The journal of the American-Irish Historical Society, Vol. IX, 1910

by Various

PREAMBLE, CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE AMERICAN IRISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY ADOPTED AT THE ORGANIZATION MEETING JANUARY 20, 1897.

Preamble.

Believing that the part taken in the settlement, foundation and upbuilding of these United States by the Irish race has never received proper recognition from historians, and inspired by love for the republic, a pride in our blood and forefathers and a desire for historic truth, this Society has met and organized.

Its mission is to give a plain recital of facts, to correct errors, to supply omissions, to allay passion, to shame prejudice and to labor for right and truth.

While we as loyal citizens of this republic are earnestly interested in all the various phases of its history, we feel that we should be false to its honor and greatness and recreant to our own blood if we did not make a serious effort to leave to those generations which will follow us a clearer and better knowledge of the important work done by men and women of the Irish race on this continent.

People of this race—men and women born on Irish soil—have been here from the first, prompted in their flight by the motives common to all immigration, dissatisfaction with the old order of things and the resolve to obtain a freer and better life in the new land under new conditions.

And so we have come together—natives of Ireland, American sons of Irish immigrants, and descendants of immigrants even unto the seventh, eighth and ninth American generations—to duly set forth and perpetuate a knowledge of these things.

In the days to come that lie in the womb of the future, when all the various elements that have gone and are going to make the republic great are united in the American—the man who in his person will represent the bravest elements of all the old races of the earth—we desire that the deeds and accomplishment of our element shall be written in the book of the new race, telling what we did and no more, giving us our rightful place by the side of the others.

To accomplish this is the purpose of this organization. It is a work worthy of the sympathy and aid of every American who can rise above the environment of today and look into the broad future. Fidelity, truth, honor are the watchwords of such a purpose, and under their noble influences should our work be done.

ARTICLE II.
Objects and Purposes.

The objects and purposes of this Society are:

(1) The study of American history generally.

(2) To investigate, especially, the immigration of the people of Ireland to this country, determine its numbers, examine the sources, learn the places of its settlement, and estimate its influence on contemporary events in war, legislation, religion, education and other departments of human activity.

(3) To examine records of every character, wherever found, calculated to throw light on the work of the Irish element in this broad land.

(4) To endeavor to correct erroneous, distorted and false views of history, where they are known, and to substitute therefor the truth of history, based on documentary evidence and the best and most reasonable tradition, in relation to the Irish race in America.

(5) To encourage and assist the formation of local societies in American cities and towns for the work of the parent society.

(6) To promote and foster an honorable and national spirit of patriotism, which will know no lines of division, which will be based upon loyalty to the laws, institutions and spirit of the republic to whose upbuilding the Irish element has unselfishly contributed in blood and treasure, a patriotism whose simple watchwords will be true Americanism and human freedom and which has no concern for any man’s race, color or creed, measuring him only by his conduct, effort and achievement.

(7) To promote by union in a common high purpose a sincere fraternity, a greater emulation in well doing, a closer confidence and mutual respect among the various elements of the Irish race in America, that by putting behind them the asperities of the past they may unite in a common brotherhood with their fellow citizens for the honor of the race and the glory of the republic.

(8) To place the result of its historical investigations and researches in acceptable literary form; to print, publish and distribute its documents to libraries, institutions of learning, and among its members, in order that the widest dissemination of historical truth may be obtained and placed within the reach of historians and other writers and readers.

(9) To sift and discriminate every paper, sketch, document bearing on the Society’s line of work before the same is accepted and given official sanction in order that its publication may be a guarantee of historical accuracy; to do its work without passion or prejudice, to view accomplished facts in the true scientific historical spirit and having reached the truth to give it to the world.

ARTICLE III.
Membership.

Any person of good moral character who is interested in the special work of this Society shall be deemed eligible for membership in the same. No tests other than that of character and devotion to the Society’s objects shall be applied to membership.

Every applicant for membership shall be recommended by two members of the Society before his application shall be considered by the Secretary-General, and the application shall be accompanied by the dues in the amounts laid down in the by-laws.

Members will be elected as follows: Candidates may send their applications—for which blanks will be furnished—to the Secretary-General, accompanied by the fee as provided in the by-laws, and each application must be endorsed by two members of the Society. The Secretary-General shall submit the application to the executive council, and a three fourths vote of that body by ballot or otherwise will be necessary to elect the candidate.

ARTICLE IV.
Classes of Members.

The Society shall comprise life members and annual members, who shall pay dues as provided in the by-laws. The Society may also choose honorary and corresponding members, who shall be exempt from dues but shall not have the right to vote.

ARTICLE V.
Officers.

The officers of The Society shall consist of:

1. A President-General. 2. A Vice-President for each state and territory and for the District of Columbia. 3. A Secretary-General. 4. A Treasurer-General. 5. A Librarian and Archivist. 6. An Historiographer. 7. An Executive Council.

(The word “General” herein to be considered equivalent to National.)

The officers of the Society shall be elected annually.

ARTICLE VI.
The President-General.

The duties of the President-General shall be to open and preside over the Society during its deliberations, to see that the Constitution is observed and the by-laws enforced, to appoint committees, and to exercise a watchful care over the interests of the Society, that its work may be properly done and its purposes adhered to. In the absence of the President-General a presiding officer pro tem. may be chosen.

ARTICLE VII.
The Vice-Presidents.

It shall be the duty of the Vice-President of each state to represent the President-General at all meetings of state chapters of the Society and for the Vice-President of the state to which the President-General belongs, or in which the meeting is held, to represent him at all meetings of the parent Society when he cannot be present and in his absence to act as chairman pro tempore. In the absence of both the President-General and state Vice-President, a presiding officer pro tem. may be chosen from the assembled members of the Society.

ARTICLE VIII.
The Secretary-General.

The Secretary-General shall keep a record of all the proceedings of the Society and the executive council. He shall have charge of the seal and records. He shall issue and sign in conjunction with the President-General all charters granted to the subsidiary chapters, and shall with him certify to all acts of the Society. He shall, upon orders from the President-General, give due notice of time and place of all meetings of the body; give notice to the several officers of all votes, resolutions, orders and proceedings of the body affecting them or appertaining to their respective offices and perform such other duties as may be assigned him.

ARTICLE IX.
The Treasurer-General.

The Treasurer-General shall collect and receive all dues, funds and securities and deposit the same to the credit of the American-Irish Historical Society, in such banking institution as may be approved by the Executive Council. This money shall be drawn to the check of the Treasurer-General for the purposes of the Society and to pay such sums as may be ordered by the Executive Council of the Society in meeting, said orders to be countersigned by the President-General and Secretary-General. He must keep a full and accurate account of all receipts and disbursements and at each annual meeting shall render the same to the Society, when a committee shall be appointed by the President-General to audit his accounts. He shall present at annual or special meetings a list of members in arrears.

ARTICLE X.
The Librarian and Archivist.

The Librarian and Archivist shall be the custodian of all published books, pamphlets, files of newspapers and similar property of the Society. He shall have charge of all documents, manuscripts and other productions not assigned by this Constitution to other officers of the Society, and shall keep the same in a place or places easy of access and safe from loss by fire or other causes.

ARTICLE XI.
The Historiographer.

The Historiographer or official historian of the Society shall perform the duties usually pertaining to that office.

ARTICLE XII.
The Executive Council.

The Executive Council shall consist of the President-General, Secretary-General, Treasurer-General, Librarian and Archivist, Historiographer and ten members, all to be elected by the Society. The Executive Council shall be the judge of the qualifications of applicants for admission and if satisfactory shall elect the same. The Council shall recommend plans for promoting the objects of the Society, digest and prepare business, authorize the disbursement and expenditure of unappropriated money in the treasury for the current expenses of the Society; shall prepare and edit—or cause to be prepared and edited—contributions of an historical or literary character bearing on the special work of the Society for publication and distribution; may appropriate funds for the expenses of special branches of research for historical data and for the purchase of works to form a library for the Society whenever it shall have a permanent home or headquarters. The Council shall have power to fill vacancies in office until the annual meeting, exercise a supervisory care over the affairs of the Society and perform such other duties as may be entrusted to them. At a meeting of the Executive Council five members shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE XIII.
Meetings.

The annual meeting of this Society shall be held on the third Wednesday in January. A field day of the body shall be held during the summer of each year at such time and place as the Executive Council shall select, due regard being given to the convenience of the greatest number, and, as far as possible, the meeting place selected shall be one whose historical associations are of interest to American citizens.

The annual meeting shall be for the purpose of electing officers, hearing reports and transacting such other business as may come properly before it. Until otherwise ordered such meeting shall be held in the city of Boston, Mass. There shall be four stated meetings each year.

Special meetings may be called at any time by the Executive Council.

ARTICLE XIV.
Subsidiary Societies.

Chapters of the parent Society may be established in any city or town in the United States upon the petition of ten persons for a charter, and such charter shall be issued upon payment of the sum designated for such in the by-laws.

The President, Secretary, Treasurer, Librarian and Historiographer of all subsidiary societies shall be admitted to all meetings of the parent Society as members during their term of office, with all the privileges of membership except that of voting.

ARTICLE XV.
Amendments.

Amendments to the Constitution shall be submitted to the Executive Council through the Secretary-General at least thirty days before the meeting of the Society. A vote of two thirds of the members present at the meeting shall be necessary for the adoption of such amendments.