•x'^ ''^z. -^r-'v' •' •''"H -. / -rj

F 576 /\3

UC-NRLF

$B 726 ISM

^mmm^^^^

THE CHARTER

REVISED STATUTES,

RELATING TO THE

statf)hisiorical society

OF /WISCONSIN

-ALSO-

HE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

OF THE SOCIETY.

i^*

^vA^A^aVX^

MADISON, WIS.:

DEMOCRAT PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS.

1884.

'^1

\j\j\susr^.if^

. (^XoJZ ^StoLuOL?! aoC^jtMT.

\s

THE CHARTER

AND

REVISED STATUTES,

RELATING TO THE

STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

OF WISCONSIN.

ALSO

THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

OF THE SOCIETY

MADISON, WIS.:

DEMOCRAT PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS.

1884.

f 57fe f\3

AN ACT

TO INCORPORATE THE

State Historical Society of Wisconsin,

The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows :

Section l. That Leonard J. Farwell, Mason C. Darling^ Wm. R, Smith, Charles Lord, I. A. Lapham, Wm. H. Watson, Cyrus Woodman, James D. Doty, Morgan L. Martin, Lyman C. Draper. Samuel Marshall, John W. Hunt, Albert C. Ingham and 0. M. Conover, and their present and future associates and their successors, be and they are hereby constituted and created a body politic and corporate, by the name of "The State Historical Society of Wis- consin," and by that name shall have perpetual succession with all the faculties and liabilities of a corporation; may sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, defend and be defended in all courts and places; and for the purposes of its institution, may do all such acts as are performed by natural persons.

Section 2. The object of the Society shall be to collect^ embody, arrange and preserve in authentic form, a library of books, pamphlets, maps, charts, manuscripts, papers, paintings, statuary, and other materials illustrative of the history of the State; to rescue from oblivion the memory of its early pioneers, and to obtain and preserve narratives of their exploits, perils and hardy adventures; to exhibit faith- fully the antiquities, and the past and present condition, and resources of Wisconsin, and may take proper steps to pro-

j^ 8345 '

itk)te t}ie''stud5'^x>f*history by lectures, and to diffuse and .publish information relating to the description and history of the State.

Section 3. Said Society may have and use, and at discre- tion change, a common seal; may ordain and enforce a constitution, by-laws, rules and regulations, and elect such officers as the constitution or by-laws may prescribe: _pro- vided, such constitution, by-laws, rules and regulations be not inconsistent with this act, or the law or Constitution of this State, or of the United States.

Section 4. Said Society may receive, hold, purchase and enjoy books, papers and other articles forming its library and collections to any extent; and may acquire and hold, and at pleasure alienate, any other personal and real estate, and may acquire the same by devise, or bequest, or other- wise, not exceeding ten thousand dollars in value, but all its funds shall ever be faithfully appropriated to promote the objects of this formation.

Section 5. The incorporators, or a majority of them, with their associates, shall meet upon the notice of the pres- ent Eecording Secretary of the Society, within thirty days after the passage of this act, and upon accepting the same may, if they or a majority of them deem proper, re-organize their present association in accordance with the provisions of this charter.

Approved March 4, 1853.

EEVISED STATUTES.

Section 374. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin, organized under an act of the Legislature, approved on the fourth day of March, in the year one thousand eight hun- dred and fifty-three, shall continue to possess the powers and privileges thereby conferred, subject to the limitations of this chapter, and such laws as shall hereafter be enacted, and its acceptance of the benefits herein granted and renewed shall be conclusively deemed its complete acquies-

cence therein. Said Society shall be the trustee of the State: and as such, shall faithfully expend and apply all money received from the State to the uses and purposes directed by law, and shall hold all its present and future collections and property for the State, and shall not sell, mortgage, transfer or dispose of, in any manner, or remove from the capitol, any article thereof, or part of the same, without authority of law or the consent of the Legislature: p7^ovided, this shall not prevent the sale or exchange of any duplicates- that the Society may have or obtain. There shall continue to be an Executive Committee of said Society, constituted with substantially the same powers as the present, of which the Governor, Secretary of State and State Treasurer shalli, be ex-officio members, and take care that the interests of the State are protected.

Section 375. The said Society shall have a Correspond- ing Secretary and a Librarian; and may employ an Assist- ant Librarian at an expense not exceeding seventy-five dollars a month, to be certified by the Corresponding Secre- tary and Librarian, and paid out of the State Treasury. The State Printer shall bind in half -calf binding, the British Patent Reports, and, in suitable binding, all newspaper files which the Society shall hereafter receive, under direction of the Library Committee, when approved by the Governor;, and said printer shall print such circulars and labels as the Corresponding Secretary may require. The Secretary of State is directed to audit the same, and for these purposes a sufficient amount is hereby appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

Section 376. It shall be the duty of said Society:

1. To collect books, maps, charts, and other papers and materials, illustrative of the history of this State in particu- lar, and of the West generally.

2. To procure from the early pioneers, narratives of their exploits, perils and adventures.

3. To procure facts and statements relative to the history, progress and decay of our Indian tribes, so as to exhibit

6

faithfully the antiquities and the past and present resources and conditions of this State.

4. To purchase books to supply deficiencies in the several departments of its collections, and especially reports on the legislation of other States, on railroads and geological sur- veys, and of educational and humane institutions, for legis- lative reference; and such other books, maps, charts and materials as will facilitate the investigation of historical, scientific and literary subjects.

5. To bind the unbound books, documents, manuscripts, pamphlets, and especially newspaper files, containing legal notices, in its possession.

6. To thoroughly catalogue the entire collections of said Society for the more convenient reference of all persons who have occasion to consult the same.

7. To tri-ennially prepare for publication a Eeport of its Collections, and such other matters relating to the transac- tions of the Society as may be useful to the public.

8. To keep its rooms open at all reasonable hours on busi- ness days for the reception of the citizens of this State, who may wish to visit the same, without fee. And for the pur- pose of aiding in the performance of said duties, there is hereby annually appropriated to said Society, out of the State Treasury, five thousand dollars. The Executive Com- mittee of said Society shall keep a correct account of the manner of expenditure of the money hereby appropriated, and report annually to the Governor a detailed statement of such expenditures.

Section 3i0. Two thousand copies of the Reports of the State Historical Society shall be printed by the State Printer, not oftener than once in three years, commencing in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine. Such reports shall be printed on the best quality of book paper, weighing not less than fifty pounds to the ream, and bound in cloth and properly lettered, for the use of the Society in •effecting its literary exchanges. The matter for such publi- .cation shall be subject to the approval of the Commission-

•ers of Public Printing and the Publication Comnaittee of the State Historical Society; and no volume of such Keports shall contain over five hundred pages of printed matter. There shall also be printed, not oftener than once in three years, commencing in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy eight, fifteen hundred copies of the supple- mental Catalogues of the Library of said Society, on the same quality of paper as the Eeporfcs of said Society are printed, which shall be bound in muslin, uniformly with the Collections.

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

ARTICLE I.

This Association shall be styled the " State Historical Society of Wisconsin." The object of the Society shall be to collect, embody, arrange, and preserve, a library of books, pamj)hlets, maps, charts, manuscripts, papers, paintings, statuary, and other materials illustrative of the history of the State; to rescue from oblivion the memory of its early pioneers, and to obtain and preserve narratives of their exploits, perils, and hardy adventures; to exhibit faithfully the antiquities, and the past and present condition and re- sources of Wisconsin, and may take proper steps to promote the study of history by lectures, and to publish and dif- fuse information relative to the description and history of the State.

ARTICLE II.

This Society shall consist of active, life, honorary, and corresponding members, who may be chosen by the Execu- tive Committee of the Society, at any regular or special meeting, except at their meeting next preceding the annual meeting of the Society; the active members to consist of citizens of the State, by the payment of two dollars annually; the life members by the payment at one time of twenty dollars; the honorary and corresponding members, who shall be exempt from fee or taxation, shall be chosen

9

from persons in any part of the world, distingnished for their literary or scientific attainments, and known especially as friends and promoters of American history.

ARTICLE III.

The Officers of the Society shall be chosen by ballot, and shall consist of a President, sixteen Vice-Presidents, and twelve Honorary Vice-Presidents, not residents of Wiscon- sin, to hold office the same as the President and other Vice- Presidents, a Corresponding Secretary, a Recording Secretary, a Treasurer, a Librarian, and thirty Curators, who shall form the Executive Committee, any number of whom, not less than five, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. All said officers shall be chosen at a regularly called annual meeting of the Society, and shall hold their offices for three years, and until their successors be duly chosen; except that the Curators shall be divided into three classes, one class to go out of office each year; so that im- mediately after the annual election in January, 1S6C>, lots §hall be drawn for the three classes, to hold their respective offices one, two, and three years; and at each subsequent annual election the class chosen shall hold their offices for three years. But in case any member of the Executive Committee, except the President and Vice-Presidents, who may be absent from four successive regular or special meet- ings of the Committee, unless detained by sickness or absence from Madison, may be deemed to have forfeited their respective offices; and shall, if so declared, be ineligible to office for the next succeeding term. And in addition to these elective offices, all donations of money or property by citizens of Wisconsin, or of any State or Territory of the United States, if accepted by the Executive Committee to the amount or value of five hundred dollars, shall constitute such donors Life-Directors of the Society, and consequently members of the Executive Committee during their natural lives; but such Life- Directors shall never exceed in number^ the regularly elected members of the Executive Committee;

10

and all moneys from Life-Directorships, or from donations, or bequests, unless specifically directed by such Life-Direct- ors, donors, or devisors, to be invested to the best advantage, and the accruing interest only used, shall be employed in such manner, for the benefit of the Society, as the Executive Committee may direct.

ARTICLE IV.

The annual meeting of the Society shall be held at such time and place, in the month of January, as the Executive Committee shall designate; and those members, not less than ten, who meet at any annual or special meeting of the Society, upon the call of the Executive Committee, shall be .^ quorum for the transaction of business.

ARTICLE Y.

The President, or in his absence, one of the Vice-Presi- dents, or in their absence, any member of the Society selected on the occasion, shall preside at the annual or any special meeting of the Society. Such presiding officer shall preserve order, regulate the order of proceedings, and give a •casting vote whenever the same is required.

ARTICLE VI.

The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct the corre- spondence of the Society; he shall preserve for the Society the official communications addressed to him, and keep copies of important official letters written by him; he shall collect, or cause to be collected, moneys due to the Society, and pay the same to the Treasurer; he shall give notice of the meetings of the Society and of the Executive Com- mittee; he shall edit and supervise, under the direction of the Publication Committee, the publications of the Society, direct the literary exchanges, and shall write out and cause to be published, in one or more of the Madison papers, the proceedings, or a synopsis thereof, of the meetings of the Society and Executive Committee.

11

ARTICLE VII.

The Recording Secretary shall preserve a full and correct record of the proceedings of all the meetings of the Society and Executive Committee, to be entered on his book in chronological order. These records shall always be open for the inspection of any member of the Society.

ARTICLE VIII.

The Treasurer shall receive and have charge of all dues, and donations, and bequests of money, and all funds what- soever of the Society, and shall pay such sums as the Execu- tive Committee may from time to time direct, on the war- rant of the chairman of said Committee; and he shall make an annual report of the pecuniar}^ transactions and accounts of the Society, and also exhibit a statement, of the funds and property of the Society in his hands, at any stated or special meeting when thereto required.

ARTICLE IX.

The Librarian shall have charge of the books, manuscripts, and other collections of the Society; he shall keep a cata- logue of the same, together with all additions made during his official term; in case of donations, he shall specify in his record the name of the book, manuscript or article donated, with the name of the donor and date of the gift; he shall make an annual report of the condition of the Library and respond to all calls which may be made on him touching the same, at any annual or special meeting of the Society, or at any meeting of the Executive Committee, and in the absence or inability of either of the Secretaries, or at their request, he shall act as Assistant Secretary.

ARTICLE X.

The Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and Librarian, shall give satisfactory bonds, in such sum as the Executive

12

Committee may deem proper, for the faithful performance of their respective duties, and for the faithful preservation of the property of every kind belonging to the Society; and such bonds shall be filed among the papers of the Society.

ARTICLE XL

The Executive Committee, in the absence of the Presi- dent and Vice-Presidents, may select a chairman from their number. They shall meet for business on the first Tuesday evening in the months of March, June, September, and De- cember, of each year, except when they see proper to ad- journ for a longer period; may meet on special occasions upon the call of any three members of the Committee; shall supervise and direct the financial and business concerns of the Society; may augment the Library, Cabinet, and Gal- lery, by purchase or otherwise; may make arrangements for a single lecture, or a course of lectures, for promoting historical knowledge, and increasing the pecuniary resources of the association. They shall have power to fill any vacan- cies occurring in their number. They shall audit and adjust all accounts of the Society. They may call special meeti^igs when necessary; appoint the annual orator; make suitable arrangements for the delivery of the annual address; use their discretion as to the publication of any communications, collections, transactions, annual or other addresses, or other written matters of the Society; and they shall annually make a full report of their transactions, accompanied by such suggestions as may seem to them appropriate, and worthy attention.

ARTICLE XII.

The Corresponding Secretary is hereby authorized and directed to cause the bills for the annual dues of active members to be made out and sent to the address of such members, on or before the drst day of June of each year, with a copy of this article, and if the amount of such dues is not paid to the Treasurer of this Society, on or before the

13

first day of December following of said year, those mem- bers in arrears shall be deemed to have forfeited their mem- bership, and their names stricken from the roll of members: and no person who may thus have lost his membership, shall be re-elected to the same without full payment of his arrears.

ARTICLE XIII.

The Executive Committee may adopt By-Laws for their own government and guidance, not inconsistent with this constitution.

ARTICLE XIY.

This constitution may be amended at any annual meet- ing of the Society: jyrovided^ that the proposed amend- ments shall have been reduced to writing, and entered on the minutes of the Society at least three months previous to a vote being taken on the same; and provided^ a/so, that two- thirds of the members present shall concur in the adop- tion of the amendment or amendments proposed.

BY-LAWS

OF THE

State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

Section 1. The annual meeting of the Society for the election of officers, shall be held at the rooms of the Society in the State Capitol, on the first Thursday of January in each year, at half -past seven o'clock P. M., except when the first of January falls on that day, the annual meeting shall be held on the following evening. If from any cause the annual meeting shall not take place at the time above pro- vided, then it may be held at such time thereafter, as the President, or a Vice-President and the Corresponding Secre- tary shall appoint. The President may call special meetings of the Society, and shall do so on written application of five members of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. At the annual meeting, and meetings of the Executive Committee, the following shall be the order of business:

1st. Reading and approval of the minutes;

2d. Presentation of letters and other communications, and action thereon ;

3d. Reports of officers;

4th. Reports of committees;

5th. Election of officers and filling vacancies;

6th. Miscellaneous business.

Section 3. Upon the adoption of these By-Laws, and at each annual meeting thereafter, the following Standing Committees shall be appointed by the chair, to consist of

15

five members each, except that the State Officers, who are ex officio members of the Committee, and Printing Com- missioners, shall be added to the committees on Library, and Printing and Publication, viz. :

On Library,

On Finance,

On Auditing Accounts,

On Printing and Publication,

On Endowments and Contributions,

On Literary Exchanges,

On Art Gallery and Cabinet,

On Natural History,

On Historical Narratives, Lectures and Essays,

On Nomination of Members,

On Pre-historic Antiquities, and Indian History,

On Obituaries. The Executive Committee may also appoint such special committees as the interests of the Society may require.

Section 4. The Corresponding Secretary shall give bonds to the Society for the faithful performance of the duties of his office, and the proper disbursement of all funds that shall come into his hands as such Secretary, in such sum as the Executive Committee may from time to time order and direct, and with such sureties as the Committee on Finance shall approve: provided, that until otherwise ordered, such bonds shall be for the sum of five thousand dollars. He shall convene the Auditing Committee, at least one day pre- ceding the annual meeting, and submit the accounts and vouchers, for the disbursements of the past year, for exam- ination and approval. He shall from time to time draw on the Treasurer for such sums of money as he may require to pay the current expenses of the Society. He may call special meetings of the Executive Committee.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall give a bond to the Society for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office, and the proper accounting for all moneys and securities that may come into his hands as such Treasurer, in such sum as the

16

Executive Committee may from time to time order or direct, and with such sureties as the Committee on Finance shall approve: provided, that until otherwise ordered, such bond shall be for the sum of ten thousand dollars. He shall at each annual meeting of the Society, and oftener if re- quested by the Executive Committee, make a detailed report of all financial transactions, giving the names of the parties to whom any funds are loaned, the amount of each loan, the nature and value of the securities held therefor, and the time when the same will become due and payable. He shall make no loans of the funds of the Society, except as hereinafter provided; and at the expiration of his term of •office, he shall deliver over all funds and securities in his hands, to his successor in office. He shall pay the drafts of th3 Corresponding Sacretary for current expenses, and such other drafts as the Executive Committee may author- ize and direct.

Section 6. The Librarian shall give bonds to the Society for the faithful performance of the duties of his office, in such sum as the Executive Committee may from time to time order and direct; and with such sureties as the Com- mittee on Finance shall approve : provided, that until other- wise ordered, such bonds shall be for the sum of one thousand dollars.

Section 7. The Recording Secretary, in addition to the requirements of article 7 of the Constitution, shall file and preserve in his office the bonds of the Corresponding Sec - retary. Treasurer and Librarian, together with such other documents, books and papers as properly pertain to his office. He shall make a list of every committee appointed, iind deliver the same to the chairman thereof.

Section 8. The committee on the Library shall attend to, and note the wants and requirements of the Library, and see that the Rules and Regulations adopted by the Execu- tive Committee for the government of the same, are prop- erly observed and carried into effect. A majority of the C5ommittee, including at least two of the State Officers, who

IT

are ex-officio members of the Executive Committee, are au - thorized to examine, approve and order the purchase of such books or other property pertaining to the Library, Art Gal- lery and Cabinet, as the Corresponding Secretary and Libra- rian may propose. Said committee shall from time to time make reports with such recommendations as may appear necessary or proper for the better management of the prop- erty and affairs of the Library.

Section 9. The Auditing Committee shall at least one day before the annual meeting, and oftener if they shall deem it advisable, meet and examine all the accounts and vouchers for the disbursements of the Society and its offi- cers, and shall audit and allow such accounts and expendi- tures as shall appear to be reasonable and proper, and report their doings to the Executive Committee, or to the annual meeting, for consideration and approval.

Section 10. The Committee on Finance shall have a general supervision over the financial and monetary affairs of the Society. It shall pay particular attention to the management of the Binding Fund, and any other fund that may at any time belong to the Society, designed to be loaned for its benefit. The Committee shall advise with, and assist the Treasurer, in making loans, and investing the funds in his hands; and shall have authority to direct and enforce the collection of past due loans, and shall see that such col- lections are made, when the best interest of the Society shall require the same.

Section 11. The money in the Treasury belonging to the Binding Fund, and all additions that may hereafter be made to the same, shall constitute a perpetual fund to be known as the Binding Fund; the principal of which shall never be used for any purpose; but shall be invested or loaned by the Treasurer as close as practicable, and at the best rate of in- terest that can be obtained, from responsible parties upon good security; but no loans shall be made from said Fund by the Treasurer, except with the consent and approval of at least two members of the Committee on Finance. The

18

interest arising from said Fund shall annually be added to and become part of the principal, until the principal shall amount to the sum of twenty thousand dollars, and there- after so much of such income as the Executive Committee shall deem proper, may be appropriated for binding purposes, and any remainder not so appropriated shall annually be added to the principal of said Fund. All moneys received by the Society from membership dues, donations, and sale of duplicates, shall be added to the Bindins: Fund.

Section 12. All loans of the binding fund shall be se- cured by a fi^st mortgage on real estate, a written applica- tion to the treasurer first being made, describing the property offered as security, which shall be approved as pro- vided in section 11 of the by-laws, and the title to such real estate shall be ascertained in such manner as the commit- tee may determine. Investments of said fund may be made in national, state or corporate securities, at the discretion of the committee on finance.

Section 13. The treasurer shall, quarter-yearly, and oftener if required, report to the committee on finance, the true condition of said fund, and state the amount of money in his hands subject to loan or investment. The treasurer is hereby authorized, and it shall be his duty to satisfy and discharge of record any mortgage held by the Society, whenever the full amount of money secured thereby, shall have been paid to him.

rampmet

Binder

Gaylord Bros.. Inc.

Stockton, Calif.

T.M. Reg. U.S.Pat. Off.

M8.'?45 p5^^ A3

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY

i-^.

.^'^^