ACT OF RE-INCORPORATION OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. AN ACT TO REMOVE DOUBTS CONCERNING THE CORPORATION OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND TO CONFIRM THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES THEREOF. Preamble. Reciting the revival of the Passed the 13th April, 1784. WHEREAS, GEORGE THE THIRD, King of Great Britain, did, on the thirteenth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and seventy, grant certain letters patent to the persons therein named, under the great seal of the then colony of New-York, which said letters patent are in the words following, that is to say: (Here follows a recital of the preceding Charter.) And whereas, SAMUEL BROOME, JEREMIAH PLATT, JOHN petitioners for a BROOME, BENJAMIN LEDYARD, THOMAS RANDALL, ROBCorporation. ERT BOWNE, DANIEL PHENIX, JACOB MORRIS, ELIPHALET BRUSH, JAMES JARVIS, JOHN BLAGGE, VINER VAN ZANDT, STEPHEN SAYRE, JACOBUS VAN ZANDT, NATHANIEL HAZARD, THOMAS HAZARD, ABRAHAM P. LOTT, ABRAHAM DURYEE, WILLIAM MALCOLM, JOHN ALSOP, ISAAC SEARS, JAMES BEEKMAN, ABRAHAM LOTT, COMFORT SANDS, JoSEPH BLACKWELL, JOSHUA SANDS, LAWRENCE EMBREE, GEORGE EMBREE, GERARDUS DUYCKINCK, Jun., CORNELIUS RAY, ANTHONY GRIFFITHS, THOMAS TUCKER, JOHN BERRIAN, ISAAC ROOSEVELT, JOHN FRANKLIN, JOHN H. KIP, HENRY H. KIPP, ARCHIBALD CURRIE, DAVID CURRIE, and JONATHAN LAWRENCE, all of the said city, merchants, have by their humble petition set forth, that the said letters patent, and the powers and privileges exercised and enjoyed under the same, have greatly promoted the commercial interests of this State, and that great and daily inconveniences and injury are suffered by the suspension thereof, and have prayed that the said letters patent, with all and singular the powers and franchises therein contained, may be revived, confirmed and established: Chamber of present the Chamber of 1. Be it therefore enacted by the people of the State of New-York, represented in Senate and Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the said letters patent, and all and singular the powers, rights, privileges, franchises and immunities therein and thereby granted, shall be, and the same are hereby ratified and Charter of the confirmed; and the said letters patent, and all and every Commerce conother former rights, privileges, franchises and immunities firmed, therein and thereby granted, shall be and remain in full force and efficacy, notwithstanding any non-user or mis- notwithstanduser of any of the said powers, rights, privileges, franchises ng any nonuser, between and immunities heretofore had, committed, done or suf- the 19th of April, 1775, and fered, between the nineteenth day of April, one thousand the date of this seven hundred and seventy-five, and the day of the passing Act. of this Act. And the said SAMUEL BROOMF, JEREMIAH Members of PLATT, JOHN BROOME, BENJAMIN LEDYARD, THOMAS RANDALL, ROBERT BOWNE, DANIEL PHENIX, JA-Commerce. COB MORRIS, ELIPHALET BRUSH, JAMES JARVIS, JOHN BLAGGE, VINER VAN ZANDT, STEPHEN SAYRE, JACOBUS VAN ZANDT, NATHANIEL HAZARD, THOMAS HAZARD, ABRAHAM P. LOTT, ABRAHAM DURYEE, WILLIAM MALCOLM, JOHN ALSOP, ISAAC SEARS, JAMES BEEKMAN, ABRAHAM LOTT, COMFORT SANDS, JOSEPH BLACKWELL, JOSHUA SANDS, LAWRENCE EMBREE, GEORGE EMBREE, GERARDUS DUYCKINCK, Jr., CORNELIUS RAY, ANTHONY GRIFFITHS, THOMAS TUCKER, JOHN BERRIAN, ISAAC ROOSEVELT, JOHN FRANKLIN, JOHN H. KIP, Henry H. KIP, ARCHIBALD CURRIE, DAVID CURRIE and JONATHAN LAWRENCE, shall and may for ever hereafter remain, continue, and be a body corporate and politic in deed, fact Name of the and name, by the name of "THE CORPORATION OF THE ber present Chamof ComCHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE STATE OF NEW-YORK," merce. and by that name to sue, plead and be impleaded, and to answer and to be answered. President, and 2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Names of the That the said JOHN ALSOP shall be the present President, President, Viceand the above named ISAAC SEARS the present Vice-Treasurer President; that the above named JOHN BROOME, the Secretary. present Treasurer, and the above named JOHN BLAGGE, Their continuthe present Secretary of the said Corporation, who shall ance in office. hold, possess and enjoy their said respective offices, until the first Tuesday in May now next ensuing; and in case any or either of the said persons hereby nominated and appointed to the respective offices aforesaid, shall happen to die, or shall neglect or refuse to act in or execute, or shall be removed from such office or offices respectively, before the said first Tuesday in May next, that then, and When and how in every such case, it shall and may be lawful for the shall be elected members of the said body corporate to meet at such time to dency, &c. and times, and such place and places within the said other officers the Presi All former city as they shall for that purpose appoint, and upon such notices or summons as have heretofore been used and established by the said body corporate, and then and there, by the majority of such as shall so meet, to elect and choose other or others to the said office or offices respectively, in the place of him or them so dying, or neglecting or refusing to act, or being removed, in the manner heretofore used in the annual elections of the like officers, which person or persons so elected and chosen, shall enjoy and exercise the said office or offices, and all and singular the privileges and powers thereto belonging or appertaining, until the said first Tuesday in May next. 3. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New-York, and their successors, shall and rights, &c., to may for ever hereafter, peaceably have, hold, use and the present Cor- enjoy all and every the rights, powers, liberties, priviporation. leges, franchises, usages, lands, tenements, estates and be enjoyed by hereditaments, which have heretofore, by virtue of the above recited Charter, been given or granted unto the said Corporation, by the name of the Corporation of the Chamber of Commerce in the City of New-York, in America. NOTE. For amendments to the Charter of the Chamber of Commerce, see the Sixteenth Annual Report of the Chamber, Part I., pp. 206-214, and the Twentieth Annual Report, Part I., pp. 215, 216. BY-LAWS OF THE CORPORATION OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE STATE OF NEW-YORK, In Force May, 1887. ARTICLE I. OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION. THE Officers of the Chamber shall be a President, two VicePresidents, a Treasurer and a Secretary, all of whom shall be chosen by ballot at the first regular meeting in May of each year. A majority of the votes cast at each election shall be necessary in each instance to elect. The persons so elected shall take the oath or affirmation required by the Charter, and shall continue in office one year, or until their successors shall have become duly qualified to office according to the Charter. Should any person so elected decline to serve, or resign his office, or his office become vacant by his death, the vacancy shall be filled by an election at the next regular meeting of the Chamber, held after such declination or resignation shall have been reported to the Chamber. No person shall hold the office of President or Vice-President for more than three yearly terms, unless he shall be re-elected by a vote of three-fourths of the ballots cast at the election; and the same vote shall be necessary for each succeeding re-election of same person to same office. ARTICLE II. MEETINGS. The regular meetings of the Chamber for the transaction of business shall be held in the Hall of the Chamber on the first Thursday in each month, (the summer vacation only excepted,) at one o'clock, P. M. When the first. Thursday in any month shall fall on a legal holiday, the regular monthly meeting shall be held on the Thursday following, unless otherwise ordered by a vote of the Chamber. Special meetings may be held at such other places, and at such other times as the President, or in his absence, the Vice-Presidents, in their order, may designate, upon the written requisition of ten members; provided that one day's notice of the time, place and object of the meeting shall have been publicly given; and also provided, that no other business except that designated in such call and notice shall be acted upon. ARTICLE III. MEMBERS AND THEIR ELECTION. No person shall be admitted members of this Corporation but merchants or others residents of this or contiguous States engaged in trade or commerce, or in pursuits directly connected therewith. All nominations for membership of the Chamber must be made in writing, together with a statement of the occupation and qualification of the candidate, and be addressed to the Executive Committee for consideration. If the Executive Committee approve the nomination, they shall report the same to the Chamber at the first regular meeting thereafter. The candidate shall be then balloted for; and if five or more negative ballots appear, he cannot be admitted a member, nor be again proposed until after the expiration of a year from the time of such rejection. The Chamber may expel any member for dishonorable conduct or dealings, but only after a hearing of such member at a regular meeting, and by a two-third vote of the members present. Provided, that the Executive Committee shall recommend such expulsion, and that due notice be given by the Secretary of the Chamber, both to the accused member and to the Chamber at large, of the day when such hearing may be had; and also provided, that if the accused member do not appear for such hearing, in person or by proxy, the vote may be taken on his expulsion as though he had appeared. The Secretary of the Chamber shall furnish to each member who may apply therefor, and who shall have paid his admission or annual fees, an engraved certificate of membership, duly signed and authenticated. ARTICLE IV. HONORARY MEMBERS. Honorary members may be elected at any meeting of the Chamber, whether regular or special, on the nomination of the Executive Committee, and without ballot, unless called for. They shall be entitled to all the privileges of regular members, except the right of vote. They shall be exempt from payment of any fees whatever. The Secretary shall furnish each honorary member, thus elected, with a certificate of membership, duly signed and authenticated. ARTICLE V. FEES. Each member elected to the Chamber shall pay an admission fee of twenty-five dollars, which shall be in full for the calendar year in which he is elected. And each member of the Chamber shall pay annually, while he shall remain a member, a fee of twenty dollars. The Executive Committee may, in its discretion, for reasons satisfactory to itself, remit the annual fees of any member; and it may |