A DISCOURSE PRONOUNCED AT THE CAPITOL OF THE UNITED STATES, In the Hall of Representatives, BEFORE THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, JANUARY 30, 1836, BY THE HON. LEWIS CASS, PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY. TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED ITS CONSTITUTION AND THE NAMES OF ITS OFFICERS. WASHINGTON: P. THOMPSON. 1836. WASHINGTON, February 2, 1836. SIR: We have the honor to present the enclosed Vote of Thanks, unanimously adopted by the American Historical Society, for the very able, learned, and eloquent Discourse delivered before the Society on the 30th ultimo, in the Hall of Representatives; and to ask of you a copy for publication. We have the honor to be, Your obedient servants, GEO. WATTERSTON, FRANCIS MARKOE, JUN., Committee. The Hon. LEWIS CASS, Secretary of War, and President of the American Historical Society. AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Tuesday, February 2, 1836. Resolved, That the Thanks of the Society be presented to the Hon. Lewis Cass, for his learned, able, and eloquent Discourse delivered before the Society in the Hall of the House of Representatives on the evening of Saturday last. Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to present to the Hon. Lewis Cass the Vote of Thanks of this Society, and to ask of him a copy of his Discourse for publication. Whereupon, Messrs. Watterston, Markoe, and Force were appointed a Committee for that purpose. A true extract from the minutes: HENRY M. MORFIT, Recording Secretary. WASHINGTON, February 10, 1836. GENTLEMEN: In compliance with your request, I place at your disposal a copy of the Address recently delivered before the American Historical Society. While I am duly sensible to the regard manifested by this application, and by the flattering terms in which your sentiments and those of the Society have been conveyed, I am yet aware that I owe to your kindness, and not to any value which the production possesses, the interest you have shown on this occasion. CONSTITUTION. 1. The Society shall be denominated "THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY." 2. The objects of the Society shall be to discover, procure, and preserve whatever may relate to the Natural, Civil, Literary, and Ecclesiastical History of America in general, and of the United States in particular. 3. The Society shall consist of resident, corresponding, and honorary members. The resident members shall be persons residing in the District of Columbia; the corresponding and honorary members shall be persons residing elsewhere. 4. The Officers of the Society shall be chosen, by ballot, from the resident members, on the fourth Thursday in October, annually, and shall consist of a President, First and Second Vice Presidents, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer, a Librarian, and a Standing Committee of nine members. 5. The Society shall meet quarterly, to wit: on the fourth Thursday in January, April, July, and October; but the President, or in his absence either of the Vice Presidents, may, on the request of any two members, call a special meeting. 6. Officers shall be elected, members admitted, and by-laws altered, only at a quarterly meeting. 7. All resident members shall pay, on admission, the sum of five dollars, and an additional sum of three dollars annually. 8. Resident members shall be admitted only at the quarterly meeting in January. 9. All members shall be chosen by ballot; nominations of members may be made by any member of the Society, but no member shall nominate more than one candidate at the same meeting, and all nominations shall be made at a quarterly meeting previous to that at which the ballot is to be taken. 10. For the election of members, as well as for making alterations in, or additions to the By-laws and Regulations of the Society, it shall be necessary that nine members be present, and that two-thirds vote in the affirmative; but for the transaction of other business, five members shall constitute a quorum. 11. At the request of any two members present, the ballot upon any nomination of a member, or the vote upon any motion, shall be deferred to another quarterly meeting, for further consideration, before it is finally acted on, and shall then be taken up. 12. The Constitution may be amended from time to time, as the Society shall deem proper; but a motion for an amendment shall not be received except at a quarterly meeting, nor unless a notice thereof shall have been given and entered on the journal at the last preceding quarterly meeting. |