thereby, for a limited period, lose all his rights and privileges as a member :-nor shall he ever regain them, except upon compliance with the conditions, if any, originally annexed by the Committee of Censors, or the Association :and a majority of members present shall have power to inflict this punishment.

A member subjecting himself to expulsion, shall forever forfeit all his interest in the funds of the Association, and shall be as if he never had been a member. And two-thirds of the members present shall have power to inflict this punishment.

There shall be paid into the Treasury, by every member of the Bar who shall have signed this Constitution, the sum of ten dollars, as soon as the Association shall be organized. And at the expiration of the first year, ever afterwards, the sum of five dollars shall be annually paid into the Treasury, by every member of the Association.

This Constitution shall not be altered or amended, except with the assent of a majority of the members, at a stated session:-and every such alteration or amendment shall be proposed for consideration one stated session at least, before it can be finally acted upon.

A system of By-laws shall be prepared and adopted, as the Association shall hereafter direct. No alteration or amendment of any By-law shall be made, except at the stated sessions :-nor unless notice of the same shall have been openly given in the Association, at the preceding session:— nor shall any new By-law be considered or adopted without such notice. A quorum for the election of Officers, making By-laws, and transacting other business, except it be otherwise herein provided, shall consist of not less than thirty members.

BY-LAWS

of

THE ASSOCIATED MEMBERS OF THE BAR
OF PHILADELPHIA [1821]

SECTION I.

Of the Stated and Special Meetings, and the Order of Business therein.

ART. I. A notice of each stated and special meeting of the Association, mentioning the day, hour, and place, when, and where it is to be held, and signed by the Secretary, shall be posted up in a conspicuous place in the District Court room of this City and County, and in the room where the Supreme Court, or a Court of Nisi Prius, or of Oyer and Terminer, may at the time be sitting, during the whole week next preceding the day appointed for the meeting. Notice, in writing, shall also be given to the members, or left at their offices.

ART. 2. Within half an hour at most, after the time appointed for holding a general or special meeting, the Chancellor, or he who shall preside in his stead, shall take the chair, and call the members to order, the roll shall be called in alphabetical order, and the Secretary shall mark the names of the absentees, after which, the Association shall immediately proceed to business.

ART. 3. Every general and special meeting shall begin with the reading of the minutes of the preceding meeting by the Secretary, and conclude with his reading the rough draft of those of the then present sitting, after which the meeting shall be adjourned.

ART. 4. After reading the minutes, the order of business in general meetings shall be as follows:

Ist, Reports of the Committee of Finance shall be read and acted upon, unless postponed.

2d, Reports of the Committee of Censors shall be read and proceeded upon in like manner.

3d, Reports of Special Committees.

4th, Unfinished business, for which the reports after being read may be postponed.

5th, The Chancellor, or he who shall preside in his stead, shall communicate any letter, document, or other matter that he may think interesting to the Association, or say that he has nothing particular to communicate.

6th. Nominations of the candidates for membership in the Association, will be received.

7th, The election of candidates, proposed at former meetings. Black and white ivory balls to be used for that purpose.

8th, Any other business not above enumerated, or which has been postponed, may be introduced by any of the members present. The preference in order of discussion shall always be given to reports of Committees, over every other business, unless otherwise ordered by a vote of the meeting.

9th, At special meetings the business for which the meeting was called shall be first entered into, immediately after the roll is called and minutes read. After this shall have been disposed of, or postponed, any other business may be proceeded in.

10th, Adjourned meetings shall be considered as a continuation of the preceding meeting, whether general or special, and business shall be taken up where it was left off.

The calling of the roll and reading of the minutes shall take place at adjourned meetings as at every other.

SECTION II.

Of absent Members and Fines.

ART. 1. Every member who shall be absent at the roll call, shall be fined one dollar, unless he delivers a sufficient excuse. No excuse shall be received but sickness, absence from the city, some recent domestic calamity, or being necessarily engaged on public business. No member shall withdraw during the meeting without leave of the Chancellor, or person acting in his stead, and any member withdrawing without such leave, shall be fined two dollars, and pay the same within ten days to the Treasurer.

ART. 2. The absentee shall be bound, within ten days. after the fine shall have been incurred, if present and in health, otherwise within the same period of time after his return or recovery from sickness, to pay the amount of his fine to the Treasurer, or deliver to him a declaration in writing of the cause of his absence, which if sufficient, shall be received in lieu of the fine.

ART. 3. The Secretary shall immediately, or as soon as possible after each meeting, deliver to the Treasurer a list, signed by him, of the absentees, and persons withdrawing without leave, and the Treasurer shall, every three months, send or deliver a list of the delinquents to the Committee of Censors, who shall admonish them to comply with the Laws of the Association, or take such other steps as their prudence shall dictate; and if their admonitions be disregarded for three months, the Committee shall report their names as wilful delinquents to the Association, that they may take order thereon.

ART. 4. Every other fine which shall or may be imposed, and payment to be made under these or any other future By-laws, shall be payable to the Treasurer within ten days after it shall have been due, and if the same be not paid, the Treasurer shall report thereon to the Committee of Censors, who shall proceed in like manner as above.

ART. 5. Every wilful delinquent, so reported to the Association by the Committee of Censors, shall, ipso facto, be suspended from membership until he shall have paid to the Treasurer double the amount of the fines, or sums for which he is in arrears.

SECTION III.

Of Annual Payments.

If any member of this Association shall fail to pay to the Treasurer the annual sum prescribed by the Constitution, or to make any other payment hereafter to be ordered, so that the Treasurer report him to the Committee of Censors, he shall be dealt with as a delinquent.

SECTION IV.

Of Standing Committees.

ART. I. The Committee of Censors shall hold their stated meetings on the last Monday in every month, and may hold special or adjourned meetings at their pleasure. Five members shall be a quorum.

ART. 2. The Committee of Finance shall hold four stated meetings in every year, to wit, on the last Monday in February, May, August, and November; and may hold special or adjourned meetings when they shall think it necessary.

ART. 3. The Standing Committees shall appoint their own officers, and make rules for their internal organization, subject, however, to the provisions of the Constitution and By-laws, and to the controul of the Association.

SECTION V.

Of Special Committees.

ART. 1. Every report of a Committee shall be in writing, unless otherwise ordered, and signed by at least a majority of the members.