%images;]>LCRBMRP-T1307Constitution of the Educational Monument Association to the memory of Abraham Lincoln : organized May 16, 1865.: a machine-readable transcription. Collection: African-American Pamphlets from the Daniel A. P. Murray Collection, 1820-1920; American Memory, Library of Congress. Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.

Washington, 1994.

Preceding element provides place and date of transcription only.

This transcription intended to be 99.95% accurate.

For more information about this text and this American Memory collection, refer to accompanying matter.

 91-898189Daniel Murray Pamphlet Collection, 1860-1920, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress. Copyright status not determined.
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CONSTITUTIONOF THEEducational Monument AssociationTO THEMEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN.ORGANIZED MAY 16, 1865.WASHINGTON. D. C.:McGILL & WITHEROW, PRINTERS.1865.

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OFFICERS.

PRESIDENT.REV. HENRY H. GARNETT.VICE PRESIDENT.JAMES WORMLEY.TREASURER.STEPHEN SMITH, Philadelphia, Pa.ASST. TREASURER.WALKER LEWIS, Washington, D. C.RECORDING SECRETARY.LOUIS A. BELL.CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.WILLIAM J. WILSON.RESIDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.CARTER A. STEWART.SAMUEL J. DATCHER.JOHN F. COOK.WILLIAM SYPHAX.COLLINS CRUSOR.GURDON SNOWDEN.SAMUEL H. WILLIAMS.THOS. E. GREENE.SAMPSON NUTTER.

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PREAMBLE.

Whereas in the inscrutable providence of Almighty God, who causeth the wrath of man to praise Him, the beloved and venerated preserver of his country, Abraham Lincoln, late President of the United States, has fallen a martyr to the cause of American liberty; and whereas, we, the colored citizens of the District of Columbia, do, in common with the whole American family, deeply mourn our great national loss and bereavement, we, as a mark of our appreciation and gratitude to him, do unite ourselves into an Association for the purpose of erecting a Colored People's National Monument to his memory; said monument to be a a seat of learning--a building of fine architectural design, to be dedicated to God, to Literature, to Science, and Art--to be held and appropriated for the education of the children of Freemen and Freedmen, and their descendants for ever; and to be called the National Lincoln Monument Institute.

CONSTITUTION.
ARTICLE I.

Name.This Association shall be called the National Lincoln Monument Association.

ARTICLE II.

Object.

This Association shall have for its object the accumulation of a fund in order to effect the purpose set forth in the preamble to this Constitution.

ARTICLE III.

Membership.Any person may become a member of this Association by paying into its treasury not less than five dollars, as an initiation fee, and by subscribing to this Constitution. Such person shall also contribute to the funds of the Association the sum of two 00046dollars annually, for the retention of membership in said Association. Any person by the payment of the sum of fifty dollars into the treasury of the Association may become a life member.

ARTICLE IV.

Government.Sec. 1. The officers of this Association shall be a President, residing in the District of Columbia, and one Vice President from each State and Territory of the American Union, and the District of Columbia; a recording and a corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Sub-treasurer; one Director from each State and Territory in the United States, and nine from the District of Columbia.

Sec. 2. Said Officers shall be elected annually on the 14th of April, in Washington, D.C., and shall serve one year, or until their successors are elected; said election shall be "conducted, held, and make" by a majority of the membership of this Association present at the yearly meeting, in such place as the Board of Directors may appoint.

ARTICLE V.

President.It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Directors, to preserve order therein; to sign all orders on the treasury for the payment of money, when ordered by the Board of Directors; to appoint a committee of three members to examine and report in writing, every three months, the state of the Secretary and Treasurer's account.

ARTICLE VI.

Vice Presidents.It shall be the duty of the Vice President and Director in each of the States and Territories of the Union to form auxiliary societies, in furtherance of the object of this Association, and in such manner as the Board of Directors may prescribe. The State Vice President shall act as President of the same. The Vice President of the District of Columbia shall, in cases of the absence or death of the President, but in no other, Vice President of the District of Columbia, the Board of Directors shall appoint a President pro tempore.

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ARTICLE VII.

Secretary.Sec. 1. It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to keep accurate minutes of the proceedings of the Association, and of the Board of Directors, and record the same in a book kept for the purpose; he shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and of all business with the Treasurer; attest all orders drawn on the Treasurer for the payment of money, when ordered by the Board of Directors; he shall have in charge all books and papers pertaining to the Association, (except bonds, deeds, money-bills, and property instruments, in writing,) and shall deliver the same to his successor in office. He shall be prepared to furnish the Board of Directors a statement of the financial condition of the Association whenever called for, and at the yearly meetings a detailed account of the receipts and doings of the same.

Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to conduct all correspondence of the Association and of the Board of Directors, and to prepare for publication and publish such matter as the Board of Directors shall determine as necessary, and calculated to promote the object of the Association; to keep a record of his correspondence, and a file of important letters and answers, and make a report of the same at the yearly meeting, if required.

ARTICLE VIII.

Treasurer.Sec. 1. The duties of the treasurer shall be to receive all moneys paid or contributed to the Association; to pay all orders drawn on the Treasurer by order of the Board of Directors, (if signed by the President and attested by the Secretary;) and he shall give bond to the President and his successors in office for the faithful discharge of his office, in such sum as the Board of Directors may determine. He shall receive, and hold in trust for the Association, all moneys, money-bills, gifts, bonds, and deeds of property. He shall make a monthly exhibit of all receipts and moneys in his hands to the Board of Directors; and at the expiration of his term of office, shall deliver over to his successor in office all moneys, deeds, books, property, and papers 00068which may be in his possession. He shall make deposit of the money in such bank as the Board of Directors shall determine.

Sec. 2. The Sub-treasurer shall reside in Washington, and shall hold and pay out such amounts as the Board of Directors may determine, and shall be governed in every respect similar to the Treasurer, and give bond in such amount and manner as prescribed for the Treasurer.

ARTICLE IX.

Directors.Sec. 1. The Directors, together with the President, Vice President, Secretaries, and Treasurers, shall constitute a Board of Directors. It shall be their duty to meet statedly on the second Thursday of each month, in Washington, D.C., in such room or place as they or a two-thirds majority of those residing in the District of Columbia (said majority shall be considered a quorum for the transaction of all business pertaining to the Board of Directors( may appoint, for the purpose of receiving contributions, payments from memberships, collections from such agents that they may appoint, moneys and property, gifts of all kinds, and paying them over to the Treasurer or Sub-treasurer, taking his receipt therefor.

Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to devise ways and means of accumulating funds sufficient for the accomplishment of the object of this Association, and when moneys sufficient shall have been collected, to secure a piece of ground of suitable size and in an appropriate location, causing the same to be legally conveyed to them or their assigns, in trust for this Association, and to erect, or cause to be erected thereon, a building of fine architectural proportions; and when said building is completed, to cause the same to be solemnly dedicated and set apart for the purpose set forth in the preamble of this Constitution.

Sec. 3. The Board of Directors shall make and enact all regulations, rules, and by-laws for their own government, and that they may deem necessary for the government, preservation, and perpetuation of the Institute and its buildings, and its appurtenances thereunto belonging.

Sec. 4. The Board of Directors shall hold all their meetings in Washington, D.C., in such place as they may secure, until and after the building purposed shall be completed, and from and after its completion, in it.

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Sec. 5. All vacancies in the Board of Directors, or in any of the offices of this Association, can be temporarily filled by the Board of Directors.

Sec. 6. The Board of Directors shall dismiss, after proper investigation, any officer, member, or employee for incompetency, gross immorality or dishonesty, or habitual and wilful neglect of duty.

ARTICLE X.

Constitutional Amendments and Alterations.This Constitution shall not be altered or amended, except at an annual meeting, and by a majority vote of the membership present at said annual meeting; said amendment or alteration to be presented in writing, through the Secretary, at any stated meeting of the Board of Directors, previous to the annual meeting of the Association.

ARTICLE XI.Salaries and Expenses.The salaries of Secretaries and Treasurers shall be fixed by the Board of Directors. All expenses incurred must be sanctioned by the said Board.