RULES FOR THE SAINT ANDREW'S SOCIETY THE STATE OF NEW YORK 31 August 31 1785
At a regular Meeting of the St. Andrew's Society, held at the Coffee-House on Wednesday, the 31st day of August, 1785, the following BY-LAWS, as revised by a Committee appointed for that purpose, were unanimously approved, and established as the Rules by which the Society shall be hereafter governed, viz. I. The Society shall be called by the name of the St. Andrew's Society of the State of New York. II. That the affairs of the Society may be conducted with good order and economy, a President, one or more Vice-Presidents, four Assistants, a Chaplain, a Treasurer, and a Secretary, from amongst the resident members, shall be annually elected, by plurality of votes, on St. Andrew's day, previous to any other business. III. As the benevolent intentions of the Society can most effectually be accomplished by promoting a social intercourse and friendship amongst the Members thereof, the Society shall hold four stated quarterly meetings every year, viz. on the last days of February, May, August, and November, excepting when those days happen to be Sunday, when the meeting shall be held on the day next following; and the meeting on the last day of November, shall be called the ANNIVERSARY ASSEMBLY of the St. Andrew's Society. IV. If any of the Officers of the Society shall happen to die, resign or remove from the State, during the year for which they were elected, the members present at the stated meeting next after such death, resignation or removal, shall, by plurality of votes, elect others in their room for the remaining part of the year; and any member duly elected an officer, refusing to serve, shall forfeit five dollars to the fund, and another shall be immediately elected. V. The President shall appoint the place of meeting in the City of New York, every quarter, and shall direct the Secretary to give due notice thereof to the members; and every resident member who shall be absent from the Anniversary Assembly shall forfeit eight shillings, and from other stated meetings four shillings, unless for such reasons as a majority at the next subsequent meeting shall admit. VI. The Society shall dine together on the Anniversary of St. Andrew's day, and the Assistants shall give the necessary orders about the feast, and superintend upon the occasion as Stewards; and it is particularly recommended to the members, that they appear at the Anniversary Assembly with a St. Andrew's cross in their hats. VII. Voting for the admission of resident members shall be by ballot at stated meetings, and a majority shall decide; but none can be admitted but Scotsmen, or those descended from natives of Scotland. VIII. Resident members shall subscribe the rules, and pay a sum not less than twenty shillings as a donation; also five shillings quarterly to the fund. IX. All donations, benefactions, forfeitures, and quarterages, shall be paid to the Treasurer; who upon his election shall become bound in an obligation to the President, Vice President, and Secretary, for double the amount of the Society's stock to be put into his hands, with condition that he will render a just and true account thereof, with all improvements (unavoidable accidents excepted), and deliver the fame to his successor in office, or to such orders as shall be made for that purpose by a majority of the members present at any stated meeting; which bond shall be deposited in the hands of the President. X Charity being the object of the Institution, all the funds of the Society shall be improved to the best advantage for promoting that design; therefore, if at any time there shall happen to be more money in the hands of the Treasurer than the exigencies of the poor require, the fame shall be loaned out on interest, according to such order as a majority of members present at a stated meeting may make for the purpose. XI. The charity of the Society shall be granted in the following manner, viz. When any one shall apply, who by the constitution of the Society is entitled to relief, it shall be the duty of two or more of the Assistants to make careful enquiry about the circumstances of the applicant; and upon their recommendation, the President, or in his absence the Vice-President, shall have power to draw upon the Treasurer for the sum specified in such recommendation; and in the absence of the presiding officers, the order of a majority of the Assistants shall be a sufficient warrant for the Treasurer to pay for charitable uses, but none other. XII None but natives of Scotland, or those descended from them, are objects of the Society's bounty, nor shall more than the sum of five pounds be given to any one person at one time; nor more than eighty pounds in the whole during one year out of the Society's stock, until the same shall accumulate to a sum exceeding three hundred pounds; except in extraordinary cases which are submitted to the determination of a majority of members at a stated meeting. XIII. The Treasurer and Secretary shall provide books, and keep regular accounts of all transactions incident to their respective affairs, viz. The Treasurer of all sums of money received by him for the Society, and of his disbursements; and the Secretary shall keep a record of the names of members, of the By-Laws, and all the proceedings of the Society; which books shall be exhibited at stated meetings, and examined by a Committee, to be nominated and elected for that purpose on the last day of August annually; which Committee shall report to the Anniversary Assembly. XIV. It shall be the duty of the Assistants to solicit benefactions, but they must apply to none but Scotsmen by birth or descent; and such strangers as shall contribute a sum not less than twenty shillings, may, if they incline, have their names enrolled as honorary members of the Society. XV. A proper seal shall be provided for the use of the Society, with the Scotch arms and motto, to be kept by the President for the time being, and used as herein after directed. XVI. Resident and honorary members shall be furnished with a certificate of their admission, upon request; which certificate, being signed by the President and Secretary, shall be authenticated with the seal of the Society, and in the following words: THESE are to certify, that of was regularly admitted a Member of the St. Andrew's Society, of the State of New York, at a meeting of the Society, the Day of Anno Domini, 17 GIVEN under my Hand, and Seal of the Society, the Day and Year above written. President Secretary. XVII. The President, or if absent the Vice President, shall have power to call special meetings of the Society, upon giving three day's previous notice thereof, and upon such occasions, if three fourth parts of the number of members present consent, such meetings, shall have equal power to determine by vote, as they possess at stated meetings, and not otherwise; but in such cases, the names as they vote shall be duly recorded by the Secretary. XVII. Good order shall be observed in all proceedings of the Society. The President only shall be addressed while in the chair, who after debate shall state the question, and the majority of votes shall prevail, unless when by the rules it is otherwise prescribed. XIX. Members refusing to comply with the rules of the Society, shall be expelled. XX. The foregoing shall be deemed the fundamental Articles and Rules of the Society, and shall not be altered or abrogated otherwise than by the consent of two-thirds of the members present at an Anniversary Assembly, but any further regulations, not repugnant to the foregoing, may be made by a majority at any stated meeting. XXI. At all meetings of the Society, the Rules shall be read as soon as the President takes the Chair, previous to any motion or proceeding whatsoever. Source: Biographical Register of Saint Andrew's Society of the State of New York. Vol. I 1756-1806 In two parts. By: William M. MacBean, LL.D. Publisher: New York Printed for the Society Copyright: 1922 This edition is limited to Four Hundred Copies, of which this Copy is No.164. ______________________________________ Transcribed by Miriam Medina RETURN to SOCIETY Main RETURN to BROOKLYN MAIN