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CONSTITUTION.

ARTICLE I.

The name and title of this association shall be the "SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND," and said Society shall include every officer and soldier who has at any time served with honor in that army.

Honorary members may be elected from those officers who have become distinguished in any of the armies of the United States.

ARTICLE II.

The object of the Society shall be to perpetuate the memory of the fortunes and achievements of the Army of the Cumberland; to preserve that unanimity of loyal sentiment, and that kind and cordial feeling which has been an eminent characteristic of this army, and the main element of the power and success of its efforts in behalf of the cause of the Union. The history and glory of the officers and soldiers belonging to this army, who have fallen either on the field of battle or otherwise, in the line of their duty, shall be a permanent and sacred trust to this Society, and every effort shall be made to collect and preserve the proper memorials of their services, to inscribe their names upon the roll of honor, and transmit their fame to posterity. It shall also be the object and bounded duty of this Society to relieve, as far as possible, the families of such deceased officers and soldiers, when in indigent circumstances, either by the voluntary contributions of the members, or in such other manner as they may determine, when the cases are brought to their attention. This provision shall also hereafter apply to the suffering families of those members of the Society who may, in the future, be called hence, and the welfare of the

soldier's widow and orphan shall forever be a holy trust in the hands of his surviving comrades.

ARTICLE III.

For the purpose of effecting these objects, the Society shall be organized by the annual election of a President, and a Vice-President from each state having soldiers in the Army of the Cnmberland (to be nominated by members from the several states), a Corresponding Secretary, a Recording Secretary, and a Treasurer.

The Society shall meet once in every year; the time and place of the next meeting to be selected by ballot at each meeting. All members of the Society who are prevented, by any cause, from personally attending, are expected to notify the Corresponding Secretary, and to impart such information in regard to themselves as they may think proper, and as may be of interest to their brethren of the Society.

Having a fraternal feeling for and honoring the glorious efforts of our brothers in arms belonging to other armies, who have shared with us the service of saving our government, the President and either of the Vice-Presidents shall be authorized to invite the attendance of any officer of the United States armies at any of our annual meetings.

BY-LAWS.

I. All meetings of the Society shall be opened by prayer to Almighty God by a former Chaplain of the army, or by a minister of the Gospel, to be selected for the occasion by the President of the Society.

II. Every officer and soldier desiring to become a member of this Society shall, upon signing the Constitution, pay to the Treasurer the sum of five dollars as an initiation fee, and thereafter the like sum of five dollars per annum, as yearly dues; and shall thereupon be entitled to a copy of the proceedings of the Society, when published, free of charge.

III. Any member who shall be in arrears for dues for a period of two years shall have his name dropped from the rolls.

IV. All moneys paid out by the Treasurer shall be upon the written order of the Recording Secretary, approved by the written consent of the President; and at each annual meeting of the Society the Treasurer shall make a full report of his receipts and disburse

ments.

V. When the place of the next annual meeting of this Society shall be decided upon, the President shall appoint an Executive Committee of three (3) members, resident at such place or contiguous thereto, whose duty it shall be to make all needful preparations and arrangements for such meeting.

VI. That prior to the final adjournment of the Society, at each annual meeting thereof, the President shall appoint a committee of

three members, residents of the city in which such meeting shall be, and not officers of the Society, as a Committee on Bills and Claims, and to such Committee all claims against the Society, of whatever character, should be referred for investigation and allowance before being paid.

VII. No member of the Society shall speak more than once on any question of business, and not longer than five minutes, without the consent of the Society first obtained.

VIII. At each annual meeting there shall be selected, in such manner as the Society shall determine, from the members of the Society, a person to deliver an address upon the history of the Army of the Cumberland, and the objects of the Society, at the next annual meeting.

IX. Cushing's Manual of Parliamentary Law shall be authority for the government and regulation of all meetings of this Society.

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