LAWS
REGULATIONS
  OF THE

I

PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY,


             Held at Philadelphia,


    FOR PROMOTING USEFUL KNOWLEDGE.
Vide Minutes of the society, of the 4th May, 1804.
            PHILADELPHIA:
Printed at the Office of the Umted States' Gazette.
                1814. 
 
TWE LYE
      FUNDAMENTAL  LAWS.

  c*tt**S*P Sv  'I*  //tn^Z-ZD


     i WO  societies  having  formerly subsisted  in
Philadelphia, whose views and ends  were the same,
viz:  " The Advancement of useful Knowledge," it
was  judged  that their union  would be  of public
advantage; and they were  accordingly united,  Jan-
uary  2d, 1769, by a certain fundamental agreement;
the chief articles  of which are,

  First; That the name of the United Society shall
be The American Philosophical Society, held at  Phi-
ladelphia, for promoting useful Knowledge.
  Secondly; That there shall be the following Offi-
cers  of the  Society, viz. one Patron, one President,
three Vice-Presidents,  cne Treasurer, four  Secreta-
ries, and three Curators.
  Thirdly; That  all the above Officers shall be cho-
sen annually by ballot, at the first meeting of the So-
ciety in January; excepting only that instead of elect-
ing a Patron, the Governor of the Province be re-
quested to be Patron.
                       A 
       4       TWELVE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS.
         Other Laws were to be made by the United Soci-
       ety; and accordingly the  following Laws, Sec. were
       passed February 3d, 1769.


       I.—OF THE ANNUAL PAYMENTS  TO BE MADE BY
rfrt&fi<p.9$      MEMBERS.
         Every Member of this  Society shall subscribe ten
       shillings yearly, to be applied by the Society to such
       purposes  as  they shall direct; and no Member shall
       be entitled to a vote in the  annual election of Officers,
       unless it appears that he  has paid  into the hands of
       the Treasurer, the subscription of the preceding year
       and all former arrears, if any there were.
         Every Member  hereafter to be chosen agreeably
       to the Law of this Society, shall pay ten shillings [Now
       ten dollars.   See Min. of  6th Jan.  1786.] admission
       money, and also subscribe for the yearly  payment of
       ten shillings [Now two dollars. See Min. of 21st Nov.
       1788.] before he is  entitled to have any  vote in the
       business of the Society at their meetings.
      II—OF THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS.

  The election of new Members shall be by ballot,
and that  only on the third Friday  in  the months of
January, April, July and  October; and in order to
such election at least twenty [Now thirteen  See Min.
of 21st Nov. 1788.] Members must be present.
  Any Member may, at any meeting, propose such
person or persons, as he thinks proper to be a Mem-
ber or Members of  this Society; but no person shall
be balloted for, unless his name, together  with the 
TWELVE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS.       5
name or names of the Member or Members who pro-
posed him, has been fixed up by the Secretaries for
the view of the Society, at the two meetings preceding
the time of election. Nor shall any person be deemed
duly chosen,  unless three fourths of the votes of the
whole Members be in his favour.
 III.—OF  THE OFFICERS AND MANNER OF THEIR
                    ELECTION.

   The election of such Officers as arc to be  chosen
 in this Society, shall be on the first Friday in January
 every year, by ballot or written ticket, between the
 hours of two and five in the afternoon, at such place
 in this city as shall be fixed by the Society at their
 previous meeting on the third Friday in December
 every year; of which  notice  shall be given  in  the
 Gazette, or such other publick papers as the Society
 shall order, at least one week before the day of election.
  Before opening the  election, the  company that
 shall be met at half an hour after two, shall appoint
three Members of the Society as Judges of the elec-
tion, and also two Clerks or  Secretaries, for  taking
down the names of the voters.  And in case of an
equality of votes for any Officer, after  casting up the
ballots, the decision shall be by lots, to be  drawn by
one of the Judges.
             IV__OF THE PRESIDENT.

  The President is to preside at all meetings, to pre-
serve order, to  regulate the debates, and to state and 
6       TWELVE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS.
put questions, agreeably to the sense and intention of
the Members.
          V.—OF THE VICE-PRESIDENTS.

  In the absence of the  President, his duty shall de-
volve on the Vice-Presidents, so that they  shall pre-
side alternately at meetings.  But if the Vice-Presi-
dent, whose turn it is to preside at any meeting, should
be absent, his place shall be supplied  by  any of the
other  Vice-Presidents, who shall be present, accord-
ing as he may be next in turn.  If only one Vice-Pre-
sident be present, he shall of course preside;  and if
neither the President, nor any Vice-President be pre-
sent, the members  met, shall  appoint  one of their
number to take the chair for that meeting.
            VI.—OF THE TREASURER

  The Treasurer shall  receive the subscriptions of
the Members, and all other moneys that may become
due to the Society, and shall pay the same agreeably
to their orders,  certified to him  by the  President,
Vice-President or  Member, who was in  the chair
when the order was made. The Treasurer shall keep
a regular account of all moneys received and paid by
him as aforesaid; and  once every year, or  oftener if
required by the Society, he shall render an account to
them of the stock in his hands, and the disbursements
made by their order, and shall  deliver up to his suc-
cessor the books and all papers belonging to them,
together with the balance of cash  in his  hands. And 
TWELVE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS.        7
for the faithful discharge of his trust, he shall, before
he enters on his office, give bond and security to the
President and  Vice-Presidents, in  double the sum,
which they, or any three of them, shall judge he may
probably become entrusted with during his said Office.
           VII.—OF THE SECRETARIES.

   The Secretaries shall  so settle matters as to take
equal shares of all business,  and so as that  two of
them shall serve at every meeting, viz. one  to take
minutes,  and one to read all  letters  and papers  that
may be communicated to the Society.  It is also the
business  of  the two  Secretaries  of  each particular
meeting, to copy into the  minute book  the proceed-
ings of that meeting, in order to produce the same fair
to the next meeting.  They are further to  copy into
the proper books, all such letters, papers and essays,
as the Society may think  fit  to preserve on record,
and to have the same ready to be laid before the next
meeting.
   The other two Secretaries are,  in  the meanwhile,
to give notice to new  Members of their election, and
agreeably to the directions of  the  Society, to write or
answer letters; and, in general, to manage all matters
of correspondence.
   The Secretaries may, for their own ease, change
places; so that the two who have  served as Corres-
ponding  Secretaries,  for one month or limited time,
shall take their turn to serve for the like time, as Sit-
ting or Attending Secretaries.
                        A 2 
8       TWELVE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS.
           VIII—OF THE CURATORS.
  The business  of  the Curators  shall  be  to take
charge of, and preserve, all specimens of natural pro-
ductions, whether of the  Animal, Vegetable  or Fos-
sil Kingdom;  all models  of Machines  and  Instru-
ments, and all other  matters and things, belonging to
the Society,  which  shall be committed  to them; to
class and arrange them in their proper order, and keep
an exact list of them, with the names of the respective
donors, in  a  book provided  for that purpose, which
shall be laid before the Society, as often as called for.
  The Curators, on entering upon their Office, shall
give such a receipt for every thing that is committed
to their charge, as the Society shall think  proper; and
at the end of their term,  shall deliver up the same to
their successors.  For the faithful performance of their
duty, and of  the trust  reposed in  them, they shall
give bond  to the President  and Vice-Presidents, in
such a sum as they, or any three of them, shall re-
quire.
    IX.—OF THE MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY.

  The ordinary meetings of the Society shall be on,
the first and third Fridays of every month, from  Oc-
tober to May, both  inclusive, at six o'clock in the
evening, and on the third Friday in each of the other
four months at seven o'clock.
  No meeting shall be continued after  10 o'clock,,
nor any new matter be introduced by motion or other-
vise, after nine o'clock. 
         TWELVE FUNDAMENTAL  LAWS.      «,

 \ — OF THE DISPOSITION OF MONEY, AND MAKING
                   NEW LAWS.
   No part of the Society's stock shall be disposed of
 in premiums, or otherwise, nor shall any  new Laws
 be made, until the same  have been proposed at one
 meeting, and are agreed to by two thirds of twenty
 [Now thirteen. See Act of Incorporation passed 15th
 March 1780.] or more Members present at a subse-
 quent meeting.


   XI— OF OTHER PROCEEDINGS OF  THE SOCIETY.

   No question shall be put on a  motion,  unless the
 motion be seconded; and  the determination of any
 question shall be by ballot,  instead of open suffrage, if
 desired by any four Members. In case ot an equality
 of votes on any question, the same shall be deferred to
 another meeting.
   When any Member speaks he shall stand up, and
 address himself  to the  chair, and the rest  shall re-
 main  silent in their seats.  When two or more offer
 to speak at the same time, the presiding Member, in
 that, as in other matters of order, shall regulate and
 determine who shall speak  first.


              XII.—OF COMMITTEES.

   The Members of this Society shall be classed into
•ne or more of the following Committees.
   1. Geography,  Mathematics, Natural Philosophy
and Astronomy.
  2. Medicine and Anatomy.
  3. Natural History  and Chemistry. 
10      TWELVE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS
  4. Trade and Commerce.
  5. Mechanics and Architecture.
  6. Husbandry and  American Improvements.
  These Committees shall meet on their own adjourn-
ments, and at such other times as the Society shall
appoint, for the consideration of any matters referred
to them, and shall have power to choose their own
chairman.  But no Committee, as such, shall take up
any new business of the Society, but shall  confine
themselves only to the subjects for which they are
appointed, and to matters  referred to them  by the
Society. 
«  Wmtt
 iOR INCORPORATING THE AMERICAN PHILOSO-
   PHICAL SOCIETY, HELD AT  PHILADELPHIA,
   FOR PROMOTING USEFUL KNOWLEDGE.

     W HEREAS the cultivation of useful Know-
 ledge, and the advancement of the liberal arts and sci-
 ences in any country, have the most direct tendency to-
 wards the improvement of agriculture, the enlarge-
 ment of trade, the ease and comfort of life, the ornament
 of Society, and the increase and happiness of mankind.
 And whereas  this country of North America, which
 the goodness of  Providence hath given us to inherit,
from the vastness of its extent, the variety of its cli-
 mate, the fertility of its soil, the yet unexplored trea-
 sures of its bowels,  the multitude of its rivers, lakes,
bays, inlets, and other conveniences  of navigation,
offers to these United  States  one  of the richest sub-
jects  of cultivation, ever  presented  to any  people
 upon earth.  And whereas  the experience  of ages
shows that improvements of a public nature, are best
carried on by Societies of liberal and ingenious men,
 uniting their labours, without regard to nation, sect
or party, in one grand pursuit, alike interesting to all,
whereby mutual prejudices are worn  off, a  humaae
and philosophical spirit is cherished,  and youth  are
 stimulated to  a  laudable diligence and emulation in
the  pursuit of  wisdom. And whereas,  upon  these 
12
ACT OF INCORPORATION.
principles, divers public spirited gentlemen in Penn-
sylvania, and other American states, did heretofore
unite themselves, under certain regulations, into one
voluntary Society, by the name of " The American
Philosophical Society, held at Philadelphia for pro-
moting useful  Knowledge," and by their successful
labours and investigations, to the great credit ot Ame-
rica, have extended their reputation so far, that men
of the first eminence in the republick of letters in the
most civiliz;:d nations in Europe, have  done honour
to their publications, and desired to be enrolled among
their members.  And whereas the Society,  after
having been long interrupted in their laudable  pur-
suits by the  calamities of  war, and the distresses of
our country, have found means to revive their design,
in hopes  of being able to  prosecute the same with
their former success, and  being further encouraged
therein  by the public, for  which purpose they have
prayed us, the representatives of t; e freemen ot the
Commonwealth  of Pennsylvania, that  they may be
created one body politick and corporate for ever, with
such powers, privileges, and immunities, as may be
necessary for answering the valuable purposes which
the said Society had originally in view:
  Wherefore, in order to encourage the said Society
in the prosecution  and advancement  of all useful
branches of knowledge, for the benefit of their coun-
try, and of mankind; be it enacted, and it is hereby enact-
ed, by the representatives of the freemen of the Com-
monwealth of Pennsylvania in general assembly met,
and by the authority of the same, that the Members
of the said American Philosophical  Society hereto-
fore voluntarily associated for promoting useful know-
ledge, and such other persons as have been duly elect- 
ACT OF INCORPORATION.         13
ed Members and Officers  of the same  agreeably to
the Fundamental Laws and regulations of the said So-
ciety, comprised in twelve sections, prefixed to their
volume of transactions, published in Philadelphia by
William and  Thomas Bradford, in  the year of our
Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy one;
and  \\ ho shall in all respects conform themselves to
the  said laws  and  regulations, and  such other  laws,
regulations and ordinances, as shall hereafter be duly
made and enacted  by  the said Society, according to
the tenor hereof, be, and  for ever hereafter shall be
one  body corporate and politic indeed, by  the name
and  style of  The  American Philosophical  Society,
held at Philadelphia, for promoting useful Knowledge,
and by the same name they  are hereby constituted and
confirmed one body corporate and politick, to  have
perpetual succession, and by the  same name they and
their successors are hereby declared and  made able
and capable in law, to have, hold, receive,  and enjoy
lands,  tenements,  rents, franchises,  hereditaments,
gifts and bequests of what nature  soever, in fee-
simple, or for term of life, lives, years, or  otherwise,
and also to give, grant, let, sell, alien, or  assign the
same lands, tenements, hereditaments, goods, chattels,
and premises, according to the nature of the respec-
tive gifts, grants,  and bequests, made to them the
said  Society, and of their estato therein.
  Provided, That  the amount of the clear yearly
value of such real  estate  do not exceed  the value of
ten thousand bushels of good merchantable wheat.
  And be it further enacted by  the  authority afore-
said, That the said Society be, and shall be forever here-
after able and capable in law to sue and be sued,
plead and be  impleaded, answer and be answered 
U          ACT OF INCORPORATION
  unto,  defend and  be defended, in all  or any of the
  courts or other places, and before any judges, justi-
  ces, and other person and persons, in  all manner of
  actions, suits,  complaints, pleas, causes and matters,
  of what nature  or kind soever, within this Common-
  wealth; and that it shall and may be lawful to and for
  the said Society, for ever  hereafter to  have and use
  one  common seal in fheir affairs,and the same at their
  will and pleasure to break, change, alter and renew.
   And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid,
  That for the well governing the said Society, and or-
  dering their affairs, they shall have the following offi-
  cers, that is to say, one Patron, who  shall be his ex-
 cellency  the President of the Supreme  Executive
 Council [now the Governor] of this Commonwealth,
 for the time being, and likewise one President, three
 Vice-Presidents,  four Secretaries, three Curators,
  rie Treasurer,  together  with a Council  of twelve
 Members: and that on the first Friday of January next
 between the hours of two and five in the  afternoon,
 as many of the Members  of the said Society as shall
 have paid up their arrears due to the said Society, and
 shall declare their willingness to conform to the laws,
 regulations  and ordinances of the  Society, then duly
 in force, according to the tenor hereof, by subscribing
 the same, and who shall attend in the Hall, or place
 of meeting of the said Society, within the time afore-
 said, shall choose by  ballot, agreeably to the Funda-
 mental Laws and regulations herein before referred to,
 one President, four Secretaries, three Curators, and
one  Treasurer, and at the same time  and  place, the
Members met and  qualified as aforesaid, shall in like
n anner caoosc four Members  for the council, to hold
   :- offices for one year, four more Members tor the 
             ACT OF INCORPORATION.          15
Council  to hold their offices for two  years,  and
four  more   Members  for  the   Council to  hold
their offices  for three  years.  And  on  the first
Friday  in  January, which  shall   be  in  the  year
of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty
two, and  so likewise on the first Friday  of January,
yearly and every year thereafter, between  the hours
of two and five in the  afternoon, the Members of the
said Society met  and qualified  as aforesaid, shall
choose  one  President, three Vice-Presidents, four
Secretaries, three  Curators, and one  Treasurer, to
hold their respective Offices for one year; and four
Councilmen, to  hold  their Offices for three  years.
Provided, That no person residing  within the United
States shall be capable of being President, Vice-Pre-
sident, Secretary, Treasurer, or Member of the Coun-
cil, or of electing to any of  the said Offices, who is
not capable of electing and being elected to civil offi-
ces within the state in which he resides.  Provided
also,  That nothing herein  contained, shall be consi-
dered as  intended to exclude any of the said Officers
or Counsellors, whose times  shall be expired, from
being re-elected, according to the pleasure  of the
said Society; and of the day, hours, and place of all
such elections, due  notice shall be  given  by the Sec-
retaries, or some one of them,  in one or  more of the
public newspapers of this state,   agreeably to the
said Fundamental Laws and regulations before refer-
red to.
  And be it  further enacted by the authority afore-
said, That the Officers and  Council of the said  Soci-
ety shall be capable  of exercising such  power for the
well governing and ordering the affairs of the Soci-
ety, and of holding such occasional meetings for that 
16
ACT OK INCORPORATION.
purpose, as shall be described, fixed and determined
by the statutes,  laws,  regulations and  ordinances of
the said Society, hereafter to be  made.  Provided al-
ways, That  no statute, law, regulation or ordinance
shall ever be made or passed by  the  said Society, or
be binding upon the Members thereof, or any of them,
unless the same  hath been duly proposed, and  fairly
drawn up in writing at one  stated  meeting of the
Society, and enacted or passed at a subsequent  meet-
ing at least the space of fourteen clays after the  for-
mer meeting, and  upon due notice in some  of the
public newspapers,  that the enacting of statutes and
laws, or the making  and passing ordinances and  regu-
lations, will be part of the business o^ such meeting;
nor shall any statute, law, regulation or ordinance be
then or at any time enacted or passed, unless thirteen
Members of the  said Society, or  such  greater  num-
ber of Members as  maybe afterwards  fixed by the
rules  of this Society be present, besides such quo-
rum of the Officers and Council  as the  laws of the
Society for the time being may  require, and unless
the same be voted by  two thirds of the  whole  body
then present; all  which statutes, laws, ordinances and
regulations  so as aforesaid duly made,  enacted  and
passed, shall be  binding upon every Member of the
said Society, and be  from time to time inviolably ob-.
served, according to the tenor and effect thereof; pro-
vided they  be not repugnant or  contrary to the laws
of this Commonwealth, for the time being in  force
and effect.
  And whereas  nations truly civilized (however un-
happily at variance on other accounts) will never wage
war with the arts and sciences and the common inte-
rests of  humanity. 
            ACT OF INCORPORATION.          17
   Be it' further enacted by the authority aforesaid,
 That it shall and may be lawful for the said Society,
by their proper Officers, at all times whether in peace
or war, to correspond with learned Societies, as well
as individual learned men, of any nation or country,
upon matters merely belonging to the business ot the
said Society; such as the mutual  communication of
their discoveries and proceedings in  philosophy and
science; the procuring books, apparatus, natural curi-
osities, and such other articles and intelligence as are
usually exchanged between  learned bodies for fur-i
thering their  common  pursuits.  Provided always,,
That such correspondence of the said Society be at all
times open to the inspection of the Supreme Execu-
tive Council of this Commonwealth.
       (Signed)           JOHN BAYARD,
                                       Speaker.,
Enacted into a Law at  Philadelphia,
  on Wednesday the fifteenth day of
  March, Anno Domini one thousand
  seven hundred aad eighty.
       (Signed)          THOMAS PAINE,
                  Clerk of the General Assembly.
       (COPY) 
CONDITIONS
                OF THE


MAGELLANIC  PREMIUM.
    JMR. John Hyacinth De Magellan, in London,
having some time ago offered as a donation, to the
American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia
for  promoting useful  Knowledge, the sum of two
hundred guineas, to  be by them vested in  a secure
and permanent fund, to the end that the interest  ari-
sing therefrom should be annually disposed of in Pre-
miums, to be adjuged by the Society, to the author of
the best discovery, or most useful invention, relating
to Navigation,  Astronomy, or  Natural Philosophy
(mere Natural History only excepted); and the Soci-
ety  having accepted of the above donation, hereby
publish the conditions,  prescribed by the donor,  and
agreed to by the Society, upon which the said annual
Premiums will be awarded.

  1. The candidate  shall send his  discovery, inven-
tion, or improvement, addressed to the President, or
one of the Vice-Presidents  of the  Society, free  of
postage or other charges; and shall distinguish his 
MAGELLANIC PREMIUM.
19
 performance by some motto device or other signature,
 at his pleasure. Together with his discovery,  inven-
 tion, or improvement, he shall also send a sealed let-
 ter containing the same motto device  or signature,
 and subscribed  with  the real name, and place of re-
 sidence of the author.
   2.  Persons of any  nation, sect, or denomination
 whatever,  shall be admitted as candidates  for  this
 Premium.
   3.  No discovery, invention or improvement shall
 be entitled to this Premium, which hath been already
 published, or for which the author hath been public-
 ly rewarded elsewhere.
  4. The candidate shall communicate his discovery,
 invention or improvement,  either in the English,
 French, German, or Latin language.
   5.  All  such  communications shall  be  publicly
 read,  or exhibited to the Society at some stated meet-
 ing, not less than one month previous to the day of
 adjudication; and shall at all times be open to the  in-
 spection of such Members as shall desire it. But no
 Member shall  carry  home with him the communi-
 cation, description or  model, except the Officer to
 whom it shall be entrusted;  nor shall such Officer
 part with the same out of his custody, without a spe-
 cial order of the Society for that purpose.
  6. The Society having previously referred the se-
 veral  communications  from  candidates for the Pre-
mium then depending, to the consideration of the
twelve Councillors and other  Officers of the  Society,
and having  received  their report  thereon, shall, at
one of their stated meetings in the month of  Decem-
ber, annually, after the expiration of this current year
(of the time and place, together with the particular
                        b 2 
20
MAGELLANIC PREMIUM.
occasion of which meeting,  due notice shall be pre-
viously given, by public  advertisement) proceed  to
final adjudication of the said  Premium: and after due
consideration had a vote shall first be taken  on this
question, viz. Whether any of the communications
then under inspection be worthy of the proposed Pre-
mium.  If this question be determined in the negative,
the whole business shall be deferred till another year:
but if in the affirmative, the  Society shall proceed to
determine by ballot, given by the Members at  large,
the discovery, invention, or  improvement, most use-
ful and worthy; and that discovery, invention, or im-
provement, which shall be found to have a majority of
concurring votes in its favour shall be successful, and
then, and not till then, the sealed letter accompanying
the crowned performance shall  be opened, and the
name of the author announced as the person entitled
to the said Premium.
  7. No Member of the Society who is a candidate
for the  Premium then depending,  or who hath not
previously declared to the Society, either by word  or
writing, that he has considered  and weighed, accord-
ing to  the best of his judgment, the comparative
merits of the several claims then under consideration,
shall sit in judgment, or give  his vote in awarding
the said Premium.
   8. A full account of the crowned subject  shall be
published by the Society, as  soon as may be after the
adjudication, either in a separate publication, or in the
next succeeding volume of their transactions, or  in
both.
   9. The  unsuccessful performances shall remain
under consideration, snd their authors  be considered
as candidates for the  Premium, for five years next 
MAGELLANIC PREMIUM.
2i
succeeding the time  of  their presentment; except
such performances as their authors may, in the mean
time, think fit to withdraw.  And the  Society shall
annually publish an abstract of the titles, object or
subject matter of the  communications so under con-
sideration;  such only excepted as the  Society shall
think not worthy of public notice.
   10. The letters containing  the  names of authors
whose performances shall be rejected, or which shall
be found unsuccessful after a trial of five years, shall
be  burnt before the  Society,  without  breaking the
seals.
   11.  In case there should be a failure, in any year
of any communication worthy of the proposed Premi-
um, there will then be two Premiums to be awarded
the next year.  But  no accumulation of Premiums
shall entitle the author to more than one Premium for
any one discovery, invention or improvement.
   12.  The Premium shall consist of an oval plate of
solid standard gold,  of the value of ten guineas; on
one side thereof shall be neatly engraved a short Latin
motto suited to the occasion, together with the words;
The Premium of John Hyacinth de Magellan, of Lon-
don, established in the year  1786; and on the other
side of the  plate shall  be engraved  these  words;
Awarded by the A. P. S. for the discovery of------
A. D.
   And the Seyl of the Society shall be annexed to the
Medal by a ribbon passing through a  small  hole at
the lower edge thereof. 
 22          MAGELLANIC PREMIUM.

         ADDITIONAL RESOLVE

Relative to the Magellanic Extra Fund. Adopted by the
  Arrerican Philosophical Society, after giving legal no-
  tice to the Members; October 19, 1804.

  Resolved, That the Surplus Fund arising from the
Magellanic Donation, that is, the interest accruing
therefrom over  and above the ten guineas  a year, be
employed in the first instance, according to the strict
conditions of the donation, if a sufficient  number of
deserving candidates shall have applied for the same;
otherwise that such surplus, or so much thereof as
cannot be applied as above, be awarded by the Society
(at such times,  and under such regulations, as they
shall adopt) to the authors of useful inventions or im-
provements on any subjects, within the general view
of the Magellanic  Donation, and that the  Premium
thus to be awarded  shall be expressly declared to be-
from the surplus of the Magellanic Fund.
            REGULATIONS

   RESPECTING THE  SURPLUS MAGELLANIC
                   PREMIUM.
   1.  The Surplus Magellanic  Premium  may be
awarded at such stated meeting of the Society as shall
be agreed to, at  a previous stated meeting, due no-
tice being given thereof to the Members.
  2. Every  communication  which shall  have been
offered with a view to the Magellanic Premium and 
            MAGELLANIC PREMIUM.          23
to which the same shall not have been awarded, shall,
(except such as the Society shall not think at all wor-
thy of notice) be again taken into  consideration with
a view to the awarding of the Surplus Premium, and
if such communication  shall, at  such  meeting be
thought within the general view of the Donation and
to be  sufficiently valuable to deserve a public  re-
ward,  a Surplus  Premium may be awarded to  the
author thereof.
  3. The Surplus  Premium shall consist of a gold
medal  of the value of not less  than twenty dollars  nor
more than forty five dollars, engraved with a similar
device to that of the original Premium, except that it
shall contain the  words " Extra Magellanic Premi-
um," or at the option of the successlul candidate the
value  of such Medal in money accompanied with a
diploma on parchment, with the seal of the Society.
  4. All the rules and regulations concerning the ap-
plication for the  awarding the original Magellanic
Premium shall be adhered to  in the  case of the Sur-
plus Premium, in so far as they are not hereby  modi-
fied, or derogated from; unless in  very  special cases
for the rewarding of some essentially useful discovery
or improvement,  two thirds of the  Members  of the
Society present at a meeting appointed for the award-
ing of the Surplus Magellanic Premium,  shall, by
their votes, taken by ballot or otherwise, direct.
  5. The Society shall propose and  publish as often
as they think proper suchanumber of subjects as they
shall think fit,  to which they shall call the attention of
the candidatesfor  the original and Surplus Magellanic
Premiums, and invite their communications there-
on;  informing  them  at the same  time that although
communications on  such subjects will be acceptable 
04           MAGELLANIC PREMIUM.
to the  Society, yet they shall not entitle their authous
to a  preference over more meritorious communica-
tions  on other subjects,  equally within the strict or
general view (as the case may be) of the Magellanic
Donation.
  6. Your committee are further  of opinion that the
Surplus Premium ought not to be exclusively applied
to actual inventions or improvements, but may also
extend to such valuable  communications within the
general vie.\  of the donation, as may lead to  useful
discoveries, inventions or improvements, and that they
therefore recommend the  resolution  of the 19th Oc-
tober, with a view to  altering it accordingly.
  Philadelphia, 5th December, 1804. 
OF   THE  AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY
  HELD AT PHILADELPHIA FOR PROMOTING USE-
  FUL KNOWLEDGE.

Enacted into Laws on the fourth of May, 1804, and extracted
            from the Minutes of the Society.
                  SECTION I.
Rules respecting the  order of Business at  Ordinary stated
              Meetings of the Society.

     1 HE President, one of the Vice-Presidents, or
in their absence, the Chairman chosen  by the Society
to preside during the meeting, shall take  the chair,
and call the Society to order, within one hour at most
after the time appointed for the meeting of the Soci-
ety.  The ordinary business of the Society shall then,
as nearly as circumstances may admit,  proceed in the
following order:

  1. The Recording Secretary shall read the Minute*
of the last stated meeting, and also of any subsequent
special meeting if such  have  occurred.
  2.  Committees appointed at former meetings shall
be called upon to  make their reports, which may then
be adopted, rejected, amended, recommitted, or  the 
26
BY-LAWS.
consideration thereof postponed, as the Society shall
determine.
  3. Donations will be received, and the thanks of
the Society returned to the donor if present  by  the
presiding Member; but if absent in a letter signed by
©ne of the Secretaries.
  4  Letters, Papers or Communications will be re-
ceived by  the presiding Member, and read by one of
the Secretaries.  Every communication which  may be
considered as intended  for a place in our transactions
shall immediately be  referred to a committee  to con-
sider and report thereon, and the receipt of the paper
if the author be  not  a resident Member shall be ac-
knowledged in a letter  signed by one of the Secre-
taries.
  5. Communications or remarks, whether verbal or
in writing (though the latter will always be  preferred)
which may not be intended by their  authors for pub-
lication in our transactions, will be  received  and re-
corded or transcribed by one of the  Secretaries in  a
book to be  provided and  kept for that purpose.
  6. Any other  business  not comprehended under
any of the foregoing heads may by motion be brought
before the Society and  discussed.
  7. The rough minutes of the present meeting shall
be read by the Recording Secretary, and if necessary
corrected by the Society, and then, or before the next
meeting of the Society transcribed into their  book  of
minutes.
   8. The Society shall be adjourned by the presiding
 Member. 
BYE-LAWS.
27
                  SECTION II.

Rules respecting the Election of Members and other Perio.
             dical Business of the Society.
   I.  At the meetings of the Society when new Mem-
bers are to be  elected, the names of the candidates
(being attached to the ballot boxes) shall be severally
announced by the  presiding Member.  Previous to
the balloting for any candidate one of the Members
who proposed him, or any other Member,may for the
information of the Society speak to his character and
qualifications as a Member of the Society. The Re-
cording Secretary shall then call  over the names of
the Members present in the order in  which they are
inserted in the  Minutes, and in this order they shall
ballot  for  the  several candidates in  succession. A
white ball being considered as in favour of the candi-
date, and a black one as the contrary.  The balloting
being gone through the boxes shall be  opened,  and
the state of the poll declared by the presiding Mem-
ber; but not till all the  other business of  the meeting
shall be discussed. No candidate shall be balloted for
if none of the Members  proposing him be present;
but his election shall be postponed till the next stated
period,  unless the Society shall at the  time determine
otherwise.  No gentleman whose election has been
twice postponed shall be any longer considered as a
candidate without a new nomination.  It is strictly en-
joined on all the  Members not to  mention out of the
Society the names of any  of the candidates proposed,
nor of any unsuccessful candidate, and the paper con-
taining the names of the candidates balloted for shall
be destroyed immediately after the election.
                        c 
28
BYE-LAWS.
   2. Previous to the election of an Orator or person
 to deliver an address, a nomination shall be made by
 any Members of the Society at the Stated Meeting
 immediately preceding, and out of this nomination the
 Orator or person to deliver the address shall be  cho-
 sen  by ballot.


                 SECTION III.

   Rules respecting the Advertisement of Meetings, &c.
   1. Every Meeting of the Society, and  of the Offi-
 cers of the Society, shall be advertised in at least two
 of the daily newspapers of  the city, if it can be done
 without any expense to the Society, on the day previous
 to the time of  meeting, and a  notification shall be sent
 to each resident Member on the day immediately pre-
 ceding that of the meeting.
   2. Immediately after the meetings on the third Fri-
 day of January, April, July, and October respective-
 ly, a complete list of all the Donations and Communi-
 cations made to  the Society,  with  the  names  of the
 donors or authors, as also of the new Members elect-
 ed within the last three months, shall be published in
 at least two of the newspapers and magazines of the
 city, if without any expense to the Society.


                 SECTION IV.

 Rules respecting the Appointment and Duties of a Librarian.
  A Member of the Society,  or some other suitable
 person, shall be chosen  by  the  Society on the third
Friday of May next, and on the third Friday of Janu- 
BYE-LAWS.
29
 ary annually hereafter, as Librarian of the Society, with
 a salary of two hundred dollars per annum, who shall
 perform the following duties.
    1. He shall have the  custody and care of the Books
 and Papers belonging to the Society, which  he shall
 dispose and arrange in such a manner as shall be
 judged most convenient, and shall  keep an  arranged
 list of such papers.  He shall assist the  Curators  in
 arranging and preserving all the subjects of Natural
 History with the Models of Machines, Instruments,
 Medals, and all the  other  articles belonging to the
 Museum of the Society, making a complete list there-
 of for the Society.
   2.  He shall advertise the meetings of the  Society,
 and of the Officers of the Society; shall employ a per-
 son to notify the Members individually, and shall pub-
 lish quarterly the list of Donations, Communications,
 and ot new Members as directed in Section  III.
   3. He shall attend at the stated meetings of the So-
 ciety, and shall then, or at any such time  as he may
 think proper, lend out to any resident Member of the
 Society any Books  belonging to the Library, except
 the last volumes and loose  numbers of the  different
 Journals imported by the  Society, and except recent
 donations made to the Society, which shall not be lent
 out; taking from each Member borrowing a  Book an
 obligation with a sufficient penalty to return the same
 uninjured at or before the next stated meeting of the
 Society, if in the  months of June,  July, August or
 September; but at  or before the second stated meet-
ing, if in any  of the other eight months of the  year;
subject to a fine of fifty cents for every stated  meeting
that shall occur after the limited period before he re- 
30                 BYE-LAYVS.
turns the Book, and a forfeiture of double the value
of the Book or of the set of which it  is one if not re-
turned in six  months  after being  borrowed.  The
moneys arising from fines and  forfeitures to be ex-
clusively appropriated towards the binding and pur-
chase of Books for the Library.
   4. He shall attend at the Hall of the Society every
Fridny evening, on which no meeting of the Society
or of the Officers  of the Society  shall be  held, hom
seven o'clock to nine; at  which  time  any Member of
the Society may also attend  for  the purpose of read-
ing, social conversation, or making experiments, and
may if he think  proper bring a friend with  him.
   5. He shall with  the approbation of the Society con-
tract for and shall also superintend the printing of the
Transactions of the Society, free  of any or with as little
expense to the  Society  as possible;  and in  the dis-
charge of this duty it shall  be  considered as incum-
bent on every Member of the Society, when desired,
to render him all the aid in his power. The Transac-
tions of the  Society shall in  future be published an-
nually; and after the completion  of the  sixth volume,
the first part of which is now in  the press, they  shall
be printed in an octavo form, commencing a new sc-
ries. The publication  shall be made  as early as pos-
sible  after the commencement of the year, and shall
consist of such papers then in the custody of the Li-
brarian a-> shall have received the sanction of the So-
ciety, and such extracts  from the Book of " Verbal
Communications"  as  shall  be  recommended by the
committee chosen  for that purpose and approved of
by the Society, together with a  list of the Officers of
the Society for the  time being, a list of the new Mem- 
                    BYE.LAWS.                 31
bers elected since the publication of the  preceding
volume, a list of the Donations  made  to the Society,
and such other articles as the Society may from time
to time direct.
                  SECTION  V.

Rules respecting the Meeting and Business of the Officers
                   of the Society.
   I. The Counsellors and other Officers of the Society
shall hold  stated meetings on the  second  Friday  of
February, May, August and November respectively,
at the same hours in  the evening at which the stated
meetings of  the  Society are appointed to  be held  in
the same months, and such other occasional or special
meetings as they may judge proper; and  shall keep
regular minutes of their proceedings to be laid before
the Society at their stated meetings on the third Fri-
days of the same months respectively.
   2. They  shall from time to time lay before the So-
ciety such measures as they may judge  will conduce
to the  well governing and ordering the  affairs of the
Society,  or to promote the  objects of their institution;
particularly they shall recommend subjects for  pre-
miums to be offered  by the Society, with the  condi-
tions on which they shall be awarded.
   3. To them  shall be referred all communications
from candidates for premiums, whether the  Magel-
lanic or those offered  by the Society, on which they
shall make reports without any unnecessary delay.
   4. Seven Members shall be a quorum competent
to any of the  above duties.
                        o  2 
32
BYE-LAWS.
                 SECTION VI.

     Of the Appointment and Duties of Committees.
   1. No Committee appointed on any subject of de-
liberation  shall consist of  less than  three Members;
but any other matter may  be committed to a single
Member.  A majority of  any  committee shall  be a
quorum.
   2. All committees shall be chosen by the Society
on  a nomination previously  made and seconded, the
question being then put on each Member  separately;
but no Member of the Society shall either  nominate
or second  the nomination of more than  one Member
of any committee.
   3. The  Member first elected of any  committee
shall be the chairman, and considered as responsible
for the discharge ot the duties enjoined on the com-
mittee.
  4. When any committee is appointed, the time at
which they are  to make their report shall be also ap-
pointed by the Society; and on the failure of the com-
mittee making a final report at  this time,  unless  a
satisfactory reason for their delay be given, they shall
be discharged and the matter dropped or referred to
another committee, a* the Society  shall then deter-
mine.
   5. All reports shall be in writing and signed by all
the Members agreeing thereto.
   6. The  committee to whom shall  be referred any
communication which may be considered as intended
for a place in our Transactions, shall report their opin-
ion, and if this  be in favour of publication they  shall
make such corrections as  they may judge necessary 
BYE-LAWS.
33
to fit it for the press.  And if they shall judge the pub-
lication of an abstract or extracts  from the  paper
would be most eligible, they shall  accompany their
report with such abstract or  extracts  The author
however in the above cases shall be consulted if con-
venient before the paper is printed.
  7. When any committee is appointed the Librarian
shall enter in a book to be provided  and kept for that
purpose, and divided into proper columns, the names
of the committees, the time of their appointment, the
matter or business committed to them, and the time
at which they are to report, and when the final report is
made the time shall be entered in an adjoining column.


                SECTION  VII.

Rules respeeting the Annual Contributions, and the Sums to
      be paid by new Members on their admission.
  1. The Contribution of Members resident in  the
city or within ten miles lliereof, shall be ta*©-dollars
per annum, payable on the first Friday  of January at
the time of the  annual election of Officers; and  the
sum to be paid by  every new  Member  on his admis-
sion into the Society or receiving a certificate of mem-
bership shall be ten dollars.  Members however re-
siding in foreign countries shall  be exempted from
this payment.
  2. No Member in  arrears, either  for his admission
money or annual payments, shall be eligible to  any
Office or be entitled to  vote on  any question in the
Society.
  3. No Member who shall be in arrear to the Soci-
ety for two or more annual payments, or who residing 
34                 BYE-LAWS.
 in Philadelphia has neglected to attend their meetings
 for one whole year, shall any longer receive notifica-
 tion of the meetings of the Society, nor be eligible to
 any office in the same.


                SECTION VIII.

     General Rules relating to Order, Stein the Society.
   1. No debate shall  ever take place in the Society,
 but  on motion duly  made  and seconded, and  after-
 wards stated by the presiding Member.
  2. When a Member speaks he shall  stand up, ad-
 dressing  himself to the  presiding  Member;  and,
 avoiding desultory remarks, he shall confine himself
 strictly to the merits of the question under consideration.
  3.  No Member while speaking shall be interrupt-
 ed unless by  the presiding Member, when  he shall
 think fit to call him  to order or to admonish him  to a
 closer adherence to the question under discussion.
  4. When a Member speaking is called to order he
 shall instantly sit down or appeal from the call to the
Society, who shall determine without debate.
  5. No Member shall speak more than  twice to  the
 same question, without previously asking and obtain-
ing leave of the Society.
  6.^ Whilst any question or motion  is  under debate
no other motion shall be admitted, unless to divide the
question, to amend, to postpone, or to adjourn.
  7  No motion to reconsider a former resolution can
be made or seconded except by a Member who voted
in favour of said resolution.
  8. No motion under discussion can be withdrawn
 without the consent of the Society. 
BYE-LAWS.
35
   9. No motion for adjournment shall be carried, un-
less by the unanimous vote of the Society, before nine
o'clock in the evening, and shall  at  all times be de-
termined without debate.
   10. The presiding Member  shall  have no vote
unless in the case of i tie  or equality of voles among
the other Members, where the Act of Incorporation
or Fundamental Rules require more than a bare ma-
jority of the Members present, or where the vote is
taken by ballot.
   11. Thirteen shall be a quorum competent to the
awarding of Premiums proposed by the Society and
the election of new Members. In all cases, not other-
wise provided for by the Constitution or other regula-
tions of the Society, the Members attending shall be a
quorum, and a majority of votes shall decide.
   12. A book shall  be provided and  kept by the Li-
brarian containing the names of all the Members resi-
dent in Philadelphia, arranged in alphabetical order,
with a number of adjoining columns  equal to all the
stated and special meetings in the year, and at every
meeting the  said  Librarian shall opposite  the name
of every present Member and in the proper column
insert the letter P.  This book shall always  lie on the
table, so that the Society may at all  times know the
number and names of their resident Members,  and
the state of their attendance.
   13. These Bye-laws, together with the Act of In-
corporation, the Twelve  Sections of  Fundamental
Laws referred to in that act, all the other Acts ot the
Legislature relative to the Society, the Rules ano Con-
ditions relative to the Magellanic Premium, and all
other Bye-laws, Rules or Regulationsof a  general na-
ture, that may hereafter be made by the Society, shall 
36                 BYE-LAWS.
under the direction of the Librarian be transcribed
into a separate book to be provided and kept  for that
purpose, which book  shall lie on the table at every
meeting of the Society.
  14. All the Bye-laws heretofore made by the Soci-
ety and all other Rules or Regulations other than those
referred to in the above article, are repealed.