LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, REVISED AND REPORTED BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE, PURSUANT TO A VOTE OF THE SOCIETY, APRIL 25, 1833. CHAPTER I. ARTICLE 1. Each resident member shall pay eight dollars at the time of his admission, and two dollars annually, to create a fund, for the benefit of the institution. And any member shall be exempted from the annual payment of two dollars, provided he shall, at any time after six months from his admission, pay to the Treasurer thirty dollars, in addition to what he had before paid. ARTICLE 2. If any person elected shall neglect to pay his admission money for one year after being apprized of his election, the said election shall be considered void. And if any resident member shall neglect to pay his annual assessment for the space of three years after it shall have become due, and have been demanded, he shall forfeit his right to its privileges, and shall no longer be considered as a member thereof. Each member, at his election, shall be furnished with an attested copy of this article. The Treasurer shall report from time to time those members, who neglect to pay their admission or annual assessments as above required. ARTICLE 3. All elections shall be made by ballot. In balloting for members, and in taking any question by yeas and nays, the law and custom of our forefathers is adopted, - Indian corn and beans; - The corn to express yeas, the beans nays. Nominations of corresponding members may be made by the members of the Society; but no member shall nominate more than one candidate at the same meeting; and all nominations shall be made at a meeting previous to that at which the ballot is to be taken. ARTICLE 4. There shall be a stated meeting of the Society on the last Thursday of every month, except in Commencement week at Harvard University, when it shall be on the Tuesday next preceding; and occasional meetings shall be convened, on due notification by the President, or, in case of his absence, by one of the Secretaries, on the application of any two of the members. ARTICLE 5. There shall be annually chosen, at the meeting in April, a President, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer, a Librarian, - a Cabinet-Keeper, and a Standing Committee of five. ARTICLE 6. At the request of any two members present, any motion shall be deferred to another meeting, for further consideration, before it is finally determined, and shall then be taken up. ARTICLE 7. Five members present shall be a quorum for all purposes, excepting those of making alterations in, or additions to, the laws and regulations of this Society, and the election of members. ARTICLE 8. No alterations in, or additions to, the laws and regulations of this Society shall be made, unless there are eight members present; and no member shall be chosen, unless there are nine members present at the election, and unless two thirds of the members present vote for his admission. ARTICLE 9. Members who are chosen in other states and countries, shall not be required to make contribution with the members who are citizens of this Commonwealth. ARTICLE 10. The time and place of every meeting shall be published in one, at least, of the Boston newspapers; [and the Recording Secretary shall also send notifications of the same to every member, whose usual residence is within ten miles of Boston.] * ARTICLE 11. The Treasurer shall not pay any moneys, except in pursuance of a vote of the Society, or on the voucher of an officer or committee, under whose direction any expense may be incurred, conformably to the laws or orders of the Society. CHAPTER II. Laws regulating the Standing Committee. ARTICLE 1. All nominations of resident members shall be made by the President and Standing Committee, at one meeting, at least, previous to that at which the ballot is to be taken. ARTICLE 2. The Standing Committee shall regulate the common expenses of the Society, and make the necessary provision of such small articles as may be wanted, and shall have power to draw on the Treasurer to defray the expense. ARTICLE 3. They shall aid the Librarian and Cabinet-Keeper, when they shall require it, in the arrangement of the books, pamphlets, maps, and manuscripts, and in the disposition of curiosities and articles belonging to the Cabinet, and shall especially attend to the preservation and binding of books and pamphlets. * The clause in brackets was repealed in September, 1833. ARTICLE 4. They shall frequently inspect the records and inquire whether all the orders of the Society are carried into effect with precision and promptitude. The names of members in the records shall be in alphabetical order. ARTICLE 5. It shall be the duty of every member of the Society, and especially of the Standing Committee, to inquire for, and endeavour to obtain, on the best terms, for the benefit of the Society, manuscripts, books, and articles of curiosity. ARTICLE 6. They shall meet previous to each stated meeting of the Society and arrange and prepare such business as may be a subject for the Society's attention. The President shall notify to the Standing Commttee their stated meetings. CHAPTER III. Laws regulating the Library and Museum. ARTICLE 1. All books which are presented to the library shall be accepted with thanks, and also every curiosity for the museum. ARTICLE 2. American coins and curiosities shall be kept by themselves in the best part of the cabinet. ARTICLE 3. At every stated meeting, a catalogue of books, pamphlets, manuscripts, and maps, shall be produced by the Librarian, and a catalogue of the curiosities by the Cabinet-Keeper. ARTICLE 4. Once in every year, previous to the April meeting, the Standing Committee shall inspect the library and museum, and report the state of every article at that meeting, and what books are particularly wanted. ARTICLE 5. There shall be two keys to the Society's Room, one of which shall be kept by the Librarian, and the other by the Cabinet-Keeper, to be by them delivered to no person except one of the members. ARTICLE 6. No book shall be taken from the library, but with the knowledge of the Librarian, who shall make a record of the same. A member shall not have more than three books at a time, unless by special leave obtained by a vote of the Society. He shall not retain any volume longer than four weeks, but may renew the same once; after which the same person shall not have the same books for three months, unless by especial leave of the Standing Committee. Members living more than ten miles from Boston may renew their books without personal application. No manuscript shall be taken out of the library, but in the presence of the Librarian, and with permission from the Standing Committee. ARTICLE 7. The sixth article shall not prevent the Committee, chosen to superintend the publications of the Society, from taking out of the library, with the knowledge of the Librarian, as many books and papers as they may want. ARTICLE 8. Newspapers and maps shall not be allowed to be taken out of the library, except by the Publishing Committee and in the presence of the Librarian. ARTICLE 9. Fines for a breach of the sixth article shall be at the weekly rate of 10 cents for every book less than an octavo, 20 for an octavo, 30 for a quarto, and 40 for a folio. ARTICLE 10. An application in writing, left with the Librarian, shall secure any volume or set for a fortnight after it may be returned to the library; and if more than one such application be made, they shall be answered in the order of their respective dates. ARTICLE 11. If books or manuscripts be requested for public uses, or for the peculiar benefit of persons whom the Society is disposed to oblige, the application shall be made to the Librarian, through the medium of |