native-born citizen; a Protestant, either born | risdictions, and in relation to all other matters of Protestant parents, or reared under Pro- necessary for its information. testant influence; and not united in marriage with a Roman Catholic; provided, nevertheless, that in this last respect, the state, district, or territorial councils shall be authorized to so construct their respective constitutions as shall best promote the interests of the American cause in their several jurisdictions; and provided, moreover, that no member who may have a Roman Catholic wife shall be eligible to office in this order; and provided, further, should any state, district, or territorial council prefer the words "Roman Catholic" as a dis It shall have the power to form state, territorial, or district councils, and to grant dispensations for the formation of such bodies, when five subordinate councils shall have been put in operation in any state, territory, or district, and application made. It shall have the power to determine upon a mode of punishment in case of any dereliction of duty on the part of its members or officers. It shall have the power to adopt cabalistic characters for the purpose of writing or telegraphing. Said characters to be communi qualification to membership, in place of "Pro-cated to the presidents of the state councils, testant" as a qualification, they may so consider this constitution and govern their action accordingly. Sec. 2. There shall be an interval of three weeks between the conferring of the first and second degrees; and of three months between the conferring of the second and third degrees -provided, that this restriction shall not apply to those who may have received the second degree previous to the first day of December next; and provided, further, that the presidents of state, district, and territorial councils may grant dispensations for initiating in all the degrees, officers of new councils. Sec. 3. The national council shall hold its annual meetings on the first Tuesday in the month of June, at such place as may be de and by them to the presidents of the subordinate councils. It shall have the power to adopt any and every measure it may deem necessary to secure the success of the organization; provided, that nothing shall be done by the said national council in violation of the constitution; and provided further, that in all political matters, its members may be instructed by the state councils, and if so instructed, shall carry out such instructions of the state councils which they represent until overruled by a majority of the national council. Art. 4. The President shall always preside over the national council when present, and in his absence the Vice President shall preside, and in the absence of both the national signated by the national council at the pre-council shall appoint a president pro tempore; vious annual meeting, and it may adjourn from time to time. Special meetings may be called by the President, on the written request of five delegations representing five state councils; provided, that sixty days' notice shall be given to the state councils previous to said meeting. Sec. 4. The national council shall be composed of seven delegates from each state, to be chosen by the state councils; and each district or territory where a district or territorial council shall exist, shall be entitled to send two delegates, to be chosen from said council -provided, that in the nomination of candidates for President and Vice President of the United States, and each state shall be entitled to cast the same number of votes as they shall have members in both houses of Congress. In all sessions of the national council, thirty-two delegates, representing thirteen states, territories, or districts, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Sec. 5.--The national council shall be vested with the following powers and privileges : It shall be the head of the organization for the United States of North America, and shall fix and establish all signs, grips, passwords, and such other secret work, as may seem to it necessary. It shall have the power to decide all matters appertaining to national politics. It shall have the power to exact from the state councils, quarterly or annual statements as to the number of members under their ju and the presiding officers may at all times call a member to the chair, but such appointment shall not extend beyond one sitting of the national council. Art. 5, Sec 1. - The officers of the National Council shall be a President, Vice President, Chaplain, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and two Sentinels, with such other officers as the national council may see fit to appoint from time to time; and the secretaries and sentinels may receive such compensation as the national council shall determine. Sec. 2. The duties of the several officers created by this constitution shall be such as the work of this organization prescribes. Art. 6, Sec. 1.- All officers provided for by this constitution, except the sentinels, shall be elected annually by ballot. The president may appoint sentinels from time to time. Sec. 2. A majority of all the votes cast shall be requisite to an election for an office. Sec. 3. All officers and delegates of this council, and of all state, district, territorial, and subordinate councils, must be invested with all the degrees of this order. Sec. 4. All vacancies in the elective offices shall be filled by a vote of the national council, and only for the unexpired term of the said vacancy. Art. 7, Sec. 1.-The national council shall entertain and decide all cases of appeal, and it shall establish a form of appeal. Sec. 2. - The national council shall levy a 4 tax upon the state, district, or territorial councils, for the support of the national council, to be paid in such manner and at such times as the national council shall determine. Art. 8. This national council may alter and amend this constitution at its regular annual meeting in June next, by a vote of the majority of the whole number of the members present. (Cincinnati, Nov. 24, 1854.) RULES AND REGULATIONS. or summons adopted for public notification, except by direction of the president; or for officers of a council to post the same at any other time than from midnight to one hour before daybreak, and this rule shall be incorporated into the by-laws of the state, district, and territorial councils. (June, 1854.) Rule 7. The determination of the necessity and mode of issuing the posters for public notification shall be intrusted to the state, district, or territorial councils. (June, 1854.) Rule 8. The respective state, district, or territorial councils shall be required to make statements of the number of members within their respective limits, at the next meeting of this national council, and annually thereafter, at the regular annual meeting. (June, 1854.) Rule 9. The delegates to the National Council of the United States of North America shall be entitled to three dollars per day for their attendance upon the national council, and for each day that may be necessary in going and returning from the same; and five cents per mile for every mile they may necessarily travel in going to, and returning from Rule 1. Each state, district, or territory, in which there may exist five or more subordinate councils working under dispensations from the National Council of the United States of North America, or under regular dispensations from some state, district, or territory, are duly empowered to establish themselves into a state, district, or territorial council, and when so established, to form for themselves constitutions and by-laws for their government, in pursuance of, and in consonance with the Constitution of the National Council of the United States; provided, however, that all state, district or territorial constitutions shall be subject to the approval of the the place of meeting of the national council; National Council of the United States. (June, to be computed by the nearest mail route: 1854.) Rule 2.-All state, district, or territorial councils, when established, shall have full power and authority to establish all subordinate councils within their respective limits; and the constitutions and by-laws of all such subordinate councils must be approved by their respective state, district, or territorial councils. (June, 1854.) Rule 3.-All state, district, or territorial councils, when established and until the formation of constitutions, shall work under the constitution of the National Council of the United States. (June, 1854.) which shall be paid out of the treasury of the Rule 4. In all cases where, for the convenience of the organization, two state or territorial councils may be established, the two councils together shall be entitled to but thirteen delegates* in the National Council of the United States the proportioned number of delegates to depend on the number of members in the organizations; provided, that no a knowledge of the same to said officers state shall be allowed to have more than one 1854.) Rule 11. The following shall be the key to determine and ascertain the purport of any communication that may be addressed to the president of a state, district, or territorial council by the president of the national coun cil, who is hereby instructed to communicate 1 7 13 19 25 2 8 14 20 26 3 9 15 state council, without the consent of the Na- ABCDEFGHIJKLM tional Council of the United States. (June, NOPQRST U V W X Y Z Rule 5.-In any state, district, or territory, 21 4 10 16 22 5 11 17 23 6 12 18 24 where there may be more than one organiza- Rule 12. The clause of the article of the tion working on the same basis, (to wit, the constitution relative to belief in the Supreme lodges and "councils"), the same shall be required to combine the officers of each organization shall resign and new officers be elected; and thereafter these bodies shall be known as state councils, and subordinate councils, and new charters shall be granted to them by the national council. (June, 1854.) ; Rule 6. It shall be considered a penal offence for any brother not an officer of a subordinate council, to make use of the sign * NOTE.-See Constitution, Art. 3, Sec. 4, p. 5. Being is obligatory upon every state and subordinate council, as well as upon each individual member. (June, 1854.) Rule 13. The following shall be the compensation of the officers of this council: 1st. The corresponding secretary shall be paid two thousand dollars per annum, from the 17th day of June, 1854. 2d. The treasurer shall be paid five hundred dollars per annum, from the 17th day of June, 3d. The sentinels shall be paid five dollars for every day they may be in attendance on the sittings of the national council. 4th. The chaplain shall be paid one hundred dollars per annum, from the 17th day of June, 1854. 5th. The recording secretary shall be paid five hundred dollars per annum, from the 17th day of June, 1854. 6th. The assistant secretary shall be paid five dollars per day, for every day he may be in attendance on the sitting of the national council. All of which is to be paid out of the national treasury, on the draft of the president. (November, 1854.) SPECIAL VOTING. Vote 1st. This national council hereby grants to the state of Virginia two state councils, the one to be located in Eastern and the other in Western Virginia, the Blue Ridge Mountains being the geographical line between the two jurisdictions. (June, 1854.) Vote 2d. The president shall have power, till the next session of the national council, to grant dispensations for the formation of state, district, or territorial councils, in form most agreeable to his own discretion, upon proper application being made. (June, 1854.) Vote 3d. The seats of all delegates to and members of the present national council shall be vacated on the first Tuesday in June, 1855, at the hour of six o'clock in the forenoon; and the national council convening in annual session upon that day, shall be composed exclusively of delegates elected under and in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, as amended at the present session of this national council: provided, that this resolution shall not apply to the officers of the national council. (November, 1854.) Vote 4th. The corresponding secretary of this council is authorized to have printed the names of the delegates to this national council; also, those of the presidents of the several state, district, and territorial councils, together with their address, and to forward a copy of the same to each person named; and further, the corresponding secretaries of each state, district, and territory are requested to forward a copy of their several constitutions to each other. (November, 1854.) Vote 5th. In the publication of the constitution and the ritual, under the direction of the committee-brothers Deshler, Damrell, and Stephens-the name, signs, grips, and passwords of the order shall be indicated by [***], and a copy of the same shall be furnished to each state, district, and territorial council, and to each member of that body. (November, 1854.) Vote 6th. A copy of the constitution of each state, district, and territorial council, shall be submitted to this council for examination. (November, 1854.) Vote 7th. It shall be the duty of the treasurer, at each annual meeting of this body, to make a report of all moneys received or expended in the interval. (November, 1854.) Vote 8th.-Messrs. Gifford of Pa., Barker of N. Y., Deshler of N. J., Williamson of Va., and Stephens of Md., are appointed a committee to confer with similar committees that have been appointed for the purpose of consolidating the various American orders, with power to make the necessary arrangements for such consolidation-subject to the approval of this national council, at its next session. (November, 1854.) Vote 9th. On the receipt of the new ritual by the members of this national council who have received the third degree, they or any of them may, and they are hereby empowered to, confer the third degree upon members of this body in their respective states, districts, and territories, and upon the presidents and other officers of their state, district, and territorial councils. And further, the presidents of the state, district, and territorial councils shall in the first instance confer the third degree upon as many of the presidents and officers of their subordinate councils as can be assembled together in their respective localities; and after wards the same may conferred upon officers of other subordinate councils, by any presiding officer of a council who shall have previously received it under the provisions of the constitution. (November, 1854.) Vote 10th. To entitle any delegate to a seat in this national council, at its annual session in June next, he must present a properlyauthenticated certificate that he was duly elected as a delegate to the same, or appointed a substitute in accordance with the requirements of the constitutions of state, territorial, or district councils. And no delegate shall be received from any state, district, or territorial council which has not adopted the constitution and ritual of this national council. (November, 1854.) Vote 11th. The committee on printing the constitution and ritual is authorized to have a sufficient number of the same printed for the use of the order. And no state, district, or territorial council shall be allowed to reprint the same. (November, 1854.) Vote 12th. The right to establish all subordinate councils in any of the states, districts, and territories represented in this national council, shall be confined to the state, district, and territorial councils which they represent. (November, 1854.) CONSTITUTION FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF SUB ORDINATE COUNCILS. Art. I. Sec. 1. - Each subordinate council shall be composed of not less than thirteen members, all of whom shall have received all the degrees of the order, and shall be known and recognised as Council, No. —, of the of the county of, and State of North Carolina. Sec. 2. No person shall be a member of any subordinate council in this state, unless he possesses all the qualifications, and comes up to all the requirements laid down in the Sec. 3. No application for membership constitution of the national council, and whose or until their successors are elected and inwife (if he has one), is not a Roman Catholic. stalled. Sec. 2. The officers of each subordinate shall be received and acted on from a person council (except the sentinels, who shall be residing out of the state, or resides in a county appointed by the president), shall be elected where there is a council in existence, unless at the first regular meetings in January and Sec. 12. Each subordinate council may levy its own fees for initiation, to raise a fund to pay its dues to the state council, and to defray its own expenses. Each council may, also, at its discretion, initiate without charg- FORM OF CERTIFICATE FOR DELEGATES TO THE upon special cause to be stated to the council, to be judged of by the same; and such person, if the reasons be considered sufficient, may be initiated the same night he is proposed, provided he resides five miles or more from the place where the council is located. But no person can vote in any council, except the one of which he is a member. Sec. 4. Every person applying for membership, shall be voted for by ballot, in open council, if a ballot is requested by a single member. If one-third of the votes cast be against the applicant, he shall be rejected. If any applicant be rejected, he shall not be again proposed within six months thereafter. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent the initiation of applicants privately, by those empowered to do so, in localities where there are no councils within a convenient distance. Sec. 5. Any member of one subordinate council wishing to change his membership to another council, shall apply to the council to which he belongs, either in writing or orally through another member, and the question shall be decided by the council. If a majority are in favor of granting him an honorable dismission, he shall receive the same in writing, to be signed by the president and countersigned by the secretary. But until a member thus receiving an honorable dismission has actually been admitted to membership in another council, he shall be held subject to the discipline of the council from which he has received the dismission, to be dealt with by the same, for any violation of the requirements of the order. Before being received in the council, to which he wishes to transfer his membership, he shall present said certificate of honorable dismission, and shall be received as new members are. Sec. 6. Applications for the second degree shall not be received except in second degree councils, and voted on by second and third degree members only, and applications for the third degree shall be received in third degree councils, and voted on by third degree members only. Art. II. Each subordinate council shall fix on its own time and place for meeting: and shall meet at least once a month, but where not very inconvenient, it is recommended that they meet once a week Thirteen members shall form a quorum for the transaction of business. Special meetings may be called by the president, at any time, at the request of four members of the order. Art. III.-Sec. 1. The members of each subordinate council shall consist of a president, vice president, instructor, secretary, treasurer, marshal, inside and outside sentinel, and shall hold their offices for the term of six months, July, separately, and by ballot; and each shall receive a majority of all the votes cast to entitle him to an election. No member shall be elected to any office, unless he be present and signify his assent thereto at the time of his election. Any vacancy which may occur by death, resignation, or otherwise, shall be filled at the next meeting thereafter, in the manner and form above described. Sec. 3. The President. - It shall be the duty of the president of each subordinate council, to preside in the council, and enforce a due observance of the constitution and rules of the order, and a proper respect for the state council and the national council; to have sole and exclusive charge of the charter and the constitution and ritual of the order, which he must always have with him when his council is in session, to see that all officers perform their respective duties; to announce all ballotings to the council; to decide all questions of order; to give the casting vote in all cases of a tie; to convene special meetings when deemed expedient; to draw warrants on the treasurer for all sums, the payment of which is ordered by the council; and to perform such other duties as are demanded of him by the constitutions and ritual of the order. Sec. 4. The vice president of each subordinate council shall assist the president in the discharge of his duties, whilst his council is in session; and in his absence, shall perform all the duties of the president. Sec. 5. The instructor shall perform the duties of the president, in the absence of the president and vice president, and shall, under the direction of the president, perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the ritual. Sec. 6. The secretary shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the council. He shall write all communications, fill all notices, attest all warrants drawn by the president for the payment of money; he shall keep a correct roll of all the members of the council, together with their age, residence, and occupation, in the order in which they have been admitted; he shall, at the expiration of every three months, make out a report of all work done during that time, which report he shall forward to the secretary of the state council; and when superseded in his office shall deliver all books, papers, &c., in his hands, to his successor. Sec. 7. The treasurer shall hold all moneys raised exclusively for the use of the state council, which he shall pay over to the secretary of the state council at its regular sessions, or whenever called upon by the president of the state council. He shall receive all moneys for the use of the subordinate council, and pay all amounts drawn for on him, by the president of the subordinate council, if attested by the secretary. Sec. 8. The marshal shall perform such duties, under the direction of the president, as may be required of him by the ritual. Sec. 9. The inside sentinel shall have charge of the inner door, and act under the directions of the president. He shall admit no person, unless he can prove himself a member of this order, and of the same degree in which the council is opened, or by order of the president, or is satisfactorily vouched for. Sec. 10. The outside sentinel shall have charge of the outer door, and act in accordance with the orders of the president. He shall permit no person to enter the outer door unless he give the password of the degree in which the council is at work, or is properly vouched for. Sec. 11. The secretary, treasurer, and sentinels, shall receive such compensation as the subordinate councils may each conclude to allow. This is to certify that Brother, a member of- Council No.-, having made an application to change his membership from this council to that of Council, No. —, at, in the county of —, I do hereby declare, that said brother has received an honorable dismission from this council, and is hereby recommended for membership in Council, No. -, in the county of -, N. C.; provided, however, that until Brother has been admitted to membership in said council, he is to be considered subject to the discipline of this council, to be dealt with by the same for any violation of the requirements of the order. This the day of, 185-, and the year of American Independence. President, Council, No. ing the usual fee, those it considers unable to pay the same. Sec. 13. The president shall keep in his possession the constitution and ritual of the order. He shall not suffer the same to go out of his possession under any pretence whatever, unless in case of absence, when he may put them in the hands of the vice president or instructor, or whilst the council is in session, for the information of a member wishing to see it, for the purpose of initiation, or conferring of degrees. Art. IV. Each subordinate council shall have power to adopt such by-laws, rules, and regulations, for its own government, as it may think proper, not inconsistent with the constitutions of the national and state councils. To FORM OF APPLICATION FOR A CHARTER TO Post Office county, President of the State Council of North Carolina: We, the undersigned, members of the Third Degree, being desirous of extending the influence and usefulness of our organization, do hereby ask for a warrant of dispensation, instituting and organizing us as a subordinate branch of the order, under the jurisdiction of the State Council of the State of North Carolina, to be known and hailed as Council No. -, and to be located at, in the county of, State of North Carolina. And we do hereby pledge ourselves to be governed by the Constitution of the State Council of the State of North Carolina, and of the Grand Council of the U. S. N. A., and Secretary. STATE COUNCIL. Council, No. —, county of, N. С. were This is to certify that and at the regular meeting of this council, held on the, 185-, duly elected delegates to represent this council in the next annual meeting of the state council, to be held in-, on the 3d Monday in November next. And by virtue of the authority in me reposed, I do hereby declare the said -and- to be invested with all the rights, powers, and privileges of the delegates as aforesaid. This being the day of, 185-, and the - year of our national independence. Secretary. President of Council, No. |