ACTS

PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE,

RELATIVE TO THE

FREE-SCHOOL SOCIETY OF NEW-YORK.

An Act to incorporate the society instituted in the city of New-York for the establishment of a Free-School, for the education of Poor Children, who do not belong to, or are not provided for, by any religious society. Passed April 9th, 1805.

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WHEREAS De Witt Clinton and others have associated themselves for the laudable purpose of establishing a Free-School in the city of New-York, for the education of the children of persons in indigent circumstances, and who do not belong to, or are not provided for, by any religious society;

And whereas the said persons have presented a petition to the Legislature, setting forth the benefits which would result to society, from the education of such children, by implanting in their minds the principles of religion and morality, and by assisting their parents in providing suitable situa

tions for them, where habits of industry and virtue may be acquired, and that it would enable them more effectually to accomplish the benevolent objects of their institution if the association were incorporated; Therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of New-York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That De Witt Clinton, Samuel Osgood, Brockholst Livingston, John Murray, Jun. Jacob Morton, Samuel Miller, Joseph Constant, Thomas Eddy, Thomas Pearsall, Robert Bowne, Matthew Clarkson, Archibald Gracie, John M'Vickar, Charles Wilkes, Henry Ten Brook, G. Aspinwall, Valentine Seaman, William Johnson, William Coit, Matthew Franklin, Adrian Hegeman, Benj. G. Minturn, Leonard Bleecker, Thomas Franklin, Samuel Russell, Samuel Doughty, Alex. Robertson, Samuel Torbert, John Withington, Wm. Edgar, George Turnbull, Daniel D. Tompkins, Wm. Boyd, Jacob Mott, Benjamin Egbert, Thomas Farmar, and Samuel L. Mitchill, and all such other persons as now are, and shall hereafter become, members of the said society, shall be, and are hereby ordained, constituted, and declared to be a Body Corporate and Politic, in fact and in name, by the name of "The Society for establishing a Free-School in the city of New-York, for the education of such Poor Children as do not belong to, or are not provided for, by any religious society;" and by that name, they, and their successors for ever hereafter, shall, and may have succession, and by that name shall, and may be, persons in law, capable to sue and be sued, plead and be

impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended, in all courts and places whatsoever, in all manner of actions, suits, complaints, matters, and causes whatsoever; and that they, and their successors, may have a common seal, and may change and alter the same at their pleasure; and they and their successors, by their said name, shall be for ever hereafter capable in law to purchase, take, receive, hold, and enjoy any estate, real or personal, whatsoever, of whatever nature or quality soever, to the use of them and their successors.

Provided always, that the yearly income of the real and personal estate and hereditaments held by the said corporation, doth not, nor shall at any time, exceed the sum of ten thousand dollars, and that they and their successors shall have full power and authority to lease such real estate and hereditament, on such terms as they shall judge most beneficial, and also to dispose of all such personal estate at their will and pleasure as shall appear to them most advantageous for the promoting the benevolent purposes of the said institution.

2. And be it further enacted, That there shall be for ever hereafter thirteen Trustees of the said corporation, who shall conduct and manage all the affairs of the said corporation, and that the said Trus tees shall be members of the said corporation, and actually residing in the city of New-York; and the first Trustees of the said corporation shall be De Witt Clinton, Samuel Osgood, Brockholst Livingston, John Murray, Jun. Samuel Miller, Joseph Constant, Thomas Eddy, Thomas Pearsall,

Thomas Franklin, Matthew Clarkson, Leonard Bleecker, Samuel Russell, and William Edgar, who shall hold their offices until the first day of May next; and the Trustees of the said corporation, for the time being, shall have power to establish two or more Free-Schools in the city of New-York, for the purposes aforesaid, whenever the members of the said corporation at any general meeting by a majority of them, shall judge it expedient, for the more fully extending the benefits of education to poor children, agreeably to the benevolent design of the said association.

3. And for keeping up the succession in the said offices, Be it further enacted, That on the said first Monday of May next ensuing, and yearly, and every year, for ever thereafter, on the first Monday in May in every year, there shall be a general meeting of the members of the said corporation, who shall meet at some convenient place in the city of New-York, to be fixed by the bylaws of the said corporation, and there, by the majority of such of them as shall so meet, shall by ballot elect thirteen of their members to be Trustees of the said corporation for the year ensuing, of whom one shall be designated as President, one other as Vice-President, one other as Treasurer, and one other as Secretary, who shall immediately enter upon their said offices, and hold the same from the time of such election, for and during the space of one year, and until others shall be elected in their stead; and in case any of the said persons elected to be Trustees of the said corporation, or who shall here

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after be elected thereto, shall die, or remove out of the city of New-York before the time of their appointed service expires; or shall refuse or neglect to act in, and execute the said office, then and in every such case, the remaining Trustees of the said corporation shall, within thirty days thereafter, by ballot, elect another or others, of the members of the said corporation, in the stead of him or them dying or removing, refusing or neglecting to act; and that such person or persons, as shall have the greatest number of votes, at every such election, shall hold their said offices from the time of such election, until the first Monday in May, then next ensuing, and until others shall be chosen in his or their stead.

4. And be it further enacted, That the Trustees of the said corporation, shall regularly meet on the second Monday in every month, and at such other times as they may judge proper and expedient, and that seven or more of the said Trustees so convened, shall for ever hereafter be a legal meeting of the said corporation, and that, at any and every such legal meeting, it shall be lawful for them, or a majority of them, to make all such by-laws, rules, and regulations for the government and regulation of the said corporation and its affairs, and for the management and disposal of the property and estate of the said corporation, as they may deem requisite to promote the design and intent of establishing this corporation; and the same, or any part of them, to alter, amend, or repeal, from time to time, as they, or a major part of them, may think fit; and shall

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