CONSTITUTION OF THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

(Adopted, January 27, 1904.)

ARTICLE I. NAME AND OBJECTS.

Sec. 1. The name of this society shall be the Illinois State Historical Society.

Sec. 2. The objects for which it is formed are to excite and stimulate a general interest in the history of Illinois; to encourage historical research and investigation and secure its promulgation; to collect and preserve all forms of data in any way bearing upon the history of Illinois and its people.

ARTICLE II.

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY-THEIR ELECTION AND DUTIES. Sec. 1. The mangement of the affairs of this society shall be vested in a board of 15 directors of which board the president of the society shall be exofficio a member.

Sec. 2. There shall be a president and as many vice presidents, not less than three, as the society may determine at the annual meetings. The board of directors, five of whom shall constitute a quorum, shall elect its own presiding officer, a secretary and treasurer, and shall have power to appoint from time to time such officers, agents and committees as they may deem advisable, and to remove the same at pleasure.

Sec. 3. The directors shall be elected at the annual meetings and the mode of election shall be by ballot, unless by a vote of a majority of members present and entitled to vote, some other method may be adopted.

Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the board of directors diligently to promote the objects for which this society has been formed and to this end they shall have power—

(1) To search out and preserve in permanent form for the use of the people of the State of Illinois, facts and data in the history of the State and of each county thereof, including the pre-historic periods and the history of the aboriginal inhabitants together, with biographies of distinguished persons who have rendered services to the people of the State.

(2) To accumulate and preserve for like use, books, pamphlets, newspa pers and documents bearing upon the foregoing topics.

(3) To publish from time to time for like uses its own transactions as well as such facts and documents bearing upon its objects as it may secure. (4) To accumulate for like use such articles of historic interest as may bear upon the history of persons and places within this State.

(5) To receive by gift, grant, devise, bequest or purchase, books, prints, paintings, manuscripts, libraries, museums, moneys and other property, real or personal in aid of the above objects.

(6) They shall have general charge and control under the direction of the board of trustees of the Illinois State Historical library, of all property so

received and hold the same for the uses aforesaid in accordance with an act of the Legislature approved May 16, 1903, entitled "An act to add a new section to an act entitled an act to establish the Illinois State Historical library and to provide for its care and maintenance, and to make appropriations therefor," approved May 25, 1889, and in force July 1, 1889; they shall make and approve all contracts, audit all accounts and order their payment, and in general see to the carrying out of the orders of the society. They may adopt by laws not inconsistent with this constitution, for the mangement of the affairs of the society; they shall fix the times and places for their meetings; keep a record of their proceedings, and make reports to the society at its annual meeting.

Sec. 5. Vacancies in the board of directors may be filled by election by the remaining members, the persons so elected to continue in office until the next annual meeting.

Sec. 6. The president shall preside at all meetings of the society, and in case of his absence or inability to act, one of the vice presidents shall preside in his stead, and in case neither president nor vice president shall be in attendance, the society may choose a president pro-tempore.

Sec. 7. The officers shall perform the duties usually devolving upon such offices, and such others as may from time to time be prescribed by the society or the board of directors. The treasurer shall keep a strict account of all receipts and expenditures and pay out money from the treasury only as directed by the board of directors; he shall submit an annual report of the finances of the society and such other matters as may be committed to his custody to the board of directors within such time prior to the annual meeting as they shall direct, and after auditing the same the said board shall submit said report to the society at its annual meeting.

Sec. 1. The membership of this society shall consist of five classes, to-wit: Active, life, affiliated, corresponding and honorary.

Sec. 2. Any person may become an active member of this society upon payment of such initiation fee not less than $1, as shall from time to time be prescribed by the board of directors.

Sec. 3. Any person entitled to be an active member may upon payment of $25 be admitted as a life member with all the privileges of an active member and shall thereafter be exempt from annual dues.

Sec. 4. County and other historical societies, and other societies engaged in historical or archeological research or in the preservation of the knowledge of historic events, may upon the recommendation of the board of directors be admitted as affiliated members of this society upon the same terms as to the payment of initiation fees and annual dues as active and life members. Every society so admitted shall be entitled to one duly accredited representative at each meeting of the society who shall during the period of his appointment be entitled as representative to all the privileges of an active member except that of being elected to office; but nothing herein shall prevent such representative becoming an active or life member upon like conditions as other persons.

Sec. 5. Persons not active or life members but who are willing to lend their assistance and encouragement to the promotion of the objects of the society, may upon recommendation of the board of directors, be admitted as corresponding members.

Sec. 6. Honorary membership may be conferred at any meeting of the society upon recommendation of the board of directors upon persons who have distinguished themselves by eminent services or contributions to the cause of history.

Sec. 7. Honorary and corresponding members shall have the privilege of attending and participating in the meetings of the society.

ARTICLE IV. MEETINGS AND QUORUM.

Sec. 1. There shall be an annual meeting of this society for the election of officers, the hearing of reports, addresses and historical papers and the transaction of business at such time and place in the month of January in each year as may be designated by the board of directors, for which meeting it shall be the duty of said board to prepare and publish a suitable program and procure the services of persons well versed in history to deliver addresses or read essays upon subjects germane to the objects of this organization.

Sec. 2. Special meetings of the society may be called by the board of directors. Special meetings of the board of directors may be called by the president or any two members of the board.

Sec. 3. At any meeting of the society the attendance of ten members entitled to vote shall be necessary to a quorum.

Sec. 1. The constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and entitled to vote, at any annual meeting: Provided, That the proposed amendment shall have first been submitted to the board of directors, and at least 30 days prior to such annual meeting notice of proposed action upon the same, sent by the secretary to all the members of the society.

Adopted by the society at annual meeting Jan. 27, 1904.

TRANSACTIONS OF THE FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, MOLEAN COUNTY COURT HOUSE, BLOOMINGTON, ILL., JANUARY 27, 28, 29, 1904.

Meeting of the board of directors of the Illinois State Historical society, Bloomington, Ill., Jan. 27, 2:00 o'clock, p. m.

In the rooms of the McLean County Historical society, McLean county court house.

Present-Dr. J. F. Snyder, president of the society; J. H. Burnham, Hon. David McCulloch; Mrs. Jessie Palmer Weber, secretary of the society.

It was expected that a committee appointed by the Illinois Press association, May 1904, would according to arrangement meet with the board of directors at this time, but none of the committee being present the conference meeting with it was postponed until the arrival of Gen. Smith D. Atkins of Freeport and Mr. E. A. Snively, who had notified the board of directors that they would be able to meet with it at a later time during the sessions of the annual meeting of the Illinois State Historical society. The reading of the minutes of the last_previous meeting of the board of directors was on motion of J. H. Burnham, omitted. The secretary's report was read and approved. The treasurer's report was read. The bills submitted by the treasurer were approved and on motion of Hon. David McCulloch were referred to the board of trustees of the Illinois State Historical library, with the request that they be paid from the fund appropriated for the support of the Illinois State Historical library of which the Illinois State Historical society is now a department. The committee on publication asked further time before making its report. This additional time was allowed. There was no report submitted by the committee on legislation. Committee on constitution and by-laws asked further time, which was allowed. The committee on local historical societies by its chairman J. H. Burnham made a report, which report was on motion of Judge David McCulloch referred to the society. The board of directors adjourned to meet at the call of the president.

MEETING OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE OF ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND ILLINOIS PRESS ASSOCIATION.

Among the visitors at the meeting were several editors constituting a committee appointed by the Illinois State Press association at its annual meeting at Cairo, last May, to confer with the State Historical society. At 11:30 a. m.