The Clan Fraser in Canada Part 8

THE CLAN FRASER IN CANADA.

(_Inst.i.tuted May 5th, 1894._)

CONSt.i.tUTION AND BY-LAWS.

[Ill.u.s.tration of the Crest of the Clan]

ARTICLE I.--NAME.--The name of this organization shall be: "The Clan Fraser in Canada."

ARTICLE II.--OBJECTS.--The objects of the Clan shall be:

The cultivation of friendly intercourse and social relations among those bearing the surname "Fraser," and the promotion among its members of love for the Clan, and increased interest in its history and traditions:

The collection of Clan records, traditions and anecdotes; of doc.u.ments bearing upon the Clan history; of information relating to notable clansmen, especially with reference to the early history of the Clan in Canada; and the compilation of an alb.u.m of portraits and biographical sketches of Clansmen in Canada:

The furtherance of the interests of clansmen, whether in Scotland or in Canada, and the giving of such a.s.sistance to clansmen in need as may be within the power of the Clan.

ARTICLE III.--MEMBERs.h.i.+P.--Persons bearing the surname "Fraser," by birth or by marriage, shall be eligible for members.h.i.+p in the Clan.

Honorary members.h.i.+p may be conferred on distinguished clansmen, or on persons, not clansmen, who have rendered conspicuous service to the Clan.

ARTICLE IV.--ARMS, MOTTO AND BADGE.--The arms of the Clan Fraser in Canada shall be the same as those of the Clan proper, with the difference of a wreath of Canadian maple leaves intertwined (a fac-simile of which is impressed on this Const.i.tution); the "Motto"

and "Badge" shall be that of the Clan Fraser--motto, "Je Suis Prest"; badge, a sprig of yew--_Taxus Baccata_.

ARTICLE V.--(_a_) EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.--The Executive Officers shall consist of a Chief, Chieftains (as hereinunder provided for), Secretary-Treasurer, Historians, Curator, and a Bard.

(_b_)--TRUSTEES AND COUNCILLORS.--There shall be three Trustees, six Councillors, a Pipe-Major and Pipers.

(_c_)--HONORARY CHIEF AND CHIEFTAINS.--The Chief of the Clan Fraser, "Mac-s.h.i.+mi," shall be the Honorary Chief, and Honorary Chieftains.h.i.+p may be bestowed on clansmen who merit very high clan honor.

ARTICLE VI.--GATHERINGS.--The Clan shall gather once a year, on a day to be decided upon by the Executive Committee, for the transaction of business. That gathering shall be known as the Annual Business Meeting of the Clan. On the evening of the same day a Clan Dinner, or other form of Entertainment, shall take place.

ARTICLE VII.--At the Annual Business Meeting of the Clan the Executive Officers, Trustees, Councillors and Pipers, Honorary Chief (when vacant), and Honorary Chieftains (when Honorary Chieftains.h.i.+p is conferred), shall be elected; and the roll of members, prepared by the Executive Committee, shall be revised.

ARTICLE VIII.--The principle upon which Chieftains and Councillors shall be elected shall be as follows: The Province of Ontario shall be divided into five Districts, viz.: Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton and London, from each of which and from each of the other Provinces of Canada, a Chieftain shall be elected. A Chieftain may be also elected from each of the States of the American Union, as an interest in the Clan may be manifested. The Ontario Districts shall comprise the following counties:

OTTAWA.--Glengarry, Prescott, Stormont, Dundas, Grenville, Carleton, Russell, Renfrew.

KINGSTON.--Addington, Lennox, Frontenac, Hastings, Prince Edward, Leeds, Lanark.

TORONTO.--Northumberland, Peterborough, Haliburton, Victoria, Durham, Ontario, Muskoka, Parry Sound, Nip.i.s.sing, York, Peel, Toronto.

HAMILTON.--Wentworth, Lincoln, Welland, Brant, Waterloo, Simcoe, Dufferin, Grey, Wellington, Halton.

LONDON.--Middles.e.x, Elgin, Oxford, Norfolk, Haldimand, Kent, Lambton, Ess.e.x, Bruce, Huron, Perth.

There shall be at least one Councillor elected to represent each District in Ontario.

ARTICLE IX.--The Executive Officers, Trustees and Councillors shall form a General Committee, which shall prepare the business for the Annual Meeting. The Executive Officers shall form the Executive Committee of the General Committee. The General Committee and the Executive Committee may appoint Sub-Committees with power to transact business on behalf of the Clan.

ARTICLE X.--DUTIES OF OFFICERS.--The CHIEF shall preside at all the meetings of Committees, at the Annual Business Meeting, and at the Annual Entertainment of the Clan; in his absence the duties of the Chief shall devolve upon the CHIEFTAINS in order of seniority, and in the absence of all of them the clansmen present shall elect a Chairman _pro tem_. The SECRETARY-TREASURER shall keep a correct minute of the business transacted at the meetings of Committees and at the Annual Meeting of the Clan; he shall keep a roll of the members.h.i.+p of the Clan; with the Chief he shall convene the meetings, and shall conduct the correspondence and general business of the Clan; he shall submit his accounts to an audit annually or on the demand of the Executive Committee. The HISTORIANS shall compile the Clan Alb.u.m, and shall edit any papers containing information regarding the Clan or clansmen which may be secured for the Clan. The CURATOR shall have the custody of all property belonging to the Clan, including papers and books not in use by the proper officers, and shall account for the same to the TRUSTEES in whom the property shall be vested on behalf of the Clan, and who shall submit a report of their stewards.h.i.+p to the Annual Meeting of the Clan.

ARTICLE XI.--The roll of members.h.i.+p shall be compiled by the Executive Committee, and shall be subject to revision at the Annual Business Meeting.

ARTICLE XII.--The officers shall wear insignia of office; and an officer holding the same office for three terms (not necessarily consecutively) shall become the possessor of the insignia as his own property.

ARTICLE XIII.--The Const.i.tution and By-laws may be altered or amended at the Annual Business Meeting of the Clan, by a two-thirds vote of the members.h.i.+p, personally or by mandate; but notice of any such alteration of amendment in specific terms must be lodged with the Secretary-Treasurer at least two months before the date of the Annual Business Meeting so that members may be notified when the announcement of the Annual Business Meeting shall be made.

BY-LAWS.

1. The fee of members.h.i.+p shall be one dollar annually for gentlemen, and the sum of fifty cents for ladies and minors.

2. The Annual Meeting of the Clan shall be held on a date to be decided upon by the Executive Committee; in deciding upon the date, however, the convenience of the greatest number of the members.h.i.+p shall be the chief consideration.

3. Twelve members shall const.i.tute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting.

4. A member may be expelled from the Clan for a transgression of any of its rules, or any other sufficient cause. Notice of intended expulsion must be given to the Secretary-Treasurer, who shall lay it before the Executive Committee for report at the Annual Business Meeting, and to the member whom it is proposed to expel. Voting shall be by ballot, and a majority must vote "yea" before a member can be expelled. The annual revision of the roll of members.h.i.+p referred to in the Const.i.tution, Article XI., shall in no way be understood to imply expulsion from members.h.i.+p.

5. The following shall be the order of business: 1st. Reading of minutes of previous meeting; 2nd. Reading of communications and action thereon; 3rd. Unfinished business of previous meeting; 4th.

New business; 5th. Election of officers; 6th. Adjournment.

Signed on behalf of the Committee.

ALEXANDER FRASER, _Chairman_. W. A. FRASER, _Secretary_.

The above Const.i.tution and By-laws were duly adopted and ordered to be printed.