reflects upon the atrociousness of his Crime in regard to the Lands, unless he has a very complaisant conscience he will walk "humbly." Present my Love to your honored Father & Mother to your Brothers & Sisters, not omitting my grandaughter Elizabeth Gray. Adieu my child. God bless you.

H. GRAY.

LONDON, Octor 6, 1787.

66

DEAR GRANDSON, I have already wrote you by this opportunity to which I refer you, Since which your favour of the 11th August has come to hand. As I have suffered so much by the villainy of your State who have deprived me of all the property I had which came to their knowledge, for no other Crime than my obedience to those who were in lawful Authority, I am not much surprised that their example should be followed by the Town of Petersboro'. As they have settled a Gospel Minister upon my Lands, I hope in the Course of his preaching; he will give them a sermon upon this Text- Righteousness exalteth a Nation, but Sin is a reproach to any people." As you say the sale was fraudulent, I should have had no objection to your ejecting the Tenants provided it could be done at a reasonable expence, but the enormous Sum of one hundred & fifty pounds is too large a sum to sport with to recover the Sum of three or four hundred pounds when the Event of the Action is uncertain. I therefore decline a legal Investigation however my child I herewith inclose you the necessary papers. If you can amicably compound the matter with the Town, I have no objection, but if they refuse, and you think it worth while, you may commence a suit at your own expence and if you are so fortunate as to recover Judgment, I do hereby give you a quit claim to the premises. You have herewith inclosed a schedule of the notes of hand and Bonds which I have sometime since sent my Brother you will consult with him upon them. I need not urge your Exertion to serve me. I shall say nothing upon politicks excepting my hearty wish that it was with you as in times past when you was the happiest people under Heaven.

God bless you my Child,

PS my Love to your Brother George and tell him I shall not write a

promisory Note over his name.

direct my letters to be left at the new England coffeehouse London

H. GRAY.

Remarks were made during the meeting by the senior VICE-PRESIDENT, GRENVILLE H. NORCROSS, and JAMES FORD RHODES.

A new serial of the Proceedings, for January, February, and March, was ready for distribution at this meeting.

1 Judge James Otis (1702-1778), father of James Otis (1725-1783) and S. A. Otis.

BY-LAWS

OF THE

MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY,

REVISED AND ADOPTED, APRIL 9, 1908.

CHAPTER I.

OF MEMBERS.

ARTICLE 1.- Membership in the Society shall be of three classes: Resident, Corresponding, and Honorary.

Resident Members shall be elected from among citizens of Massachusetts who habitually reside some considerable part of each year within this Commonwealth, and they shall cease to be members if they remove from the State; provided, however, that temporary or official absence shall not operate as a forfeiture of membership. Resident Members alone are entitled to vote or to take part in the business of the Society.

Corresponding Members shall be elected from among residents in other States or countries, and their membership shall cease if they become permanent residents within this Commonwealth. The number of Corresponding Members shall never exceed fifty.

Honorary Members shall be elected from among residents in other States or countries, who, in the judgment of the Society, have conducted researches of exceptional importance in the field of history and have produced works of widely recognized excellence. The number of Honorary Members shall never exceed ten.

ART. 2. A book shall be kept by the Recording Secretary, in which any Resident Member of the Society may enter the names of persons whom he may regard as suitable to be nominated as Resident, Corresponding, or Honorary Members. It is understood that each member is bound in honor not to make known outside of the Society the name of any person either proposed or nominated. No nomination of any member shall

be made except by a report of the Council at a stated meeting of the Society, nor be acted upon at the same meeting to which it is reported; nor shall more than one nomination for membership, of the same class, be reported or acted upon at any one meeting.

ART. 3. Before any nomination to membership is acted upon a brief statement shall be made as to the residence and qualifications of the person nominated.

ART. 4. The name of a Corresponding Member may be transferred from the list of Corresponding Members to that of Honorary Members by unanimous vote at any meeting of the Society subsequent to that at which notice of such proposed change is given. In case objection is made, the election of such person as an Honorary Member shall be effected only in accordance with the provisions of Articles 2 and 5 of this Chapter.

ART. 5. In the election of members, which shall be by secret vote, the law and custom of our forefathers shall be observed, by taking the question with Indian corn and beans; the corn expressing yeas, and the beans nays. But no election shall be valid unless at least twenty votes are cast, and three-fourths of them are in the affirmative. Unless the person elected, having been duly notified by the Corresponding Secretary in writing, shall signify his acceptance in writing within six months, his election shall be void.

ART. 6.- No entrance fee or annual payment shall be required of Corresponding or Honorary Members; nor of Resident Members unless by special vote of the Society.

ART. 7. Each member shall be entitled to receive without charge a copy of all the regular publications of the Society, issued after his election.

ART. 8. Diplomas signed by the President, and countersigned by the two Secretaries, shall be issued to all persons who shall become members of the Society.

CHAPTER II.

OF MEETINGS.

ART. 1.-The Annual Meeting of the Society shall be held on the second Thursday of April, and there shall be a regular meeting on the second Thursday of every month, except July,

August, and September, at three o'clock in the afternoon, at its rooms in Boston. But the Council may, at their discretion, cause any regular meeting to be postponed or omitted, or to be held in some other place. Special meetings shall be called by the President, or, in case of his absence or inability, by one of the Vice-Presidents or by the Council.

ART. 2. At regular meetings of the Society, the order of business shall be as follows:

1. Reading the record of the preceding meeting.

2. Report of the Librarian.

3. Report of the Cabinet-Keeper.

4. Communications received by the Corresponding Secretary. 5. Unfinished business, and business assigned at the last meeting.

6. Report of the Council.

7. Reports of committees.

8. Such matters of business as may be proposed by any member.

9. Communications by members of the Society on any subject having relation to the purposes of the Society. For the orderly accomplishment of this object, the Society shall be divided alphabetically into three sections, as nearly equal in numbers as may be, each of which in turn shall have precedence in making communications; and the Recording Secretary, in his notification of each regular meeting, shall state which section is entitled to such precedence.

ART. 3. Fifteen members shall be a quorum for all purposes except for the election of members, and for alterations of these By-Laws.

ART. 4. At the request of two members present, any subject proposed for discussion shall be at once deferred to a subsequent meeting.

ART. 5. All committees shall be appointed by the President, unless otherwise ordered.

CHAPTER III.

OF OFFICERS.

The officers of the Society shall be a President, who shall be, ex officio, Chairman of the Council; two Vice-Presidents; a Recording Secretary, who shall also be, ex officio, Secretary