THE
CONSTITUTION
      OF THE
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  PHILADELPHIA:
PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY.
      1809. 
 
THE
CONSTITUTION, &c.
     TO aid in restoring to the paths of virtue,—-
to be instrumental in recovering to honest rank in
life those unhappy Females, who, in an unguarded
hour, have been robbed of their innocence,  and
sunk into wretchedness and guilt, and being affect-
ed with remorse at  the misery of their situation,
are desirous of returning to a life of rectitude,  if
they clearly saw an opening thereto—the subscri-
bers, believing it  to be their duty to endeavour to
afford them the  necessary aid, do  agree to form
themselves into a society for that purpose ; intend-
ing  when sufficient  funds are  in their  hands, to
procure them an asylum, where they may be pro-
tected and employed, until their virtuous resolu-
tions are  confirmed  into  habit; and in the mean 
                       4
through the divine blessing, be enabled to do—For
which end they adopt the following Constitution,viz.

  Art. I. This   institution  shall  be  called the
MAGDALEN  SOCIETY—and consist of the
members who shall sign the  constitution, and pay
to the treasurer at the time of such subscription,
and on the first day of each year afterwards, one dol-
lar, forthe support of the  institution. But no person
shall become a member after the stated meeting to
be held in the fifth month  (May) next, who has
not been chosen by the electing committee (here-
in after mentioned) nor then,  until he has signed
the constitution, and paid to the treasurer one dollar
as aforesaid.  And if any person neglects  paying his
annual contribution for three  successive  years, af-
ter being duly notified thereof, he shall cease to be
a member.
   II. The officers of the society shall consist of a
president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary,
who shall be annually elected by ballot at the sta-
ted  meeting in the second month (February) ex-
cepting that the  first officers  and committees shall
be chosen by nomination at the stated meeting in
the fifth  month (May) next. 
                        5
  III. The president, or in his absence the vice-
president, or in  the  absence  of both, a president
chosen for the time, shall preside in  all the meet-
tings, and subscribe the acts of the  society.   In all
questions where they may be an equal  division of
voices, the  presiding officer  shall have the casting
vote.-^-It shall be the duty of the president, and in
case of his absence from the city, of the vice-pre-
sident, to call special meetings of the society, when
he shall judge it necessary, also when the standing
committee shall request him.
  IV. The secretary shall keep fair minutes of the
proceedings of the society.
  V. The treasurer shall give security for the faith-
ful discharge of his  trust, and account for  all the
monies of the society paid into his hands, and for
all their monies  expended, to a committee  to be
appointed  for that  special purpose at the stated
meeting  in the eleventh month (November) of
every year. He shall pay no  money but to  the or-
ders of the society,  or of its  standing committee.
He shall  receive donations and legacies for the pur-
poses of this institution—which he shall enter in
a book to be provided for that purpose. 
                      c
  VI. An electing committee often members, se-
ven of whom shall be a quarum, shall be annually
elected at the time of choosing the officers of the
society. This committee shall have the sole power
of electing new members;  but they  are to choose
none, who have not been  previously nominated at
a stated or special meeting of the society, nor until
one month after such nomination shall  have taken
place.
  VII.  A standing committee shall  also be  annu-
ally elected at the same time, to consist for the pre-
sent of six members,  four  of whom are to be a
quorum; who shall meet at  least  once a month ;
and as much oftener  as they shall  find  needful.
The duty of this committee shall be to afford the
advice and assistance  necessary to those unhappy
females whose benefit is the object of this associa-
tion, for which purpose they shall have  power to
draw on the treasurer  for such sums as  shall be
necessary, and may be in his hands; and when the
contemplated asylum shall  be procured, they are
to be managers thereof.   They shall keep regular
minutes of all their proceedings, and lay them be-
fore the society at each of its stated meetings.
  VIII. The stated meetings of the society are to 
                       7
 be held on the second third day (called Tuesday)
 in the second, fifth,  eighth and  eleventh months
 (February, May, August and November) at such
 place as shall be agreed upon by the society from
 time to time. Fifteen members must be present to
 be competent to do business.
   IX. No addition to, or alteration of this consti-
 tution shall be made but at a stated meeting, when
 there are at least twenty members present, and
 which has been proposed at a stated meeting.
   Philadelphia 11th of 3d month
       [March] 1800.

 The following amendment of the Constitution, was
   adopted on the  10th of the  11th month, ('No-
   vemberJ 1807.

     THE  Standing Committee  from and after
the next  annual  election of  officers of the Society,
shall consist of nine members, five of whom shall
be a quorum, who shall exercise the same powers
and authority, and perform the same services as
the present standing committee is authorized to do
and perform by the existing Constitution.