THE CHARTER, CONSTITUTION AND BYE-LAWS, OF THE NEWPORT ASSOCIATION OF Mechanics and Manufacturers.
FOR THE GENERAL GOOD.
PRINTED AT NEWPORT, BY HENRY BARBER, FOR THE ASSOCIATION.
AT a Meeting of the Newport Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers, at the State-House, on Monday, the 2d Day of July, A. D. 1792,
VOTED and Resolved, That the Pamphlet, containing our Charter, Constitution, and Bye-Laws, and Recommendation, be printed under the Direction of the Committee of Correspondence, the Number not to exceed Three Hundred.
INTRODUCTION.
ASSOCIATIONS having been found, by the Experience of all Ages, of great Advantage in the Attainment of the most important Objects—and the Degree of Eminency to which the Manufactures of Europe have arrived during the present century, being principally owing to the Encouragement which the Artisans in the different Branches have received from Societies formed for that express Purpose, and to the Mechanics themselves being associated together under the Sanction of the Laws.—The Mechanics and Manufacturers of the Town of Newport, in New-England, viewing such Associations of the first Importance, and sensible of the real Utility, in the Infancy of our Country as an independent Nation, of establishing its Credit, by the Goodness of its Manufactures (as well those used at Home, as those made for Exportation)—being also anxious to prevent, as far as in their Power, the Drain of Specie consequent on the Importation of the Manufactures of foreign Countries, did on the 10th Day of November, A. D. 1791, agree and associate themselves together, "for the Promotion of Home [Page vi] Manufactures—for cementing the mechanic Interest—for raising a Fund for the Relief of such of said Association as may be distressed—and for other valuable Purposes, under the Name of the NEWPORT ASSOCIATION of MECHANICS and MANUFACTURERS."
The Constitution and Bye-Laws of said Association, together with their Charter, granted by the Honorable General Assembly of the State of Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantations, are here unto annexed.
THE CHARTER.
L. S.
AT the GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the Governor and Company of the State of RHODE ISLAND and PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS, begun and holden at Newport, within and for the State aforesaid, on the first Wednesday in May, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety two, and in the Sixteenth Year of Independence.
An ACT to incorporate certain Persons, by the Name of the NEWPORT ASSOCIATION of MECHANICS and MANUFACTURERS.
WHERE AS divers Persons have petitioned this Assembly for an Act of Incorporation, whereby they may be enabled to promote certain Purposes hereinafter mentioned:—Therefore, Be it Enacted by this General Assembly, and by the Authority thereof it is Enacted, That the said Petitioners, [Page 2] to wit:—Benjamin Hall, Samuel Vinson, Samuel C. Carr, Timothy Ingraham, David Melvill (Barber) Nathan Bebee, Anthony Dixon, Henry Mumford, William Prior, Thomas Arnold, William Tripp, James Center, John Pitman, jun. Isaac Manchester, William S. N. Allen, Samuel Watson, George Littlefield, Perry Weaver, Thomas Melvill, jun. Clarke Albro, Daniel Vaughan, Thomas G. Pitman, George Clarke, Godfrey Wenwood, John Greene, Robert Taylor, Samuel Yates, Seth Yates, David Melvill (Pewterer) Nathaniel Brown, Samuel Thurston, William Card, Jonathan Simmons; Abner Taber, Azariah Albro, Jethro Briggs, Joseph Thurston, John Yeomans, Israel Horsefield, Samuel Vaughan, Joseph Vickary, Philip Burgis, Jesse Lillibridge, William Tew, John Bull, Joseph Allen, Walter Nichols, William Waite, Samuel Brown, John Jepson, John Weeden, Joseph Cozzens, Jeremiah Weeden, John Sly, Stephen Hawkins, Elisha Smith, Joseph Dyre, Stephen Cahoone, jun. Benjamin Hall, jun. George Hall, Thomas Coggeshall, Noah White, John Shaw, Seth Melvill, John Franklin, Latham Thurston, Thomas Stevens, jun. John Williams, John Trevett, William Briggs, Noah Barker, Henry Howland, Edward Stanhope, William Manchester, and Fleet S. Green, together with [Page 3] such others as they shall elect from Time to Time, shall be forever hereafter a Body, corporate and politic, in Fact and Name, by the Name of the NEWPORT ASSOCIATION of MECHANICS and MANUFACTURERS, for the Purpose of promoting Industry, and giving a just Encouragement to Ingenuity—that our own Manufactures may be improved to the general Advantage, not only of the Manufacturers themselves, but of the State at large, and for raising a Fund, by free and voluntary Subscriptions, Contributions, Legacies, Donations, and in such other Manner as is hereinafter, mentioned, to be appropriated as the Association may direct, for the Purposes aforesaid.—And the said Association is hereby empowered to take, receive and hold, all and any voluntary Subscriptions, Donations, Contributions, Legacies, &c. of any Sum or Sums of Money, or of any real or personal Estate, and also to have, possess and acquire, Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments, or any Goods and Chattels whatsoever, and the same to let, lease, grant, demise, aliene, bargain, sell, convey and dispose of, by Deed or Deeds, under their Seal, at their own Will and Pleasure; and shall and may be Persons capable in Law as a Body corporate to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded unto, to [Page 4] answer and be answered unto, to defend and be defended against, in all Courts and Places, and before all proper Judges whatsoever, in all and in singular Suit and Suits, Causes and Actions, of what Kind soever, in the fullest and amplest Manner.—And if it shall happen, that the said Association shall become seized of Lands or Tenements, by Mortgage, as Security for Payment of any Debt or Debts, or by levying Execution on Lands or Tenements, for discharging any Debt or Debts that shall be due to the said Association, it shall be lawful for them by Deed, under their Seal, to sell and convey the Lands and Tenements acquired by either of the said two mentioned Ways.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That there shall be a Meeting of the said Association in the Town of Newport, on the first Monday in April yearly forever: At which Time, for the better ordering and managing the Affairs of the said Association, they shall, out of their own Body, by a Majority of the Members present, by Ballot, elect a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer and a Secretary, and such other Officers as they shall judge necessary; and all Officers chosen as aforesaid shall, before they are qualified to act, be sworn or affirmed [Page 5] to the faithful Performance of their respective Trusts.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Association shall have a common Seal, which it shall be lawful for them to alter, change, break and make a-new at Pleasure; and that the said Newport Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers, by the Name aforesaid, they and their, Successors, shall have perpetual Succession.
And be it further Enacted, That the aforesaid Robert Taylor, be the first President;—the aforesaid William Tripp, the first Vice-President;—the aforesaid Nathan Beebe, the first Treasurer; and the aforesaid Joseph Thurston, the first Secretary, of the said Association; to continue in their respective Offices until the first Monday in April next.
And be it further Enacted, That all Donations to the said Association, by voluntary Subscription, Contribution, Legacy, or otherwise, shall make a Part of, and be put into the capital Stock or Fund of the said Association, to be appropriated as they may direct for the Purposes aforesaid.
And be it further Enacted, That the said Association, at any of their stated Meetings, [Page 6] shall have, and there is hereby granted to them, full Power to elect into their Body such Persons as they shall judge proper; and to make such Rules, Orders and Bye-Laws, and to alter the same, as they shall judge needful for the better Government of the said Association.—Provided, that such Rules, Orders and Bye-Laws be not repugnant to the Laws of the State.
And be it further Enacted, That any Thirteen of the Members (the President, or VicePresident, or Treasurer, or Secretary, always to be one) being convened at any regular Time of Meeting, are hereby declared to be a Quorum of said Association.
And to the End that the Members of the said Association, and all Contributors thereto, may know the State of their Stock, and the Disposition thereof;—Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That fair Entries shall be made in proper Books, to be provided for the Purpose, of all Donations, Legacies, Subscriptions, Contributions, &c. made to the said Association;—and of all Estates, both real and personal, belonging to them, and of the Income thereof; and also of all their Transactions, either by themselves, or by their Officers, or by their Committees, for and on [Page 7] Account of the said Association; and the said Books shall be brought to each stated Meeting, and shall there be opened for the Perusal and Examination of the Members of the said Association.
And be it further Enacted, That the said Association have, and there is hereby granted to them, Powers to affix a Sum, to be paid on the Admission of any new Member, not exceeding Three Silver Dollars; as also the Sum which shall be paid annually by each Member; and to alter the same at Pleasure: Provided always, that these Powers shall not be exercised, except at an annual Meeting.
And be it further Enacted, That if ever there shall be a less Number than Thirteen belonging to the said Association, then and in that Case the said Association shall cease; and the remaining Funds shall be distributed among the Widows and Orphans of those, who at the Time of their Decease were Members of the said Association,—under the Direction, and at the Discretion, of the TownCouncil of the Town of Newport, for the Time being.
And it is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That his Excellency the Governor, be and he is hereby requested to sign [Page 8] an Exemplification of this Act, and cause the public Seal to be thereto affixed; whereupon the said Association, and their Successors, shall be entitled to, and hold and enjoy, all the Rights, Privileges and Immunities, to them granted and conveyed by this Act.
In Pursuance of the foregoing Act, I have hereunto set my Hand, and caused the Seal of the said State to be affixed, at Providence, this seventh Day of May, in the Sixteenth Year of Independence, A. D. 1792.
- ARTHUR FENNER.
- By his Excellency's Command, HENRY WARD, Sec'ry.
THE CONSTITUTION.
WHERE AS the greatest Felicity of human Life results from Society—and as the present divided State of the Mechanics and Manufacturers of the Town of Newport is attended with many disagreeable Circumstances, peculiarly disadvantageous to Ingenuity and Industry.—And whereas our Brethren, the Mechanics and Manufacturers of the Cities of Philadelphia and New-York, and of the Towns of Boston and Providence, anxious to place their Craft upon a more respectable Footing, have formed themselves into Associations:—The Subscribers, convinced by the Experience of our own Country, as well as by that of foreign Nations, of the Utility and Advantages arising from such Associations, and wishing to encrease the mechanic Interest in this Town, and the United States, as well as to raise a Fund for the Relief of distressed Brethren and their Families—have formed ourselves into a Society, by the Name of the NEWPORT ASSOCIATION of MECHANICS and MANUFACTURERS;—and, reposing a friendly Confidence [Page 10] in each other, do hereby agree to be governed by the following Rules, viz.
1. That the Association shall elect, by a Majority of Votes, to be taken by Ballot, a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and a Committee of Correspondence, to continue in Office until the first Monday in April.
2. The President shall have Authority to maintain Order and Decorum, at the Meetings of the Association, and to call a special Meeting at any Time, with the Advice of a Majority of the Committee of Correspondence.
3. The Vice-President, in Case the President shall die, be displaced, or be absent, shall have the same Authority as the President.
4. The Treasurer shall receive and pay away all Monies belonging to the Association, and keep regular Accounts of the same; observing always to pay no Monies, without an Order signed by the President and Four of the Committee of Correspondence, who are prohibited from drawing more than Three Pounds, between the stated Meetings of the Association, unless specially empowered at a Previous Meeting, and the Treasurer shall [Page 11] give Bonds for the faithful Discharge of his Trust.
5. The Secretary shall keep a Record of the Proceedings of the Association, in a Book to be provided for the Purpose; and shall cause to be published such Parts of the Proceedings or Resolutions as the Association may order, or the President and a Majority of the Committee of Correspondence may direct.
6. The Committee of Correspondence shall at present consist of Eleven (but may be enlarged or diminished, at the Discretion of the Association) and it shall be their Duty to attend to, and see executed, the Resolutions of the Association, and such other Matters as they may think proper for the Good of the Institution, between the stated Meetings, and report their Proceedings at the next Meeting; and a Majority of the said Committee shall be a Quorum to do Business.
7. If any of the Officers aforesaid shall resign, or be displaced, the Association shall fill up the Vacancy in the Mode prescribed in the First Article; and if the President and Vice-President, or Treasurer, or Secretary, be absent at any of the Meetings, the Association may elect one to officiate pro tempore.
[Page 12] 8. The Association shall meet on the first Monday in April, in every Year, for the Purpose of choosing their Officers, and transacting the necessary Business; and at such other Times as the Association may direct.
9. Thirteen Members (of which the President, or Vice-President, or Treasurer, or Secretary, must always be one) constitutionally assembled, shall be a Quorum of the Association to transact Business; and if that Number should not attend at any Meeting, those assembled shall have Power to adjourn the same.
10. Two-thirds of the Members present at any Meeting, constitutionally empowered to do Business, shall be sufficient to expel a Member they may deem unworthy; he having had due Notice of the Complaint, and Time to make his Defence.
11. Any Mechanic or Manufacturer, who has been resident in this Town Three Months previous to his applying to become a Member of this Association, and having been proposed by the President, or Vice-President, or any Member of the Committee of Correspondence, may be elected at any Meeting of the Association; and the Election shall be by Ballot.
[Page 13] 12. Every Person having been duly elected, and subscribed these Rules, on paying into the Hands of the Treasurer Four Shillings and Sixpence, shall be declared a Member; and the Sum of Two Shillings shall be paid annually by each Member; but the Association may, at any annual Meeting, augment the said Sum, but not to exceed Fifteen Shillings.—And all Donations to the Association shall be made through the President, who shall pay them to the Treasurer, and report the same at the next Meeting.—And any Person desirous of being dismissed from this Association, on Application to the President or Vice-President, and paying up his Arrearages, if any, shall by him be dismissed accordingly.
13. If it should so happen, at any Time hereafter, that there should not be Thirteen Members belonging to this Association, then and in that Case all the remaining Funds shall be divided among the Widows and Orphans of those who at the Time of their Decease were Members of the Association, at the Discretion and under the Direction of the TownCouncil of the Town of Newport for the Time being; and the said Association shall cease.
BYE-LAWS.
I.
THIS Association shall meet three Times in each Year, besides the annual Meeting for Election of Officers, viz.—On the first Monday in July;—on the first Monday in October;—and on the first Monday in January;—which Meetings (together with the general Meeting) shall by the Secretary be notified in the News-Papers in this Town.
II.
Whereas it is of the greatest Importance, for the Peace and good Order of this Association, that the Election of Officers should be free, regular, and uninfluenced: It is therefore Voted and Resolved, That in future the following Rules shall be observed:
1. That at the stated Meetings to be holden on the first Monday in January, each Member attending shall furnish himself with a List of such Names as he shall choose to put in Nomination for the four Charter Officers, and the Members of the Committee of Correspondence, at the ensuing Election, not [Page 15] exceeding the Number of Twenty-six—And the first Business to be proceeded on that Day, after the President takes the Chair, shall be the Appointment of a Committee of three Members to sort and count the Nomination Votes.—After said Committee is chosen, the President shall call on the Members for their Votes, and the aforesaid Committee shall proceed to count the same, and report to the President the Names of the Twenty-six highest in said Vote,—a List of which shall be immediately made out by the Secretary, and read aloud at the Table; and each Member of the Association shall, previous to the Election, be furnished, by the Secretary, with a printed Copy of the same.
2. At the Election, on the first Monday in April annually, each Member shall, when called upon by the President for the Time being, bring in his Ballot for Officers singly, from the printed List.—The Votes shall then be counted by a Committee of Three, appointed by the Association for that Purpose; and if it so happens, that any Name, not in the Nomination List, should be voted for, such Vote shall be thrown out without being counted—After the Ballots are counted, the Committee shall report to the President, and he shall declare the Name of the Person elected [Page 16] to each Office, except to the Presidency, which shall be declared by one of the said Committee.
3d. A Majority of all the Votes of the Members present, shall be necessary to determine the Election to any Office; and if, on counting the Ballots, it appears that there is not a Majority for any one Member, the President shall declare that there is no Choice, and shall call on the Members for another Vote, at the same Time informing them of the Two highest in the last Vote, who shall be the Persons to be voted for in the second Ballot.
III.
That at every Meeting of the Association, as soon as the President takes the Chair, each Member shall take his Seat, and no Whispering or disorderly Behaviour, obstructing the Proceedings of the Meeting shall be admitted, under a Penalty not exceeding One Shilling and Sixpence, at the Discretion of the President.
IV.
That at any Meeting, whenever a Member has any Thing to offer for the Consideration of the Association, he shall address the President [Page 17] standing up; and no Person shall attempt to speak, while a Member is speaking, under a Penalty not exceeding One Shilling and Sixpence, at the Discretion of the President.
V.
No Person shall speak more than twice to the same Question, without Leave of the President; and it is expected that each Member will convey his Ideas in as concise a Manner as possible.
VI.
All Questions (except for the Election of Officers or Members) shall be determined by a Hand Vote, except a Vote by Ballot is called for and seconded; in that Case it shall be taken in that way.
VII.
When any Matter is proposed for Consideration of the Association, no Determination or Debate shall be had thereon, unless it be seconded; and all Matters that shall be voted upon by the Association, shall be determined by a Majority of the Members present.
VIII.
The President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary, shall continue in their respective Offices, until other shall be duly elected and qualified to serve therein.
IX.
The President shall propose all Matters to be voted upon, and shall declare the Voice of the Association; and he shall appoint the Time of Day and Place where the annual and quarterly Meetings shall be held, from Time to Time.
X.
The Treasurer's Accounts shall be settled at each annual Meeting, by three Auditors to be appointed for that Purpose at the previous Meeting; who shall certify the same in Writing, under their Hands, at the annual Meeting; and all Bonds and Securities, for Money or Estates, shall be lodged in the Hands of the Treasurer.
XI.
It shall be the Duty of the Committee of Correspondence to hear the Case of any Member of this Association, who may, through Sickness or Misfortune, fall into Want; and (if they see fit) to grant him a Supply, under the Restrictions provided in the Constitution.
XII.
If it should so happen, that any particular Craft of Tradesmen, at any Time hereafter, should meet and agree upon any Regulations for their Craft, and sign the same—and any [Page 19] Member of that Craft, who is a Member of this Association shall in any Manner violate the same, on Complaint and due Proof made, he shall be deemed an unworthy Member, and dealt with accordingly.
XIII.
If any Member of this Association should have a Dispute with a Brother Member, it shall be his Duty, before he goes to Law, to lay the Case before the Association; for their Opinion thereon; and the Party refusing to be governed by the Opinion of the Association, or those appointed by them to settle said Dispute, shall be deemed an unworthy Member, and dealt with accordingly.
XIV.
No Person shall be eligible to be ballotted for to join this Association, unless he shall, at the Time of his Application, depend solely for his Support on some mechanic or manufacturing Business. Provided nevertheless. That it is not intended by this Regulation to exclude any Person who may, in the Protecution of his mechanic Business, buy and sell Merchandize or any kind, and shall, at the Time of his Application, be judged by the Association, a real Friend to the mechanic Interest.
XV.
No Person, who is a Journeyman, shall be admitted as a Member of this Association, unless he has served a regular Apprenticeship in this Town, and can be well recommended,—or, if a Stranger, shall produce a Certificate, or Letters of Recommendation, from Three known Masters of the same Craft, in the Town where he served his Time,—or has established his Character, by working Journey-Work, in this or some neighbouring Town, so that he can be well recommended.
XVI.
No Person, under the Age of Twenty-one Years, shall be ballotted for to be a Member of this Association.
XVII.
Any Person, wishing to become a Member of this Association, shall make Application to one of the Committee of Correspondence; and a Majority of that Committee shall be necessary to determine a Recommendation to the Association, in Favour of such Person or Candidate.
XVIII.
Donations may be made by Persons not of the Association:—also by those who are Members, for the express Purpose of forming Funds for the Encouragement of Manufactures: [Page 21] The Interest of these Donations only to be applied for the aforesaid Purposes, and the Principal to be held subject to the Orders of those who subscribed the same, and to be returned to them at any quarterly or annual Meeting of the Association when they may apply for the same,—but not less than One Year after the Donation is lodged in the Treasure; they also giving Notice that such Application is intended to be made, at a previous quarterly Meeting.
XIX.
All Persons nominated to become Members of this Association, shall at the Time they are propounded pay their EntranceMoney, and it not admitted to Membership, the Money to be refunded.
RECOMMENDATIONS, &c.
I.
ON Motion, resolved unanimously, That it be and hereby is earnestly recommended, to all the Members of this Association, to discourage as far as possible, all foreign Manufactures, by using in their Families and Business those of our own Country;—and that each Member avoid all Extravagance in Dress, or other Expences, in themselves, or those under their Care, whereby an Emulation may be excited.
II.
It is also recommended, That the Members of this Association very carefully inspect into the Conduct of their Apprentices, and those under their Care, that they be not strolling the Streets, late in the Night Season, and disturbing the Inhabitants by Revels.
IT is Voted and Resolved, That on Application being made to this Association, at any of their Meetings, by an Inhabitant of this Town, who may think himself defrauded [Page 23] by bad Manufactures being sold him by any Member thereof; or by any Member not compleating his Contracts in a workmanlike Manner, or by extravagant Charges, they will immediately appoint a Committee to examine into the Facts, and endeavour that Justice be done to the Parties.
LIST OF OFFICERS, chosen January 2, 1792.
- ROBERT TAYLOR, President.
- WILLIAM TRIPP, Vice President.
- NATHAN BEBEE, Treasurer.
- JOSEPH THURSTON, Secretary.
COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
- TIMOTHY INGRAHAM, Chairman,
- GODFREY WENWOOD,
- FLEET S. GREENE,
- THOMAS ARNOLD,
- THOMAS G. PITMAN,
- JAMES CENTER,
- BENJAMIN HALL,
- DAVID MELVILL, (Barber)
- JOHN PITMAN,
- SAMUEL C. CARR,
- JETHRO BRIGGS.