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OF THE

A ROSTER OF OFFICERS IN CONTINENTAL SERVICE.

CHARLESTON, S. C.

OF THE

The officers comprising the State Society of the Cincinnati of South Carolina, having assembled on the twenty-ninth day of August, and on the thirteenth day of September, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, and maturely considered the propositions and rules transmitted to Major-General Moultrie, by Majors-General Heath and Steuben, respectively, and dated on the twentieth day of May, and __ day of June, of the same year, acceded to them with this reservation, that if any of the said propositions or rules should, by any construction, be held obligatory on the Society to interfere in any manner whatsoever, with the civil polity of their own, or any other of the United States, or of the United States in General, the members thereof will not hold themselves in any respect bound by them, prizing too highly the civil liberties of their country, and their Society as citizens, to consent that military association should dictate to the civil authority. 

The Society are desirous to maintain the benevolent and charitable principles of the original institution, and for that purpose adopt this Rule:

That whenever a member, his widow or descendants, shall need the aid of the Society, application shall be made in the first place to the Standing Committee, who shall examine into the merits thereof, and report the facts to the Society, together with their opinion, and such relief may be granted as the Society shall think fit.  

There Shall be four general meetings of the Society in a year, viz: on the fourth day of July, which shall be considered as the anniversary of the Society, when the members shall dine together, gratefully commemorating it as the day of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, and the commencement of the political existence of their citizens as a free people: on the 22d of February, memorably distinguished as the birthday of Washington, the father of his country, when the members shall also dine together; on the 19^th of April, being the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, so honorable to the first efforts of the American arms; and on the 19^th day of October, when the capture of Cornwallis crowned them with the most brilliant success; and should any of them fall on Sunday, then the meeting shall be celebrated on the following. And there shall be one special meeting on the evening of the third day of July, to prepare for the celebration of the next day, and to transact ordinary business, but should the third fall on Sunday, then the meeting shall be held on the second. 

At every Anniversary each member shall contribute six dollars towards the funds of the Society; every member may bring or permit his own son or sons, or the son or sons of a deceased member, under the age of twenty-one years, to partake of the Anniversary dinner; Provided, that for each and every one of them over eighteen years, he shall pay the Treasurer the sum of two dollars; And, provided, also, that any member absent for a year or more at a time, in the service of the United States, or of South Carolina, shall not be charged for contribution during their absence. Members shall be notified by the Treasurer, of the amount of the arrears. Should any member owe two years arrears, he shall be specially notified thereof, and should he be three years in arrears his name may be dropped from the list of members, a majority of at least three fourths of those present at a regular general meeting voting against him.  

At every Anniversary, there shall be chosen a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, two Stewards, and two more Delegates to represent the Society in the General Society; and in case of the death, resignation or removal of any of the above officers, another person or persons shall, at the next ensuing general meeting, be chosen to supply his or their place for the remaining part of the year. If at any meeting, both the President and Vice-President should be absent, the members present may chose a Chairman to preside and proceed to transact the business of the Society.  

All officers, delegates and committees of the Society, shall continue vested with their respective authorities until others are appointed in their places. 

No business shall be transacted at any meeting of the Society, unless nine members are present, who shall constitute a quorum. 

All questions proposed in the Society, shall be determined by a majority of the members present, voting viva voce; but the vote shall be taken by ballot should any three members demand it. 

The Society shall be opened as soon as the President shall have taken the chair, and the minutes of the proceeding meeting read, and considered in session till the President shall have declared the business closed. 

The President, or in his absence the Vice-President, or in the absence of both, the chairman of the Standing Committee shall have power to call an extra meeting whenever it is his opinion that the affairs of the Society require it, giving such public notice as he shall deem necessary.

The President at each Anniversary, shall appoint a Standing Committee, to consist of seven members, besides the officers of the Society; and all members, besides the officers of the Society; and all members who choose to attend the meeting thereof, shall have a right to debate and vote on any question laid before them for discussion. 

It shall be the business of the Standing Committee to propose at the general meetings, any matter which they may consider as conducive to the benefit and advantage of the Society, to afford temporary relief to all such persons as by the rules of the Society are entitled to it, and transact all such business as cannot be postponed till the general meeting.  

The Secretary shall keep minutes of all the proceedings of the Society, and record all rules and by-laws in a book to be particularly kept for that purpose; he shall likewise keep all letters to and copies of letters from the Society; taking care that every transaction of the Society, and every occurrence relating to it, as far as comes to his knowledge, be faithfully registered and deposited in the archives. 

The Treasurer shall keep account of all moneys received or distributed on account of the Society. 

All titles stocks, bonds, and other securities for moneys, shall be taken in the corporate name of the Society and made payable to the "Society of Cincinnati of the State of South Carolina;" no moneys belonging to the Society shall be let out at interest, by the Treasurer, but with the consent of the Standing Committee, nor lent directly or indirectly to a member of the Society; nor shall any member be admitted to become surety for the moneys lent. 

The book and accounts of the Treasurer shall be audited and examined by the Standing Committee, or a Special Committee, who shall, on every anniversary, lay the same before the Society.  

That all distinction between honorary and regular members be, and the same is hereby, abolished. All lineal male descendants of such persons as now are, have been, or may hereafter becoming members of the Society, shall be eligible as members thereof: Provided, that whenever there shall be no lineal descendants, the collateral males shall be entitled; and provided, also, that the lineal descendants of a deceased member by a daughter shall be entitled in preference collateral male branches. 

No person shall be elected a member of this Society except by ballot at a regular meeting by a majority of at least three-fourths of the members present; no person shall be balloted for who has not been proposed at a previous regular general meeting of the Society, and the most sacred regard to secrecy shall be observed by the members on the occasion, that if the candidate should prove unsuccessful, the knowledge of his misfortune shall never transpire.

If any members of the Society should die in such indigent circumstances that the expenses of his funeral cannot be properly defrayed by his estate, the same shall be disbursed by the Treasurer out of the funds of the Society.

No Rule or By-Law of this Society shall be altered, nor shall any new Rule or By-Law be made, until the same has been proposed at one general meeting, and approved of and agreed to at another.

No question of a political or religious character shall be discussed at any meeting of the Society.

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