CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS,

WITH LIST OF MEMBERS.

NAME OF THE SOCIETY.

The society shall be known as the Nebraska State Historical Society.

OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY.

1. The general object of this society shall be to encourage historical research and enquiry, spread historical information, especially within the state of Nebraska, and to embrace alike aboriginal and modern history.

2. The particular objects of this society shall be: First, The establishment of a library of books and publications appropriate to such an institution, with convenient works of reference, and also a cabinet of antiquities, relics, etc.; Second, The collection into a safe and permanent depository, of manuscripts, documents, papers, and tracts po3sessing historical value and worthy of preservation; Third, To encourage investigation of aboriginal remains, and more particularly to provide for the complete and scientific exploration and survey of such aboriginal monuments as exist within the limits of this state.

OFFICERS.

1. The regular officers of this society shall consist of a president, two vice-presidents, a treasurer, corresponding secretary, and a recording secretary.

2. All the above named officers shall be chosen by ballot at the annual meeting of the society, and hold their respective offices until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified.

3. Vacancies occurring from any cause in any of the regular offices of the society shall be filled by ballot at any regular meeting, notice of such election to be given by the recording secretary in calling the meeting at which such election shall take place.

MEMBERSHIP.

The membership of this society shall be composed of three classes, viz.: Active, corresponding, and honorary.

ACTIVE MEMBERS.

To be an active member of this society the member must be a resident of the state of Nebraska. The active members shall exclusively conduct its affairs, elect its officers, admit its members, and fill its offices. They shall pay an admission fee of three dollars, and an annual assessment of two dollars, as long as they continue members.

CORRESPONDING AND HONORARY MEMBERS.

1. The admission of corresponding and honorary members shall be regulated by the by-laws.

2. Such members shall have the right of attendance at any of the society's meetings, and of participating in any scientific or historical discussions, but they shall not vote nor hold any regular office in the same, and they shall be exempt from all charges, fees, and assessments.

FORFEITURE OF MEMBERSHIP.

1. Failure to pay the regular assessment before the succeeding annual meeting shall entail forfeiture, unless the member is absent from the state and has not been duly notified by the society.

2. Conduct unsatisfactory to the members, and by them deemed incompatible with membership, shall work a forfeiture. The mode of enquiry and proceedings therein to be prescribed by the by-laws.

MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY.

1. The annual meeting for the election of officers shall be held on the second Tuesday of January in each year. Quarterly meetings may be held at such dates in April, July, and October, and at such places as may be agreed upon and directed.

2. All regular and special meetings of society shall be held at such time and places, and be conducted by such rules and order of business as shall be determined in the by-laws.

QUORUM.

Five active members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting except at the annual meeting for the election of officers, when the required number shall be at least ten active members.

SPECIAL MEETINGS.

Special meetings may be called under the direction of the president, or in case of his absence, by one of the vice-presidents, for the dispatch of extraordinary business, of which seasonable written or printed notice shall be given to all the active members; Provided, however, That the spirit of this constitution and the by-laws of the society shall in no case be violated by the transactions of such meeting.

MANUSCRIPTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

All manuscripts, correspondence, and unpublished papers deposited with this society shall be forever held by them in trust for the public benefit, and shall remain in possession of the society, unless otherwise directed by the donors, or those having legal control of the same. Copies of the same shall never be taken or removed out of the society's immediate custody, without express permission from the society, previously asked and obtained.

SEAL AND DIPLOMA.

This society shall have a seal, bearing such emblems, devices, or mottoes as shall be agreed upon by the members. A suitable form of diploma or certificate of membership shall be furnished by the secretary, duly executed by the president, secretary, and treasurer, with the seal of the society attached thereto.

OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES.

The President. It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of the society, and to conduct its proceedings in conformity to its constitution and by-laws; Provided, however, That it may be at his discretion, and when present, to call any member temporarily to the chair. He shall also deliver an appropriate address at the close of his term of office.

The Vice-Presidents. It shall be the duty of the vice-presidents, in the order of their election, to perform the duties of the president in his absence.

Treasurer. The treasurer shall collect and have charge of the funds and securities of the society. He shall pay no moneys, except by a vote of the society, or by order of the board of directors. He shall keep regular and faithful accounts in proper books of the society of all moneys and securities of the society that may come into his hands, and of all receipts and expenditures connected with the same, and shall present a full and accurate report thereof to the society at their annual meeting. His accounts shall always be open to the inspection of the board of directors, and he shall make a written quarterly statement to said board of the amount then in the treasury. He shall deposit all sums of money received or collected by him for the society in some banking house in the city of Lincoln, in the name of the society, as soon as he shall have in his hands or under his control the sum of at least $25, and shall not draw out the same or any part thereof, except for payments duly authorized, and then only by his official check countersigned by the president or one of the vice-presidents, or chairman of directors. A copy of this article shall be left at the place of deposit, and the signatures of the officers for countersigning, and of the treasurer, shall be always kept there. Whenever there shall be any occasion for the services of the treasurer, and the same cannot be had in convenient time, then any two of the board of directors may perform such duties with like effect and validity as if performed by the treasurer. He shall purchase a blank book at the expense of the society, which shall be regarded as official and the property of the society, and in which he shall enter every and all acts of his official doings, with their respective dates and balances struck at the time reports are made to the society, showing the statements to be exact copies of his cash book account. The treasurer shall be required to give bonds with security, to be approved by the society, for the faithful performance of the duties of his office. The amount of said bond shall be determined by a vote of the society before the annual election of officers, and be increased from time to time as occasion may require.

1. Recording Secretary. The recording secretary shall keep a record of all the society's meetings, which record shall be duly signed

and certified by him and read at the opening of the succeeding meeting for information and revision. He shall have charge of the seal, charter, certificates, constitution, and records of the society.

2. He shall also duly notify in print or writing, in conformity to the constitution and by-laws, the several active members of all meetings, and also all new members of their election.

3. All written communications relating to the society and its operations, which may be received or made by him in the interval of the society's meetings, shall be duly preserved by him, and deposited with the society's collections, and a report of the same shall be made by him to the members at the next meeting.

4. He shall have charge of the library and cabinet, including all manuscripts, papers, and documents in the society's possession, and do his utmost to increase the society's historical and biographical treas

ures.

5. He shall prepare a suitable catalogue of the same and have all papers and manuscripts properly numbered, filed, or arranged for security and convenient reference.

6. He shall keep an account of all books taken from the library by the members or any person specially authorized so to do by the society, and by whom taken, and mark their return.

7. He shall in no case allow manuscripts to be taken from his possession, or copies of the same to be made, or articles to be removed from the cabinet, without express permission from the society previously asked and obtained.

8. He shall also keep a record of all donations, in a book specially set apart for that purpose, giving date of donations, how received, name of donor, where residing, full description of books, pictures, manuscripts, tracts, antiquities, or relics presented, how said donations were disposed of by the society, and when acknowledgment was made to donor; where donation is to be found, how endorsed, numbered, and filed.

9. It shall also be his duty to provide for the full security of all books and collections belonging to the society, by reporting, as occasion may require, their condition, and recommend such steps as he shall judge necessary for their perfect preservation, and make an annual report in writing to the society of all donations and general condition of cabinet and library.