CONSTITUTION OF TIIE . NEW ENGLAND pietiewE bw@i 8 AND By-Laws of Worcester Division, No. 12, STATS OS 3IASSACHTTSETTS. !, 1 S 4 G. WORCESTER: r TENTED TTY IIENliY J. HOWLAND, CONSTITUTION OE THE IfEf ENGLAND PROTECTIVE UNION. PREAMBLE. "Whereas, tie producing classes receive so small an equivalent for their excessive toil, that in most cases no surplus remains after the purchase of the necessaries of life ; and whereas, they, with their small means are sub¬ jected to a disadvantage in making their purchases alone, which a union of their little capital with that of their brother laborers would overcome, and whereas it is desira¬ ble to create a feeling of brotherhood among the working classes, and to afford opportunities for mutual consultation as to their true interests; therefore, in order to establish a just and economical method for the production, distri¬ bution and consumption of the fruits of Human Industry; to relievo society of the burden of sustaining useless functionaries in the several departments of mercantile, civil and social life; to establish such a system of ex¬ change as shall protect and ennoble, rather than spoliate and degrade labor ; to associate Producers into an organ¬ ization for their mutual benefit and improvement, and to secure to each the strength of all , we, the representatives of the several Divisions of the New England Protective Union now organized, do adopt and establish the following articles of agreement. CONSTITUTION. Article I. Article III. Central Division s Powers Defined. Section 1 . The Central Divi.-inn shall lie the Execu¬ tive Division of the New England P. U., and shall have jurisdiction over all Divisions of the said Union, so far as to insure a strict confonnitj' to the principles of the foregoing Preamble and this Constitution. It shall have the power to choose its own officers, to adjudicate aces as m its judgment shall' best subserve the objects ' the Union. It shall have power to determine the cans of defraying its legitimate expenses, and to do all ich other acts as the success of the Union may require; Sec. The members of the Central Division shall be .'legates, elected from the several Sub Divisions of the iiion. A ‘Division numbering less than fifty members mil he entitled to one delegate; fifty and less than one .indrcil members, two delegates; one hundred members, : more, three delegates, who shall present credentials of ieir election, signed by the President and Secretary of ic Sub Division which they represent; also, two Divi- Sj:c. 3. The Central Division shall hold an Annual essinn, the first Wednesday in October, and a Semkm- ual Session, to be hidden the/rest Wednesday in April f each year; and may bold Special Sessions at the call of io President; during either of which it shall adjourn ■oni time to time until the business of the Session shall e disposed of. All Sessions shall be held in the city f Boston, unless otherwise ordered by the Division. Sue. 4. Officers .—The officers of the Central Divis- >n shall be a President, Yice President, Secretary and 'reasurev, all of whom shall be elected by ballot at each nnual session. Sec. 5. Duty of Officers .—The President shall pre- side at the meetings of the Central Division; he shall pre¬ serve order; all questions of order, however shall he sub¬ ject to appeal from his decision to the Division, when a majority of votes shall decide the point; he shall give the casting vote in all cases where the Division is equally di¬ vided ; he shall order special sessions of the Division, when the good of the Union may require it, or upon receiving a written request to do so from five delegates. His approv¬ al must be endorsed upon bills before being paid by the Treasurer. Sec. 6. The Vice President shall support the Presi¬ dent in presiding, and in his absence shall take the chair. In the event of the resignation, death, or removal from of¬ fice of the President, he shall become ex-officio President until the next regular Session thereafter. Sec. 7 . The Secretary shall make a just and true rec¬ ord of the proceedings at each meeting of the Central Di¬ vision, and transmit semi-annually a summary of its doings, to each Division of the Union, In case the President and Vice President are absent, he shall call the Division to order, when a President pro tem. shall be elected. The Secretary shall receive all communications addressed to the Central Division, and attend to its general correspon¬ dence, and shall impart such information, from time to time, under the direction of the Division, as may be deemed useful; he shall file all papers of business or cor¬ respondence which may be of future use. The Secretary, upon receiving an application to organize a Division, shall call together the elective-officers, who shall constitute a board to decide upon the same. If the Request is granted, the Secretary shall appoint some delegate to the Central Division to superintend the organization of the new Di¬ vision, and to designate to them their Mo. The delegate shall, as soon as possible after the organization, report to the Secretary his doings, with the names of officers elect- ed. The new Division, so organized, shall defray the nec¬ essary expenses of the delegate. Sec. 8. The Treasurer shall receive and take charge of the money of the Central Division, and pay out the same under its direction—all bills to be approved by the President. He shall keep his accounts in a fair and leg¬ ible manner, and report the same to the Division at its an¬ nual session. Sec. 9. The Central Division shall at each annual ses¬ sion, elect the following standing committees: Committee on Returns and Committee on Trade, Sec. 10. The Committee on Returns shall consist of three members, whose duty at each meeting will be to ex¬ amine and report to the Division without delay, on the number of members enrolled in each Division, number of delegates each is entitled to, and on the credentials of each delegate. Sec. 11. The Committee on Trade shall consist of nine members, with such others as the Division shall add from time to time, whose duty shall be to make diligent inquiry as to the existing mode of trade, to make themselves con¬ versant with its several branches, and when requested by any Sub Division or directed by the Central Division, im¬ part information as to the best mode of making good and just purchases; and to act as agents in the purchase of goods for Sub Divisions, when requested by them so to do; said Sub Divisions, so ordering, shall defray the nec¬ essary expenses incurred by the Committee while acting as their agents. The Committee shall establish an office in Boston, where orders from Sub Divisions shall be sent and the mercantile business of the Union transacted; they shall also recommend a faithful and competent person to act. as agent for Sub Divisions in making purchases, whose compensation and expense of office shall be defrayed by charging such a rate of commission on all purchases or ex¬ changes as shall be from time to time by them established. 8 Sec. 12. It shall be the duty of the agent to transact the business of purchase and exchange of merchandise committed to him by the Sub Divisions. He shall keep an Order Book, in which all orders duly received from Snb Divisions shall be entered. He shall not fulfil any order for purchase not accompanied by the money therefor, or an eqnivalent for the same.—He shall keep an accurate account of all orders fulfilled. His hooks and accounts shall be open at all times to the inspection of the Commit¬ tee, and he shall furnish the Committee with a semi-an¬ nual account of the business transacted, in season to lie laid before the Annual aud Semi-annual session of the Central Division. Sec. 13. All offi r other persons in the employ of the Cen 1 D 11 leliver up all papers, accounts, hooks, d t 1 o other property by them held, to thei m . Sec. 14. The I t X v England Protective Union shaD be conducted upon tue cash principle. Xu credit shall in any ease he niven. And furthermore, no Division shall cm a- countenance, the traffic in intoxicatin': uituks. Sec. 15. The Central Division may adopt or amend, at any regular session, suea Lv-raws and Buies of Order for the governing thereor, as two-thirds of the delegates present shall approve, provided such laws or rules shall not in any-wise contravene this Constitution, or violate the principles of the Association. Article IV. Sv.b Divisions. IIow Formed. "When fifteen or more persons of good moral character, who do not use or vend intoxicating drinks for any other than mechanical, medicinal, or communion purposes, and who are not members of any Division already formed, are desirous of availing themselves of the advantages of this I 9 Union, and stall combine to form a Division, they stall notify the Secretary of the Central Division of their desire to lie organized and admitted into the Union, when pro-' jeedings will ho tad according to Art. 3, Sec. 7. Applications to tc organized and admitted as Sub Di¬ visions into the New England Protective Union, must be iceompaniod by one dollar, to defray the expense attcml- mt on suet applications. Any Sub Division stall have the right to protest against granting an application fur another Division, when they ippreliend that such application, if granted, would lie in- urious to their Division ; and suet protest stall he duly ionsidered by the Government, who stall have full power o decide the c-aso, and to grant, or to refuse to grant, such ipplieution, according to their test judgment, and the dc- iiiiuii of the Government stall to final in suet cases. Aiitict.e V. Duties of Sub Divisions. | Sec. 1. It stall be the duty of Sub Divisions to elect leicgaU'S to the Central Division, as specified in Art. 3, ilr. 3. To report Annually to the Central Division the limiter of their members, the amount of their capital stock, nd any change which may have teen made in their fiicers. t'lie. 2. In order to accomplish one of the main d:- igus of the Union,—the largest possible combination i.f jiids for trade,—it shall tc (lie duty of each Division, (lien practicable, to make their purchases through the geui y recommended by the Committee on Trade. .Sec. 3. The officers of Sub Divisions shall lie a Presi- .ent, Vice President, Recording and Financial Scercta- les, .treasurer, and a Board of three or more Directors. Hie duties of these officers shall he such as usually apper- ain to their respective offices, and such as each Division lay decide upon. In addition, a Division may appoint I such other officers or Committees as their business rendc ; 9 necessary. a Sec. 4. Sub Divisions of the Union may make suF By-Laws and Regulations for their own government, a. ■ the transaction of their own business, as may be most agrA able to themselves, provided that such By-Laws and r-9 ulations do not conflict with the spirit of this Constituticl Article TI. Alterations of the Constitution. ] "When any Division wishes an alteration or amendmc made to the Constitution, it will notify the Central Dit sion, specifying the alterations desired. The C. D. sha communicate the notice to each of its members, trr through them the will of all the Divisions may he obtains The C. D. shall have foil power to make such alteratij as is desired, by a vote of two-thirds of all the delegnt present as its meeting. The Secretary of the C. D. sbj notify each Division of the decision, which shall be birt ing upon the whole Union. d BY-LA¥S OF DIVISION NO. 12. ; Article 1. Officers. Sec. 1. The Officers of this Division, shall consist a President, Vice President, Recording, Financial, a Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and a Board of th: or more Directors ; also a Financial Committee of tliv and a Committee of three, who shall have the supervis of the Meat Market; they, together, shall constitute government of this Division. Sec. 2. Duties of Officers —It shall be the duty the President to preserve order, state and put all Article 3. Sec. 1. The percentage charged by this Divisioij shall be regulated by the Board of Directors, and :jy graduated as not to exceed the expenses of conduction the business of the same. 3 ( j Sec. 2. No credit shall he given to any person this Division. Article 4. 5tl This Division shall hold its meetings on each Saturdfjtl evening, at 7 o’clock, from October 1st to April 1st, fr(.7tl April 1st to October 1st, at 8 o’clock. 8tl Article 5. jvi Seven members shall constitute a quorum for the tnu saction of business. ,:° Article 6. ,j.; All Committees appointed for special purposes, si); >, report their doings in writing, to the Division, signed ^ a majority, and no person shall be appointed chairman^ any Committee, unless he be present at the time of appointment. Article 7. vi If any member in his dealings with this Division, shli practice any acts tending to impair its interest or ski Il “ howingly be guilty of any violation of the Constitution 3 ‘if By-Laws, he shall he notified by the Board of Di- %tors to refrain from such acts; but if he neglect to °%y the injunction, he shall forfeit his membership and “STight and title to the binds of this Division. ’g 5 ,; Article 8. ; t a r These By-Laws shall not be repealed or altered unless ^proposal be submitted in writing, specifying the altera- thpi wished for, two weeks previous to the discussion, [ a jien if two thirds of the members'present vote in the ejfenative, they shall be repealed or altered. BULES OF ORDER; iio'l. After the Division is called to order, it shall be the <1 ;ty of the Presiding Officer to call :t ' [ 2nd. Beading the records of the last meeting. ^3d. Are there any persons to be proposed for ad- 4th. Reports of Committees. 5th. Balloting for candidates, rdfith. Unfinished business, frolftk. New business. 8th. Has any one anything to offer for the benefit of i Division. tr jjth. No question shall be entertained unless upon tion of one member and seconded by another member; vshall the question be discussed until stated by the jjsident, who before putting any question to vote, shall s ":, i •' is the Division ready for the question?” and when 1,(3 uestion is thus before the Division, it may be discussed ian it is debatable ; and when a motion is thus before the ^ *rision, no motion shall be received, except to lay the tion under consideration on the table, or a call for the vious question, to postpone or refer, or to amend, which , shli have precedence in the order in which they are ski 1 16 arranged; the second of -which shall he decided with, debate. 10th. Ao person shall speak more than twice, on t same question, at the same meeting, without the coim of the Division, unless to explain or correct a misunl standing. 11th. When a blank is to be filled, the sense of : Division shall first be taken upon the highest sum or mi her, and longest time proposed. 12th. Any member may call for the division o: question when the sense will admit of it. 13th. The yeas and nays shall bo ordered by President on the call of any member, if duly second 14th. After any question except one of indefii postponement has been decided, anv member who vo: in the majority may at the same or next meeting, mov rc-eonsidcration thereof, hut no discussion of the m question shall be allowed, unless re-eons,deital. 15th. On the call of two members tor the prem question, the President shall put it m this form, ‘'Si the main cpiestinn now be put f when, if a majority v in the affirmative, it shall preclude all further debate.; all amendment, until it is deemed. 16tb. When a member intends to speak on a quest! lie shall rise in his place and address the chair, and i fine himself to-the question; when move than one im her rises to speak at the same time, the President s! decide which is entitled to the floor. 17th. Should a member be called to order wljj speaking, (which may be done by the President nr y member) the debate shall he suspended until the pnin j order be determined, when he may use these words ; | no other; Mr. President, I appeal from the (lerisioif the chair to the Division; when the Vice President ,-'j rise' and say, will the Division sustain the decision of 1 chair V when the Division shall vote without debat, : remark upon the question. TO THE PUBLIC DIVISION jNTo. X2 may still be found at tfrir old stand, 51 Itlain Street, Worcester, cEKur cy r •! acc 0 ™ m 0