BROTHERS HALL, WEDNESDAY EVENING,
MAY 26th, 1852.

*Resolved, That the Fiscal Agent be and is hereby instructed to cause to be printed and bound in a convenient form, ten copies of the Constitution and Laws of this Society, one copy of which shall be given to each of the following officers, viz: the President, Censor, Treasurer, Collector, Librarian, Secretary and Fiscal Agent, each of whom shall transmit said copy to his successor; and also, that a copy be furnished for each of the tables in the Debating Hall, which shall be kept in the Secretary's desk whenever the Society is not in session, or when the other Societies are present.*

L. C. CHAPIN, *President*.

J. W. HUSTED, *Vice Secretary*.

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

BROTHERS SOCIETY.

## ARTICLE I.

SECTION 1. This association shall be styled Name.
the SOCIETY OF BROTHERS IN UNITY.

SECTION 2. Its object shall be to promote the Object.
intellectual improvement, the gentlemanly char-
acter, and the mutual good will of its members.

## ARTICLE II.

SECTION 1. Any undergraduate member of the Membership.
Academic department of Yale College, not con-
nected with the Linonian, or the Calliopean Soci-
ety, may be admitted a member of this Society by
a vote of two-thirds of the members present at
any regular meeting.

4

Pledge.

SECTION 2. Every person upon his admission as a member of this Society shall assent to the following pledge:—

YOU IN THE PRESENCE OF THIS SOCIETY, DO SOLEMNLY PROMISE UPON YOUR HONOR TO BE FAITHFUL TO ITS INTERESTS AND TRUE TO ITS SECRETS.

Privileges.

SECTION 3. Every member of this Society shall be entitled to the use of the Library and to a participation in all the exercises of the Society, except in such cases as are provided for by the Constitution and Laws.

Honorary
barship.

Mem-

SECTION 4. Any person may be admitted an Honorary member of this Society upon the conditions prescribed in the case of members of College as laid down in the first and second Sections of this Article.

SECTION 5. Every member who has permanently left the Society, except by dismissal or expulsion, shall, in all respects, be considered an Honorary member; provided that he shall in no way connect himself with the Linonian or the Calliopean Society: but no Honorary member, or Graduate, shall be entitled to vote in the elections.

## ARTICLE III.

Elections.

SECTION 1. The elections of Officers shall be held on the fourth and last regular meetings of the

5

fall term, on the seventh and last of the spring term, and on the fourth of the summer term.

**SECTION 2.** The Officers of this Society shall be a President, Vice President, Censor, Librarian, Treasurer, and Collector from the Senior Class; a Fiscal Agent, who shall be a graduate member of this Society, and a resident of New Haven; a Prudential Committee of three, consisting of the Fiscal Agent, a member from the Senior, and one from the Junior class; a Book Committee of three, consisting of the Fiscal Agent, a member from the Senior, and one from the Junior class; a Secretary and Assistant Librarian from the Junior class; and a Vice Secretary from the Sophomore class.

**SECTION 3.** It shall be the duty of the PRESIDENT to preside over the meetings of the Society, to call special meetings, and at the end of every regular debate to give a decision upon the question discussed.

**SECTION 4.** In the absence of the President, Vice President, his duties shall devolve on the VICE PRESIDENT, and in the absence of both, upon the CENSOR. If none of these are present the Society may appoint a Chairman pro tempore.

**SECTION 5.** It shall be the duty of the CENSOR to enforce the laws of order and to impose penalties for their violation. In his absence, the presiding officer shall appoint a Censor pro tempore.

6

Librarian.

SECTION 6. The LIBRARIAN shall have the immediate care of the Library, shall keep an account of all the books taken out and returned, shall impose all penalties for the violation of laws in relation to the Library, and keep an account of all fines which he may collect.

Treasurer.

SECTION 7. It shall be the duty of the TREASURER to receive all moneys collected for the use of the Society, which he shall pay out to the order of the Prudential Committee alone.

Collector.

SECTION 8. It shall be the duty of the COLLECTOR to collect and pay over to the Treasurer all moneys due the Society.

Fiscal Agent.

SECTION 9. The FISCAL AGENT shall be chairman of the Prudential and Book Committees.

Prudential Committee

SECTION 10. The PRUDENTIAL COMMITTEE shall manage the financial concerns, and have a general supervision of the affairs of the Society, under such regulations as the Society shall establish.

Book Committee.

SECTION 11. The BOOK COMMITTEE shall have a general supervision of the Library, under such regulations as the Society shall establish.

Secretary.

SECTION 12. The SECRETARY shall record all transactions of the Society, and shall keep a list of its members.

Assistant Librarian.

SECTION 13. The ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN shall aid the Librarian in the discharge of his duties.

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**SECTION 14.** The VICE SECRETARY, in the absence of the Secretary shall perform all his duties.

**SECTION 15.** The Librarian, Treasurer, Col- lector, Fiscal Agent, Prudential and Book Com mittees, and Assistant Librarian, shall be chosen at the election on the fourth regular meeting of the Summer term, and shall continue in office one year.

**SECTION 16.** At each of the elections herein- before provided for, shall be chosen a President, Vice President, Censor, Secretary, and Vice Sec- retary, and no officer except the Fiscal Agent shall be chosen for a second term.

**SECTION 17.** The Librarian, Treasurer, Col- lector, Fiscal Agent, and Assistant Librarian shall, at stated times, receive for their services such compensation as shall be provided by law; which shall not be increased or diminished during the period for which they shall have been elected.

**SECTION 18.** No member of this Society shall, at the same time hold more than one office, except that the first President in each class may be a member of the Prudential Committee, and the Li- brarian a member of the Book Committee.

No member to hold more than one office.

**SECTION 19.** The members of the Senior class shall, in all respects, be considered honorary mem- bers of this Society, from and after the third reg- ular meeting of the Summer term, except that

When members from the Senior Class become honorary members.

8

officers from that class shall continue to discharge
their duties until their successors shall have been
elected.

## ARTICLE IV.

### Literary Exercises.

SECTION 1. The Literary exercises of the Society shall consist of Declamation, Composition, and Forensic Disputation, for the regulation of which laws shall be enacted.

### Orations.

SECTION 2. The Society shall on the fourth regular meeting of each term, elect a member of the Senior or Junior class to deliver an Oration before the Society on the ninth regular meeting of the same term; when in like manner shall be elected an Orator for the fourth meeting of the succeeding term.

### Poems.

SECTION 3. The Society shall on the sixth regular meeting of each term, elect a Poet to deliver a Poem before the Society on the sixth regular meeting of the succeeding term.

### Notification of Appointees.

SECTION 4. It shall be the duty of the Secretary immediately to notify the appointees of their appointment, and, unless declined within one week the appointment shall be deemed accepted.

### Vacancies when filled.

SECTION 5. Should an Orator or Poet decline his appointment, another shall be elected at the earliest possible date.

9

## ARTICLE V.

SECTION 1. On the evening of the admission of Freshmen, the regular exercises shall be omitted, the Constitution and Laws shall be read by the Secretary, and an Address shall be delivered by the Vice President.

Admission of Freshmen

SECTION 2. The President shall call a special meeting of the Senior members on the afternoon of the sixth Wednesday of the second collegiate term, for the purpose of electing one of their number to deliver a Valedictory Oration on the departure of the Senior members from the Society.

Valedictory Ora-tor.

## ARTICLE VI.

SECTION 1. The Library shall be open at such times, and under such regulations, as the Society shall establish.

The Library.

SECTION 2. Every member shall be responsible for all books taken by him from the Library.

SECTION 3. Should this Society ever be dissolved, the Library shall be given to the Library of Yale College.

## ARTICLE VII.

SECTION 1. If any member shall be proved to have violated the promise made upon his admission, he may, by a vote of two-thirds of the Soci-

10

ety, be fined or expelled: but no motion to expel a member shall be acted upon until at least one week after it shall have been submitted to the Society.

### Rules of Order.

**SECTION 2.** The rules of order shall be enforced by such penalties as the Society may prescribe.

### Dismissions.

**SECTION 3.** Dismissions from the Society shall not be granted until a week from the time a written request shall have been made; and no person shall receive an honorable dismissal until he produce from the Censor, Treasurer and Librarian, a certificate that all taxes and fines incurred by him are paid.

**SECTION 4.** Every law enacted by a vote of two-thirds of the Society, shall be considered as binding on every member until regularly repealed.

### Quorum.

**SECTION 5.** The members present at any regular meeting shall constitute a quorum to do business, if they be not less than twenty-five.

### Removal from Office.

**SECTION 6.** Any officer who is not faithful in the discharge of his duties, or who exceeds the limits prescribed by the Constitution, may be impeached; and if the charges against him be proved true, may be removed from his office by a vote of two-thirds of the Society: but no charge shall be acted upon until at least one week after it shall have been submitted to the Society.

11

SECTION 7. When through the permanent absence of an officer, or any other cause, any office shall have been declared vacant, the Society shall at the next regular meeting, proceed to fill such vacancy.

SECTION 8. Any proposition to alter, amend, or add to the Constitution, or any of the Laws, shall be presented in writing, and when approved by two-thirds of the Society it shall be considered as law; but no such proposition shall be acted upon until at least one week after it shall have been submitted to the Society.

LAWS

OF THE

BROTHERS SOCIETY.

Chapter First.

OF REGULAR MEETINGS AND THE ORDER OF EXERCISES.

SECTION 1. The regular meetings of this Society *Regular Meetings, when held.*
shall be held on Wednesday evening of each week
during term time, commencing with the second
Wednesday of each term.

SECTION 2. The hour for opening the meetings *Hour of opening meetings.*
shall be seven o'clock during the Fall and Winter
terms, and eight o'clock during the Summer term.

SECTION 3. There shall be a Forensic Disputation *Regular Debate.*
at each regular meeting, except on the evening of the
admission of Freshmen, as provided by the Constitu-
tion: but such Disputation may be omitted on the reg-
ular election evenings.

SECTION 4. At the close of each debate the Secretary shall read the list of acting members in alphabet-

*Choice of Dispu-tants.*

14

ical order, until four shall have answered to their
names as disputants for the fourth succeeding meeting,
commencing the list at the second regular meeting of
each year. After these Disputants shall have pre-
sented their question to the Secretary, two members
of the Freshman class may add their names as Dispu-
tants also.

Duties of Dispu-
tants

SECTION 5. The Disputants shall furnish the Secretary with a copy of their question at the next regular meeting after their appointment.

SECTION 6. The Disputants shall arrange the order in which they are to speak, and shall open the debate, commencing with the affirmative: when they shall have each spoken once, the question shall be at the disposal of the Society.

Choice of De-
claimers.

SECTION 7. At each regular meeting four persons shall be designated to declaim at the next regular meeting; the list of acting members being called in a reverse order until the requisite number shall have answered to their names.

Order of Exerci-
ses.

SECTION 8. The order of exercises at each regular meeting shall be as follows:

I. Reading the Journal of the last meeting.

II. Reading the questions for the three succeeding meetings.

III. Declamations.

IV. Choosing of Declaimers.

V. Miscellaneous Business.

VI. The Debate.

VII. Decision of the President.

VIII. Choice of Disputants.

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SECTION 2. No member shall digress from the question under consideration; nor speak longer than twenty minutes at a time, unless by unanimous consent.

SECTION 3. No member shall disturb another while he is speaking, by passing between him and the Presiding Officer, by loud conversation, by leaving the Hall, nor by any disorderly conduct whatsoever.

SECTION 4. Any member who shall persist in the violation of these rules, shall be fined by the Censor in sums not less than ten cents nor more than twenty-five cents for each offence.

SECTION 5. Any member who shall refuse or neglect to pay the fines incurred under the provisions of this Chapter shall not be allowed to speak on any question until such fines shall have been paid.

SECTION 6. All fines collected by the Censor shall be paid over to the Treasurer.

Penalties.

# Chapter Third.

## OF THE LIBRARY.

Regulations for the drawing of Books.

SECTION 1. The drawing of Books from the Library shall be regulated by the rules "jointly adopted by the Linonian, the Brothers and Calliopean Societies" on the 26th day of January, 1848, as follows:

I. During term time the Library shall be opened for the delivery of books daily, from 1½ to 2 o'clock P. M., unless the books have been called in by previous notice.

II. Encyclopedias and unbound periodicals may be retained from the Library one week only; all other books two weeks, except when recalled.

III. Books must be charged, in all cases, before they are taken from the Library.

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IV. Four volumes only may stand charged to the same name at the same time, and no person may draw books upon the name of any other member without presenting to the Librarian a request in writing from that member, naming the individual book or books; the said member becoming responsible for any fines assessed upon, or loss of such books.

V. Books may be renewed once only before returning to the shelves, and for this purpose must be brought to the Library.

VI. During the time of drawing books no persons shall be allowed to pass behind the railing, except the Librarian and his Assistants.

VII. Books belonging to the Library shall not be taken out of the city of New Haven.

VIII. The Acting Members of the other College Societies may draw books under the same regulations as acting members of this Society.

IX. **Graduated Members** of this and the other College Societies may draw books under the same regulations as acting members.

X. **Honorary Members** of this and the other College Societies may draw books under the same regulations as acting members, by the payment of one dollar a term in advance, to the Librarian of the Society of which they are members.

## PENALTIES.

I. Persons retaining books from the Library for a longer time than above specified, shall be fined one cent per volume for every day of such retention.

II. When the books have been recalled by notice, the above fine shall be increased to ten cents per volume.

III. The fine for taking books from the Library uncharged, shall be twenty five cents per volume.

IV. If books are seriously injured or lost, the person to whom they are charged shall be held responsible to replace them, or pay the cost of replacing them, to the Librarian.

V. Persons neglecting or refusing to pay their fines, shall not be permitted to draw books until such fines have been paid; and it shall be the duty of the Librarian, in case any person is excluded from the use of this Library, to notify the Librarians of the other Societies, who will also exclude him from the use of their Libraries until they receive notice from the Librarian of this Society that the cause of exclusion no longer exists.

**SECTION 2.** Books may be drawn from the Library as soon as the first Saturday in each term, unless otherwise ordered by the Book Committee.

**SECTION 3.** The Book Committee shall on or before the last Wednesday of each term, cause notices

Calling in of Books.

18

to be posted in at least eight conspicuous places, requiring all Books loaned to be returned to the Library on or before the following Monday; and no Books shall be loaned after the last Saturday of each term.

**SECTION 4.** The Books shall not be called in except at the times specified in the last section, unless the Society shall otherwise order at a regular meeting.

Drawing of Books
during Vacations.

**SECTION 5.** The Librarian, or some member of the Society whom the Book Committee may appoint, shall, at stated times during the Winter and Spring vacations, allow Books to be drawn from the Library under the regulations contained in the first section of this Chapter, except that no penalties shall be incurred under the operation of the second rule in case the Books thus drawn shall have been returned on or before the last Monday of the vacation. The person thus having charge of the Library shall, on or before the last Wednesday of the vacation, post notices in the manner prescribed in the third section of this Chapter, requiring all Books belonging to the Library to be returned on or before the following Monday; and no Books shall be drawn from the Library during the Summer vacation.

Librarian's Senior
Assistants.

**SECTION 6.** The Librarian may appoint two members of his class to assist him in the delivery of Books, each of whom shall receive for his year's service the sum of five dollars.

Repairs of Libra-
ry, by whom or-
dered.

**SECTION 7.** The Book Committee shall, with the advice and consent of the Prudential Committee, order all necessary repairs upon the Library, and all binding of Books and Periodicals.

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**SECTION 8.** The Librarian shall within the week Of Fines collected by Libraries next preceding the first regular election in each term, pay over to the Treasurer all moneys which he shall have received in his official capacity.

**SECTION 9.** The Book Committee shall during each year, with the advice and consent of the Prudential Committee, expend in the purchase of Books all the money appropriated to that purpose; but no Books shall be purchased on credit, unless the Society shall so order at a regular meeting; and no proposition to make any such purchase shall be finally acted upon until at least one week after it shall have been submitted to the Society.

**SECTION 10.** The Librarian shall be *ex officio* a member of the Book Committee.

## Chapter Fourth.

### OF TAXES AND THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS.

**SECTION 1.** Each undergraduate member of this Society shall, on or before the third Wednesday of each Collegiate term, pay to the Collector the sum of two dollars; except that the members of the Senior class shall on the third term be liable to pay only one dollar.

**SECTION 2.** The Collector shall immediately after the time specified in the last section, furnish the Librarian with a list of the names of all members who shall have refused or neglected to pay their taxes, whom the Librarian shall immediately exclude from the use of the Libraries until he shall receive notice from the Collector that said taxes have been paid; and it shall be the duty of the Collector to give such notice as penalties for non-payment of taxes.

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soon as practicable after receiving payment from any delinquent; but the Collector shall not report any member as a delinquent until he shall have twice demanded payment of him, subsequent to the time specified in the last section; nor any member of the Freshman class during the first term.

**SECTION 3.** The Collector shall at some time during the day preceding each election evening, furnish the Secretary with a list of all the members who are, or are liable to be excluded from the Libraries under the provisions of the last section; and no such person shall be allowed to vote for any officer, nor be eligible to any office, until this disqualification shall have been removed. Provided, that the Collector shall furnish the Prudential Committee with the names of such members as deem themselves unable to pay their taxes, which Committee is hereby authorized to remit such taxes at their discretion.

Funds of the Society, how appropriated.

**SECTION 4.** At the commencement of each College year, the Prudential Committee shall make an estimate of the probable receipts of the Society for that year; and after deducting therefrom the amount necessary to meet the usual incidental expenses, shall appropriate the remainder to the enlargement and improvement of the Library. Provided, that the said Committee may each year reserve a sum not exceeding two hundred dollars, which shall be securely invested as a contingent fund to meet any extraordinary expenses.

**SECTION 5.** The Treasurer shall not pay out any money belonging to this Society without the written order of the Prudential Committee.

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moved; and when elections are to be held he shall
place each of them in some convenient position in op-
posite parts of the Hall; in one of these as the Presi-
dent shall designate, shall be deposited the ballots of
those members entitled to vote whose names are in-
cluded in the first half of the Secretary's alphabetical
list, and in the other those of the remaining half.

Inspectors of Elections

SECTION 3. The Censor, Collector, Assistant Librarian, and Secretary shall, *ex officiis*, constitute a Board of Inspectors of Elections, who shall receive and count the ballots of the first alphabetical half of the Society, and the Vice President, Treasurer, Librarian and Vice Secretary shall constitute a similar Board, who shall in like manner receive and count the ballots of the second half. In the absence of any one of these Officers, the President shall designate some member to serve in his place.

Check List.

SECTION 4. The Chairman of each Board of Inspectors shall receive each ballot offered, but shall not deposit any such ballot until the Clerk of the Board shall have checked the name of the member offering to vote, on a list provided by him for that purpose.

Election void in
certain cases.

SECTION 5. If as the result of any balloting it shall appear that the number of ballots cast is greater than that of the members who have voted, the election shall be delared void, and the Society shall immediately proceed to another balloting.

Notice of Elections.

SECTION 6. The President shall at the meeting next preceding any election, give notice of the same, and also of what officers are to be chosen.

A plurality shall elect except in a certain case.

SECTION 7. The officers to be chosen at any election shall be balloted for on a single ticket, and the

23

member having the greatest number of votes for any
office shall be declared elected; but at the election on
the fourth meeting of the Summer term, each officer
shall be balloted for separately, and a majority of all
the votes cast shall be requisite to elect.

# Chapter Sixth.

## OF REPORTS.

SECTION 1. The regular time of making reports to the Society shall be on the first election evening of each term. All reports shall be in writing on paper of uniform size which shall be furnished by the Secretary, and when accepted by the Society, he shall place them on file.

Time and manner of making Reports.

SECTION 2. The Fiscal Agent shall present a complete report of all bills which he has endorsed since the last time of making reports, and of the general financial condition of the Society.

Fiscal Agent's Report.

SECTION 3. The Treasurer shall present a report of the receipts and expenditures of the Society since his last report.

Treasurer's Report.

SECTION 4. The Collector shall make a report of all taxes and subscriptions he has collected since the time of making his last report, and also the sums due from each of the classes.

Collector's Report.

SECTION 5. The Librarian shall make a report of the condition of the Library, and of all moneys he has received in his official capacity since the time of making his last report.

Librarian's Report.

SECTION 6. Any of the above officers who shall fail to make his report at the appointed time, shall forfeit to the use of the Society the sum of three dollars.

Penalties.