officers. Sec. 6. She shall submit reports to the National Board and the Continental Congress. AMENDMENT 7. Strike out Art. V, Sec. 2, and substitute the following: Article VI. Corresfonding Secretary General. Section i. The Corresponding Secretary General shall attend to the correspondence of the National Society and the National Board of Management, and sliall place on file and preserve in the office of the National Society copies of all official letters written by her, and all letters received in answer thereto. Sec. 3. She shall keep on ille a sample copy of all printed matter issued by the National Society. She shall distribute all pamphlets, circulars, and supplies which are issued gratuitously, as directed by the National Board. Sec. 3. She shall submit reports to the National Board and the Continental Congress. AMENDMENT S. Strike out Article VII and substitute the following: Article VII. Registrar General. Section i. The Registrar General shall receive all Applica- tions for Membership in the National Society; shall examine all Application Papers, appiove and sign the same if the applicant is found eligible, and shall nominate eligible candidates to the National Board for election. She shall report, monthly, all the applications received and the disposition made thereof. Sec. 2. She shall have the custody of application papers, and of the card catalogues of members and ancestors. Sec. 3. She shall sign and issue Certificates of Membership and Permits for the Badge of the National Society. Sec. 4. She shall enter in a Record Book receipt of all appli- cations for membership, and the disposition made thereof. Du plicate application papers of Chapter members shall be returned to the Chapter Registrar ; duplicate papers of members at large shall be returned to them. Sec. 5. She shall notify State Regents of all applications of members at large living in their respective States before such ap- plications are acted upon. Sec. 6. She shall submit reports to the National Board and the Continental Congress. AMENDMENT 9. Strike out Article VI and substitute the following-: Article VIII. Treasurer General. Section i . The Treasurer General shall receive from Chapter Treasurers and members at large all fees and dues payable to the National Society and shall acknowledge the same. Sec. 2. She shall have charge of the funds and securities of the National Society, and sliall deposit the same in such banking in- stitution in the city of Washington as the National Board of Management shall select, to the credit of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and draw thereon, by check, when so directed by the Continental Congress or the National Board. She shall pay all bills that have been counter- signed by the officer selected for the purpose by the National Board, and also all that tlie National Board shall specifically authorize. Sec. 3. She shall submit reports to the National Board and to the Continental Congress, all of which shall be published in the American Monthly Magazine. At least once a year, her reports and accounts shall be submitted to an auditor selected by the National Board. Sec. 4. She shall give bond for the faithful discharge of her duties. AMENDMENT to. Strike out Article VIII and substitute the following : Article I.\'. Historian General. Section i. The Historian General shall have charge of the preparation and publication of the Lineage Book. This book shall contain sketches of the revolutionary ancestors of members, with their descent therefrom. Sec. 2. She shall submit reports to tlie National Board of Management and the Continental Congress. AMENDMENT 11. Number the present Article IX as Article X, and strike out Article X. AMENDMENT 12. Insert as Article XI : Librarian General. Section i. The Librarian General shall have the custody of the library of the National Society, and make all possible eflbrt to enlarge the collection of books and papers on American His- tory. She shall keep the library catalogued and conveniently arranged. Sec. 2. She shall submit reports to the National Boartl and the Continental Congress. AMENDMENT 13. Strike out Article IV, Sections 4, 6, and 7, and insert the fol- lowing : Article XII. State Regents. Section i . State Regents and Honorary State Regents must be residents of the States which they are elected or appointed to represent. The election of a State Regent is not complete until announced at the annual meeting, but she may be selected at any place or time after February ist of each year, provided that all delegates from her State have been duly notified in advance of the meeting. In case vacancy arises in the office of State Regent in the interval between the meetings of the Congress, it shall be filled by the National Board of Management by the election of the candidate nominated by the majority of the Chapter Regents in the State. Sec. 3. Honorary State Regents, not to exceed three, may be elected for each State and Territory in the manner prescribed for State Regents. State Regents are elected for one year and Honorary State Regents are elected for life. Sec. 3. Each State Regent shall have charge of the active work of organization within her State, subject to the general supervision of the Vice-President General in charge of Organi- zation of Chapters, and shall have power, subject to the ap.proval of the National Board of Management, to appoint Regents for organizing Chapters, the term of whose office shall be two years. 8 Sec. 4. She shall sign Charters issued to the Chapters in iier State, and shall keep a systematic record of Chapter work, said record to be turneil over to her successor at the expiration of her term of ofHce. She shall prepare an annual report, and transmit it to the Recording Secretary General, to be printed witli tlie Proceedings of the Continental Congress. AMENDMENT 14. Insert the following : Article XIII. Standing Committees. Section i. The Standing Committees of the Continental Con- gress shall be those whose duties are defined in this article. They shall submit written reports to the Continental Congress annually, and may also report to the National Board. Standing Committees of the National Board may be created by that body for the transaction of its business. Membership in standing committees lapses at the close of eacii annual meeting. No circular relating to the National Society may be issued by committees or by anv officer or member of the Society unless au- thorized by the National Board. Sec. 3. The Amendment Committee shall receive, arrange, have printed and issue amendments to the Constitution and By- Laws. If any amendment, as proposed, or after being amended by tiie Congress, is technically incorrect or faulty in expression, it shall be the duty of this committee to report that fact at the same meeting of the Congress at which such amendment is acted upon. But the recommendations of the committee shall not in- ckule changes in the intent of amendments, unless specitically authorized. Sec. 3. The Continental Hall Committee shall promote and prepare for the erection of a building for the National Society to be called the Continental Hall. Sec. 4. The Revolutionary Relics Committee shall collect and deposit articles of historic interest in the National Museum or the Continental Hall. Sec. 5. The National University Committee shall promote the objects of the Society by advancing the movement for a National Universitv. Sec. 6. The Smithsonian Report Committee shall prepare the annual report of the National Societv. dated October 1 1 , and after its approval liy the National Board, forward it in November to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution for transmission to the United States Congress. The report of tiiis committee shall be read to the Continental Congress for its information. Sec. 7. The Magazine Committee shall have the general super- vision of the business affairs of the American Monthlv Magazine and shall promote its interests. Sec. S. The Auditing Committee shall direct the auditing of the accounts of the National Society. AMENDMENT 15. Insert the following : Article XIV. The Magazine. Section i. The American Monthlv Magazine shall be the official organ of the National Society. Its contents shall be limited to articles on American history prior to 1850; reports from Chapters ; articles and notes relating to the National Society; reports from the Children of the American Revolution, and official matter. Sec. 2. The Editor shall procure and edit such articles and reports, excepting the official matter which is in charge of the Recording Secretary. She shall report to the Continental Con- gress annually and to the National Board when so required. She shall be elected by the Continental Congress in the same manner as National Officers and for the same term. Sec. 3. The Business Manager shall have charge of the sub- scriptions, advertisements, and other business, under the general supervision of the Magazine Committee. She shall be elected annually by the National Board, and shall report to it. AMENDMENT 16. Number present Articles XII and XIII as XV and XVII. lO AMENDMENT 17. Strike out Article XIV and insert the following: Article XVI. Ii/sigii/'n . Section i. The Badge of the National Society shall be in the form of a spinning-wheel and distaft"; the wheel being seven- eighths of an inch in diameter, of gold with thirteen spokes, a field of dark blue enamel on its rim bearing the name of the So- ciety in letters of gold ; outside the rim, opposite the ends of the spokes, are thirteen small stars ; underneath the wheel is a golden distaft" one and a half inches long, filled with platinum flax. Upon the back of the wheel the registration number of the owner shall be engraved and her name may be added. This badge can be purchased only upon presentation of a Badge Permit, to be obtained from the Registrar General. Sec. 2. The colors of the National Society shall be the colors of Washington's stafl", namely, dark blue and white. Sec. 3. The Badge may be suspended, on a ribbed and watered ribbon of dark blue with white edges, from one or more bars. These bars may bear the names of the revolutionary ancestors given on the certificate of membership, of the Chapter to which the member belongs, or of the office which she holds. National Officers and State Regents may suspend the badge from the ribbon worn around the neck. Sec. 4. A rosette of the National Society colors attached to a stick pin mav be worn in place of the badge. AMENDMENT 18. Strike out Article IV, Sec. 5, and Article XI, and substitute the following : Article XVIII. C/iaptcrs. Section i. A Chapter Regent appointed by her State Regent, or by the Vice-President General in Charge of Organization of Chapters, shall have power to appoint the officers of her Chapter to serve during the term for which she is commissioned. \ II Sec. 2. Each Chapter, whether organized under Art. XII, Sec. -5, of the By-Laws, or under Art. VII, Sec. i, of the Constitu- tion, shall he entitled, on paying the cost thereof, to a Charter dulv certifying its name, location, date, officers, and organizing members, which shall be signed by the President General, the Recording Secretary General, the Vice-President General in Charge of Organization of Chapters, attested by the seal of the National Society and countersigned by the State Regent. Sec. 3. Chapter names must not be duplicated, nor must they be named for States, or for persons who belong to a later historical period than the one ending in 1S30. Sec. 4. Each Chapter may elect its officers at that time of year that best suits its convenience, but the delegates and alter- nates to the Continental Congress must be elected, annually, be- fore the first of February. Sec. S- Applications for membership, when properly tilled out and endorsed by at least one member of the Society, shall be sent to the Chapter Registrar, if the applicant joins through a Chapter; and the Chapter Registrar shall transmit to the R,egistrar General all applications approved according to Art. Ill, Sec. 3, of the Constitution, for final action by the National Board. Chapter Registrars shall notify the Registrar General of the transfer, resignation or death of any member of the Chapter. Sec. 6. If a member enters a Chapter within six months after the payment of her dues to the National Society direct, the Chapter Treasurer ma}' make formal demand of the Treas- urer General for the return of half ^or three-fourths) of her dues. When members of Chapters are delinquent in the payment of their dues, the Chapters shall be responsible to the National Society for the half {or one-fourth) of said dues of each such delinquent members, unless prompt notice be sent to the National Board of Management. Sec. 7. Each Chapter shall notify the \'ice-President General in Charge of Organization of Chapters of the election or appoint- ment of all officers. Sec. S. Each Chapter shall make an annual report to its State Regent before January 30. Skc. 9. A member resigning from a Chapter must send a writ- ten resignation, and the resignation shall take eflect from the date 12 of writing. A ineml)er leaving one Cliajjtcr to join another shall take with her to the Chapter with which she desires to unite, a transfer card, signed by the Regent, Registrar, and Treasurer of the Chapter of which slie has been a member, and also a copy of her application papers. No member at large shall be ailmitted to a Chapter until she has presented duplicate papers and a cer- tificate of non-indebtedness from the Treasurer General. AMENDMENT 19. Strike out Article XV and number the present Article XVI as Article XIX. Or strike out Article XVI. on Discipline (pro- posed at the last meeting of the Continental Congress by Miss Pike). AMENDMENT 30. Strike out Article XVII and substitute: Article XX. Amendments. Section i. Any National Oihcer, State Regent, or Chapter may propose amendments to these By-Laws. Sec. 2. Amendments shall be sent to the headquarters of the National Society for transmittal to the Committee on Amend- ments, at least ninety days before the annual meeting of the Continental Congress. Within thirty days after that time (/. e., sixty days before the meeting of the Continental Congress) they shall be printed and issued to all National Officers. State Regents, and Regents and Secretaries of organized Chapters. Sec. 3. If adopted by a majority vote at a meeting of the Con- tinental Congress, amendments shall take eflcct from the adjourn- iiient of the meeting. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011 712 288 8 1 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 011 712 288 8 HoIHnger pH 8^ Mill Run F03-2245