them.

benevolent an institution; and therefore the petitioner, in behalf of the said Society, most humbly prayed our said to incorporate Lieutenant-Governor to incorporate them a body politic, and to invest them with such powers and authorities as might be thought most conducive to answer and promote the commercial and, consequently, the landed interests of our said growing colony; which petition being read as aforesaid, was then and there referred to a Committee of our said Council, and afterwards, on the same day, our said Council, in pursuance of the report of the said Committee, did humby advise and consent, that our said LieutenantGovernor, by our letters patent, should constitute and appoint the petitioner, and the present members of the said by the name of Society, a body corporate and politic, by the name of The Corpora- . THE CORPORATION OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, IN AMERICA," agreeable the City of New to the prayer of the said petition: Therefore, we being willing to further the laudable designs of our said loving subjects, and to give stability to an institution from whence great advantages may arise, as well as to our kingdom of Great Britain as to our said province,

tion of the Chamber of Commerce in

York, in America."

KNOW YE, That of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we have willed, ordained, given, granted, constituted and appointed, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, do will, ordain, give, grant, constitute, and appoint, that the present members of the said Society, associated for the purpose aforesaid, that is to say, JOHN CRUGER, ELIAS DESBROSSES, JAMES JAUNCEY, JACOB WALTON, ROBERT MURRAY, HUGH WALLACE, GEORGE FOLLIOT, WM. WALTON, JOHN ALSOP, HENRY WHITE, PHILIP LIVINGSTON, SAMUEL VERPLANCK, THEOPHYLACT BACHE, THOMAS WHITE, MILES SHERBROOK, WALTER FRANKLIN, ROBERT ROSS WADDELL, ACHERSON THOMPSON, LAWRENCE CORTWRIGHT, THOMAS RANDALL, WILLIAM M'ADAM, ISAAC LOW, ANTHONY VAN DAM, ROBERT WATTS, JOHN HARRIS CRUGER, GERARD WALTON, ISAAC SEARS, JACOBUS VAN ZANDT, CHARLES M'EVERS, JOHN MOORE, LEWIS PINTARD, LEVINUS CLARKSON, NICHOLAS GOUVERNEUR, RICHARD YATES, THOMAS MARSTON, PETER HASSENCLIVER, ALEXANDER WALLACE, GABRIEL H. LUDLOW, THOMAS BUCHANNAN, WM. NEILSON, SAMPSON SIMPSON, PETER KETTLETAS, GERARD W. BEEKMAN, JACOB WATSON, RICHARD SHARPE, PETER REMSEN, HENRY REMSEN, junior, WILLIAM SETON, EDW. LAIGHT, JOHN READE, ROBERT ALEXANDER, THOMAS W. MOORE, ABRAHAM LYNSON, ISAAC ROOSEVELT, NICHOLAS HOFFMAN, HAMILTON YOUNG, THOMAS WALTON, JOHN THURMAN, JOHN WEATHERHEAD, GARRIT RAPELYE.

be

petual succes

To sue and be sued in all manner of ac

GERARD DUYCKINCK, WILLIAM STEPPLE, WILLIAM IMLAY, AUGUSTUS VAN HORNE, HENRY C. BOGERT, GEORGE W. LUDLOW, JOSEPH BULL, LEONARD LisPENARD, THOMAS MILLER, JAS. BEEKMAN, SAMUEL KEMBLE, ALEXANDER M'DONALD and SAMUEL BAYARD, jun., all of our City of New York, in our said province of New York, merchants, and their successors, to be elected by virtue of this our present Charter, shall for ever hereafter be one body corporate and politic in deed, fact and name, by the name and style, "THE CORPORATION OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, IN AMERICA," and them and their successors, by the same name, we do by these presents really and fully make, erect, create, constitute and declare one body politic and corporate, in deed, fact and name for ever; and will give, grant, and ordain, that they and their successors, the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce in the City of New York, in America, by the same name, shall and may have perpetual To have persuccession, and shall and may by the same name, per- sion. sons capable in the law to sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, answer and be answered, defend and be defended, in all courts and elsewhere, in all manner of actions, suits, complaints, pleas, causes, matters and de- tions. mands whatsoever, as fully and ample as any other of our liege subjects of our said province of New York may or can sue or be sued, implead or be impleaded, defend or be defended, by any lawful ways or means whatsoever; and that they and their successors by the same name, May be capashall be for ever hereafter persons capable and able in the ble in law to law to purchase, take, receive, hold and enjoy to them and enjoy real estheir successors, any messuages, tenements, houses and tate. real estates whatsoever, and all other hereditaments of whatsoever nature, kind and quality they may be, in fee simple, for term of life or lives, or in any other manner howsoever, and also any goods, chattels or personal estate whatsoever, as well for enabling them the better to carry into execution, encourage and promote, by just and lawful ways and means, such measures as will tend to promote and extend just and lawful commerce, as to provide for, aid and assist, at their discretion, such members of our said Corporation as may hereafter be reduced to poverty, and assist disand their widows and children; Provided always, the clear bers. yearly value of the said real estate doth not at any time exceed the sum of three thousand pounds sterling, lawful Provided money of our Kingdom of Great Britain. And that our yearly income said Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce in the does ceed City of New York, in America, and their successors for sterl. per ann. ever, by the same name, shall and may have full power

purchase and

To promote

and

extend

commerce,

tressed mem

their

clear

not ex

£3,003

real estate, &c.

common seal, which may be altered.

any house or houses.

dent, one or

Power to lease and authority to give, grant, sell, lease, demise and dispose or dispose of of the same real estate and hereditaments whatsoever, for life, or lives, or years, or for ever; and all goods, chattels and personal estates whatsoever at their will and pleasure, according as they shall judge to be most beneficial and advantageous to the good ends and purposes aforeAnd have a mentioned. And that it shall and may be lawful for them and their successors for ever hereafter, to have a common seal, to serve for the causes and business of them and their successors, and the same seal to change, alter, break and make new from time to time at their pleasure. And also that they and their successors, by the same name, shall and may have full power and authority to erect and build out of their common funds, or by any other ways or means, for the use of the Corporation hereby erected, any house, houses or other buildings, as they shall think necessary and May build convenient. And for the better carrying into execution the purposes aforesaid, our royal will and pleasure is, and we do hereby give and grant to the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce in the City of New York, in America, and their successors for ever, that there shall be For ever to for ever hereafter belonging to the said Corporation, one have one Presi- President, one or more Vice-President or Vice-Presidents, more Vice-one or more Treasurer or Treasurers, and one Secretary; Presidents. and for the more immediate carrying into execution our Treasurers, royal will and pleasure herein, we do hereby assign, constitute and appoint the above named JOHN CRUGER, Esq., to be the present President; the above named HUGH WALAppointment LACE to be the present Vice-President; the above named Esq. President; ELIAS DESBROSSES to be the present Treasurer, and the above Vice-Presi- named ANTHONY VAN DAM to be the present Secretary of Elias our said Corporation hereby erected, who shall hold, Treasurer; An- possess and enjoy their said respective offices until the first Secre- Tuesday in May now next ensuing; and for keeping up the succession in the said offices, our royal will and pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and successors, establish, direct and require, and give and grant to the said Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce in the City of New York, in America, and their successors for ever, On the first that on the said first Tuesday in May now next ensuing, Tuesday in May [and for the keeping up the succession in the said office, to meet and our royal will and pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and successors, establish, direct and require, and give and grant to the said Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce in the City of New York, in America, and their successors for ever, that on the said first Tuesday in May now next ensuing,] and yearly, and every year for ever thereafter, on the first Tuesday in May in every year, they and their successors shall meet

one or more

and one Secre

tary.

of J. Cruger.

Hugh Wallace,

dent:

Desbrosses.

thony Dam,

tary,

Van

in every year,

choose officers.

or more Vice

or more Treas

one year.

And until

sons be chosen.

future officers

removed.

elected,

at some convenient place in our said City of New York, to be fixed and ascertained by some of the by-laws and regulations of our said Corporation, and there, by the And elect one majority of such of them as shall so meet, shall by ballot President, one or in such other manner and form as shall be regulated by Presidents, one the by-laws or regulations of our said Corporation, elect or urers, and one choose one President, one or more Vice-President or Vice-Secretary, for Presidents, one or more Treasurer or Treasurers, and one Secretary, to serve in the said offices for the ensuing year, who shall immediately enter upon their respective offices, and hold, exercise and enjoy the same respectively from the time of such election, for and during the space of one year, and until other fit persons shall be elected and chosen other fit perin their respective places, according to the laws and regulations aforesaid. And in case any of the said persons by these presents nominated and appointed to the respective offices aforesaid, or who shall hereafter be elected and chosen thereto respectively, shall die, or on any account be removed from such offices respectively before the time In case any of of their respective appointed services shall be expired, or the present or refuse or neglect to act in and execute the office for which shall die or be he or they shall be so elected and chosen, or is or are herein nominated or appointed, that then, and in any and every such case, it shall and may be lawful for the mem- others may be bers of our said body corporate hereby erected to meet at such time and times, and at such place and places within our said City of New York, and upon such notices and summons as shall for that purpose be established and upon directed by the by-laws or regulations of our said body corporate, and there, by the majority of such of them as by a majority shall so meet, elect and choose other or others to the said of votes. offices respectively in the place of him or them so dying, removing, neglecting or refusing to act in manner and form, and after the same method to be observed in the annual elections of the like officers respectively, by virtue of these our letters patent, and the said by-laws or regulations of our said Corporation, hereby giving and granting that such person or persons as shall be so elected and chosen by the majority of such of the said members as shall meet in manner aforesaid, shall have, hold, exercise who shall exerand enjoy such the office or offices to which he or they cise the offices shall be so elected and chosen, from the time of such election until the first of May following. until the first Tuesday in May then next ensuing, and until other or others be legally chosen in his or their place and stead, as fully and amply, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, as the person or persons in whose place he or they shall be chosen might or could have done by virtue of these presents. And our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and successors, ordain, direct and

given,

notice

take an oath or

dent or Vice

the faithful dis

duty.

every year.

require, that every President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary to be elected by virtue of these presents, shall, before they act in their respective offices, take an oath or affirmation to be to them administered by the President, or in his absence, by one of the Vice-Presidents of the preceding year, (who are hereby authorized to adOfficers to minister the same,) for the faithful and due execution of affirmation be their respective offices during their continuance in the same fore the Presi- respectively. And we do further, for us, our heirs and President, for successors, give and grant to the Corporation of the Chamcharge of their ber of Commerce in the City of New York, in America, and their successors for ever, that besides the annual meeting of our said Corporation herein before directed and apThe first Tues- pointed to be held on the first Tuesday in May in every day in May in year, it shall and may be lawful for them, their heirs and successors, for ever hereafter, for promoting and carrying into execution the laudable intents and designs aforesaid, and for the transacting the business and concerns of our said Corporation, to meet together on the first Tuesday in every month, for ever, at such place or places in our said City of New York as shall for that purpose be established, fixed, ascertained and appointed by the by-laws and regulations of our said corporation; and that the members of our said Corporation being so met, or so many of them in number at the least as shall by the by-laws or ordinances of our said Corporation be for that purpose from time to time established, directed, ordained or appointed, shall, The President together with the President or any one of the Vice-Presior any one of dents of our said Corporation for the time being, be a legal dents. with meeting of our said Corporation; and they or the major of the members part of them so met, shall have full power and authority as the by-laws to adjourn from day to day, or for any other time, as the legal meeting business of our said Corporation may require, and to do, day to execute and perform all and every act and acts, thing and things whatsoever which the said Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce in the City of New York, in America, are or shall by these letters patent be authorized to do, act or transact, in as full and ample manner as if all and every of the members of the said Corporation were present. And that at any such legal meeting of the said Corporation, they shall and may in writing, under the common seal, make, frame, constitute, establish and ordain, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, such laws, constitutions, ordinances, regulations and statutes, for the better government of the officers and members of the said Corporation, for fixing and ascertaining the places of meeting of our said Corporation as aforesaid, and for regulating all other their affairs and business as they, or the major part of them so legally met, shall judge best for the general

the Vice-Presi

such a number

direct, to be a

to

from

day,

and

adjourn

transact

business,