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lAiaer.Geog.an-i Statir.Soc.
Report, 1861-

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Ameeican Geogeapiiical and
SxATistiCAL Society Kooms.
New Yoek, Oct. Zd, 1861.
At a meeting of the American Geographical find Sta
tistical Society held tliis evening, Arch'd Knssell, Esq.,
Vice-President, in the Chair —
The Hon. Luther Bradisli, Cliairman of a Select Com
mittee appointed at the last regular meeting of the So
ciety to prepare a Code of By-Laws for the government
of the Society, with instructions to report the same at this
meeting, presented the following

REPORT,

The American Geographical and Statistical Society,
at its stated meeting on the 6th of June, 1861, was pleased
to appoint the undersigned a Committee to revise its Code
of By-Laws, with instructions to report thereon to the
Society, at its meeting in October then next.
The Committee entered on a discharge of the duty
thus devolved upon them, fully sensible of its delicacy
and its difficulty. They have, therefore, given to the
whole subject referred to them, and to its several parts,
the most deliberate and careful attention; and while in

4 EEPOET OF THE
both they Jiave adopted material modifications, they
have yet endeavored, throughout, to preserve as much,
both in form and substance, of the original Code, as was
consistent with the supposed views and wishes of the
Society, and as accorded with the changes wliich time
and experience had suggested, and which, upon careful
consideration, appeared to the Committee desirable and
proper. Much of the obscurity in the existing Code appeared,
to your Committee, to arise from many of its provisions
being adopted at different times, and, of course, not placed
under their appropriate heads, but connected with other
provisions, to which they have no particular relation.
The Committee have not hesitated, therefore, to transfer
and arrange under their general subjects, all such provi
sions, thus aiming to produce a more clear and natural
classiiication of tlie several provisions of tlie Code, and a
more perfect digest of the whole. They have also ven
tured to omit what seemed to be surplus or useless, and
to supply palpable defects.
The change proposed in the organization of the Society,
it is believed, will be found, in practice, to promote both
efficiency and economy in the administration of its affairs.
The merging of the two offices of Foreign and Domestic
Corresponding Secretaries into one, is but returning to
the original provision of the Charter ; and, while it will
promote simplicity of organization, will not, it is believed,
impair either the efficiency, the interest, or the usefulness
of the Society's correspondence. The reduction in the
number of Councillors from twelve to five, will relieve
the unwieldiness of a too numerous executive body,
supersede the necessity of a classification of those and
other officers, and thus remove an embarrassing complica
tion ; while the annual election of all the officers of the
Society, with power to hold over until their successors
are elected, will greatly simplify the elections and terms
of office, and safely provide for the contingency of a

GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL SOCIETY. 0
failure of the annual election, which the Society is now
experiencing. This latter is also provided for in the con
tingent election authoi-ized by the first section of Chapter
VI. of the revised Code.
Tlie new provisions proposed for regulating the
debates of the Society, while they will not restrict unduly
the freedom of discussion, so desirable in a Society like
this, will, it is believed, be found in practice favorable to
an orderly and expeditious despatch of business.
The modified provisions in regard to the office of
Treasurer, it is confidently thought, will be found safe
and wise. In other similar institutions they have worked
well. They will relieve the Treasurer of an unnecessary
responsibility, and the Society of what, in the event of
the death, at any time, of an incumbent of the office,
miglit be an embarrassment.
As the modifications proposed by the Committee run
through the whole Code, instead of reporting merely
those modifications, the Committee have thought it more
favorable to an intelligent comprehension and just appre
ciation of the modifications, to embody them with the
text of the Code, showing tlieir relations and dependen
cies, and thus presenting the Code as a whole. The Com
mittee have, therefore, prepared a di'aft of the entire
Code, with the modifications proposed by them, incor
porated therein.
In the preparation of the Code in its present form, it
has been the aim and endeavor of the Committee to ren
der its several provisions clear, concise, aud practical;
and, as a whole, full and complete. How far they have
succeeded in this, and in the acconiplishraent of their
own intentions, they now leave to the enlightened judg
ment of their constituents.
The Committee, therefore, now respectfully sui)Mn't to
the Society, with this tlieir report, and as forming a part
of it, the Draft of the Code of By-Laws, as prepared by
them, and which, they humbly trust, will, if adopted,

6 EEPOET OP THE
promote the orderly, expeditiou,«, and economical admin
istration of tlie affairs of the Society.
All which is respectfully submitted,
L. BEADISH,
WIL COVENTRY H. WADDELL,
GEOEGE H. MOORE.
Oormnittee.
New Yoek, October 3, 1861.
After the reading of the Eeport, Mr. Bradish re-
mai-ked, that, by the instructions of the Committee, he
proposed the By-Laws now presented as an alteration or
amendment of the present By-Laws of the Society, in
accordance with Chapter XIV. of the same: that they
might be " entered on the minutes with the name of die
member proposing tlie same," and be considered " at a
subsequent regular meeting " of the Society.
Whereupon, on motion of Frank Moore, Esqr, it was
fiesolved : That the Report be accepted with the thanks
of tho Society for the able manner in which the Com
mittee had performed tlie duties imposed upon them ;
and that the Treasurer of the Society be, and lie is
hereby, instructed to cause a sufficient number of cop
ies of the whole Eeport, including the By-Laws as
submitted to the Society, to be printed for the use of
the members of the Society at its next stated meetino-
in November. A true extract from the minutes.
Wm. Coventry H. "VVaddell,
lieoording Seo. jjro Tevi.

g^mericait ^^ogra^|iral anir Statistical Soci^t^,

BY-LAWS.
REVISEU, 1861,

CHAPTEE I.
title.

The title of the Society is, " The American Geographi
cal and Statistical Society."
CHAPTEE II.
OBJECTS.
The objects of the Society are, " The collecting and
diffusing of geographical and statistical information."
CHAPTEE III.
MEMBERS.
The Society shall consist of Eesident, Non-Eesident,
Honorary, Corresponding, and Ex-officio members.
1. Eesident members are those residing in the City of
New York, or its vicinity.
2. Non-Eesident members are those residing at least
twenty-five miles distant from the city.
3. Honorary members shall be chosen on account of
their distinction in the science of Geography or Statistics,
and not more than twelve of them shall hereafter be
elected in any one year.

8 by-laws of the
4. Corresponding members shall be chosen from those
who have aided the advancement of Geography or Sta
tistics. 5. Ex-officio members to be foreign diplomatic repre
sentatives and consuls, resident in the United States ; and
United States diplomatic representatives and consuls in
foreign countries.
6. Eesident, Non-Resident, Corresponding, a»d Hon
orary members shall be elected as follows : all nomina
tions of candidates shall be openly made in writing at a
stated meeting of the Society, by a member thereof, and,
together with the name of the member making them,
entered on the minutes, and referred to the Council.
The persons thus nominated, when approved by the
Council and elected by the Society at a subsequent
btated meeting thereof, shall, on payment of the initiation
fee, if nominated as a Eesident or Non-Eesident member,
and without such payment if nominated as a Correspond
ing or Honorary member, become members of the Society
accordingly. 7. Persons entitled to become Ex-officio members of
the Society, shall, on the recommendation of the Council, •
be, by the Society, constituted and declared to be such
raembera 8. The name of any member of the Society may, on
the recommendation of the Council, and by a vote of
two-thirds of the members present at a stated meeting of
the Society, be dropped from the roll of its members.
CHAPTEE IV.
initiation fee and annual dues.
1. The initiation fee, including the dues for the cur
rent year, shall be, for a Eesident member, Ten Dollars ;
and for a Non-Eesident member. Five Dollars ; in both
cases to be paid immediately on election.
2. The Annual Dues thereafter shall be, for a Eesi
dent member. Five Dollars; and for a Non-Eesident

GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL SOCIETY. 9
member, Two Dollars and a Half; both to be paid in
advance. 3. Any member of the Society, not in arrears, may
commute for life all dues for membership, by the pay
ment atone time, if a Eesident member, of Fifty Dollars ;
and, if a Non-Eesident member. Twenty five Dollars.
4. The name of any Eesident or Non-Eesident mem
ber of the Society, neglecting for two successive years to
pay his annual dues, or at any time wholly refusing to
pay them, may, by the Council, be erased from the list
of members of the Society.
5. The Fiscal year of the Society shall, for all pur
poses, be the calendar year, that is, commence on the first
day of January, and end' with the thirty-first day of
December, in each year.
CHAPTEE V.
officees.
1. The officers of the Society shall be a President,
three Vice-Presidents, a Corresponding Secretary, a Ee-
cording Secretary, a Librarian, a Treasurer, and five
Councillors; and these officers together shall form the
Council of the Society.
2. The officers of the Society shall be chosen from
among its members ; they shall be elected annually by
ballot, and shall hold their offices respectively until others
are elected in their places.
3. On the adoption of these by-laws, the term of
office of all the present officers of the Society shall expire,
and a full board of officers of the Society shall then be
elected, who shall hold their offices respectively until the
next annual election of officers of the Society, and until
others are elected in their places.
4. AU officers of the Society, to be chosen at any
election, may be voted for on one ballot.

10 BY-LAWS OF THE
CHAPTEE VI.
ANNUAL MEETI.MG.
1. The annual meeting of the Society shall be held
on the first Thursday after the first day of May in each
and every year hereafter, when the annual electif)n of the
officers of the Society shall take place ; and if, from any
cause, there shall be a failure of the annual election at
the time above designated for that i)urpose, the same inay
be held on the Thursday next following, that is, on the
second Thursday after the first day of May in each year,
and of which due notice shall be given.
2. Every member of the Society, who has been such
for twenty days or more, and who is not in arrears for his
dues, shall be entitled to vote at the said election.
3. At the annual meeting of the Society, the Council
shall present a general report of its proceedings, and of
those of the Society during the past year ; and the Sec
retaries and Treasurer shall also present their annual
reports.
CHAPTEE VII.
MONTHLY AND SPECIAL MEETINGS.
1. The Society, unless otherwise specially ordered by
the Society or the Council, shall hold its stated meetings
for the transaction of business, on the first Thui-sday of
each month of the year, except July, August, and Sep
tember. 2. The President, or, in his absence, one of the Vice-
Presidents, may, and, upon the written request of five
members, shall call a special meeting of the Society, liy
giving three days' notice thereof in two daily newspapers,
published in the city of New York.
CHAPTEE VIII.
ORDER OP BUSINESS.
1. At all stated meetings of the Society, for the trans-

GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL SOCIETY. 11
action of ordinary business, the order of proceedings shall
be as follows :
1. Eeading of the minutes.
2. Eeports and Communications from officers of the
Society.
3. Eeports from the Council.
4. Eeports from Committees.
5. Nominations of Members.
6. Special Orders.
7. Unfinished Business.
8. Miscellaneous Business.
9. Papers read and Addresses delivered before the
Society.
2. All propositions presented for the action of the
Society, at any of its meetings, shall be in writing when
requested by the presiding officer, or auj member. A
proposition, thus presented, when seconded, aud the ques
tion thereon stated from the chair, shall be deemed to be
iu the possession of the Society, and open for discussion ;
but may be withdrawn by the mover, at any time before
amendment or decision. '
3. No member shall speak more than once upon the
same question until all the other members present desiring
to speak shall have spoken ; nor more than twice on any
question without leave of the Society'.
CHAPTEE IX.
QUORUM.
At all meetings of the Society, nine members present
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
CHAPTEE X.
COMMITTEES.
All Committees, authorized by the Society, shall, un
ess otherwise specially ordered, consist of three members
each, and be apiJointed by the presiding officer.

12 BY-LAWS OF THE
CHAPTEE XI.
PRESIDING OFFICEE.
At all meetings of the Society, on the arrival of the
appointed hour, and the presence of a quorum, the Presi
dent, or, in his absence, one of the Vice-Presidents, or, in
the absence of both, a Chairman pro iem., shall immedi
ately take the chair, call the meeting to order, and pre
side. He shall have only a casting vote. He shall pre
serve order, and decide all questions of order, subject to
an appeal to the Society. He shall, also, unless otherwise
specially ordered, appoint all Committees authorized by
the Society ; and, at every annual election, before the
opening of the polls, he shall appoint two Tellers of the
Election.
,, CHAPTEE XII.
SECRETARIES.
1. Corresponding Secretary. It shall be the duty of
the Corresponding Secretary to conduct the Society's gen
eral correspondence with individuals and associate bodies,
both in the United States and in foreign countries. He
shall keep, in suitable books to be provided for that pur
pose, at the Eooms of the Society, true copies of all letters
written by him on behalf of the Society, and shall pre
serve, on proper files, to be kept at the said Eooms, all
letters received. At the stated meetings of the Society
and of the Council, he shall report his correspondence,
and read such portions thereof as may be required.
2. The Society may designate a' particular officer, or
appoint a committee to prepare a letter or letters on any
special occasion.
3. Eecording Secretary. It shall be the duty of the
Eecording Secretary to give due notice of the time and
place of all meetings of the Society, and to attend the
same. He shall keep fair and accurate minutes of the
proceedings of the Society, and record the same, when

GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL SOCIETY. 13
approved, in tlie Society's Journal. He shall give imme
diate notice to the several officers and committees of the
Society, of all votes, orders, resolves, and proceedings of
the Society, affecting them, or appertaining to their re
spective duties. He shall prepai-e a list of the members
of the Society entitled to vote, to be handed to the Tellers
before the opening of the polls at each annual election.
He shall officially sign and affix the corporate seal of the
Society, to all diplomas, and other instruments or docu
ments authorized by the Society or Council. He shall
have charge of the Corporate Seal, Charter, By-Laws,
Eecords, and general archives of the Society, except so
far as they may be expressly placed under the charge of
others. He shall certify all Acts and proceedings of the
Society, and shall notify the Council of the death, resig
nation, or removal of any officer or member of the Society.
He shall have charge of the Eooms of the Society, and
shall perform all such other and further duties as may,
from time to time, be devolved upon him by the Society
or the Council. He shall receive, for his services, such
salary or pecuniary compensation as shall be determined
by the Society or the Council ; but neither in the Society
nor the Council, shall he have a vote on any question
relating to, or affecting his salary or pecuniary compen
sation. 4. All documents relating to the Society, and under
the charge of the Secretaries respectively, shall be placed
in such depositories in the Eooms of the Society as the
Council may provide and designate for that .purpose.
5. During a vacancy in the office of either the Cor
responding or Eecording Secretary, or in the absence or
disability of either of these officers, the duties of both
may be performed by the other Secretary.
CHAPTEE XIII.
LIBRARIAN,
The Librarian, together with the Council, shall have

14 BY-LAWS OF THE
the charge and arrangement of the Books, Maps, and
Collections belonging to the Society. He shall cause to
be kept in the Eooms of the Society, a Eegistry of all
Donations to the Library or Collections of the Society,
acknowledge their receipt by letter to the donors, and
report the same, in Avriting, to the Society, at its next
stated meeting.
CHAPTEE XIV.
TEEASUEER.
The Treasurer shall liave charge of, and safely keep
all contracts, certificates of stock, securities, and muni
ments of title belonging to the Society. He shall collect
the dues and keep the funds of the Society, and disburse
the same under the direction of the Council : and so
often as the said funds in the hands of the Treasurer shall
amount to one hundred dollars, he shall deposit the same,
in the name of the Society, in some incorporated Bank in
the City of New York, to be designated for that purpose,
by the Council ; and the said funds, thus deposited, shall be
drawn out of the said Bank on the check of the Treasurer,
countersigned by the Chairman of the Council, and only
for the legitimate and authorized purposes of the Society.
The Treasurer shall, previous to the annual meeting of
the Society, prepare and submit to the Council, for audit,
a detailed account of his receipts and disbursements for
account of the Society during the past year ; and which
annual account, duly audited, he shall present, with his
general report, to the Society, at its annual meeting.
CHAPTEE XV.
COUNCIL.
1. The Council shall have the management and control
of the affairs, property, and funds of the Society; and
shall designate an incorporated Bank in the City 6f New
York, where the said funds shall, from time to time as
they accrue, be deposited by the Treasurer.

GEOGEAPIIICAL AND STATIS'nCAL SOCIETY. 15
2. It may frame its own By-Laws not inconsistent
with the Charter or By-Laws of the Society.
3. It maj', from time to time, determine the salary or
pecuniary compensation of the Eecording Secretary ; and
shall also appoint the necessary agents, cloii-ks, and ser
vants of the Society, with such powers, duties, privileges,
and compensation, as it may, from time to time, deter
mine ; and may, at pleasure, revoke such appointments,
and make others in their stead.
4. It shall have power to fill, for the unexpired term,
any vacancy that may occur in any of the offices of the
Society. '
5. It shall have power, at its discretion, to declare
vacant the seat of any member of its own body (except
the President and Vice-Presidents) who shall have been
absent from its meetings for three successive months ;
and also, by a vote of a majority of the whole Council, to
remove, from its own body, any member thereof for
cause ; but in such case it shall be the duty of the Coun
cil to report every such vacancy or removal to the So
ciety, at its next stated meeting thereafter, when such
cases shall be subject to review by the Society.
6. It shall not, without an approving vote of the Society,
at a stated meeting thereof, make any contract whereby
a liability in amount above one thousand dollars, may be
incurred by the Society ; nor, without such vote, make
any sale or disposition of the property of the Society,
exceeding that sum in value.
7. The Council may, in its discretion, remit the initia
tion fee, or annual dues,- of any member of the Society.
8. No member of the Council, except the Eecording
Secretary, shall receive any salary or pecuniary compen
sation for his services.
9. The Council shall hold stated meetings for the
transaction of business, at least once in every month,
except the months of July, August, and September.
10. At all meetings of the Council, five members

16 BT-LAWS OF THE
present shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business.
CHAPTEE XVI.
•general provision as to DEBT.
No debt on account of the Society, beyond the funds
in the Treasury for its payment, shall, for any purpose,
at any time, be incurred : and if, at any time, it shall
appear that there are resting upon the Society, pecuniary
obligations beyond the funds in the Treasury for their
liquidation, no appropriation of funds from the treasury
whatever, except for the necessary current expenses of
the Society, shall be made, until the said pecuniary obli
gations shall be fully discharged, or the funds necessary
for their extinction shall have been set apart for that
purpose.
CHAPTEE XVII.
ALTERATION OF THE BY-LAWS.
No alteration in the By-Laws of the Society shall be
made unless openly proposed at a stated meeting of the
Society, entered on the minutes, with the name of the
member proposing the same, and adopted by the Society
at a subsequent stated meeting, by a vote of two-thirds of
the members present.
CHAPTEE XVIII.
ADOPTION OP THE BY-LAWS.
The foregoing are hereby adopted and declared to be
the By-Laws of the Society ; and all By-Laws of the So
ciety heretofore adopted, are hereby rescinded, and de
clared to be null and void.

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