Article I.
NAME.
Section I. The name or title of the Association shall be The United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Sec. II. Each State Organization shall be known as a Division, and designated by the name of the State in which it is located, and each local organi
zation in that State, as a Chapter of the said Division, to be numbered consecutively, and any name selected by such Chapter.
Article II.
OBJECTS.
The objects of this Association are educational, memorial, literary, social and benevolent; to collect and preserve the material for a truthful history of the war between the Confederate States and the United States of America; to honor the memory of those who served and those who fell in the service of the Confederate States, and to record the part taken by Southern women, as well, in the untiring effort after the war in the reconstruction of the South, as in patient endurance of hardship and patriotic devotion during the struggle; to cherish the ties of friendship among the members of the Society, and to fulfill the duties of sacred charity to the survivors of the war and those dependent upon them.
Article III.
ORGANIZATION OF CHAPTERS.
Section I. Those women entitled to membership are the widows, wives, mothers, sisters, nieces and lineal descendants of such men as served honorably in the Confederate Army, Navy and Civil Service, or of those persons who loyally gave material aid to the cause. Also, women and their lineal descendants, wherever living, who can give proof of
personal service and loyal aid to the Southern cause during the war.
Sec. II. Each State Division shall furnish blank applications for membership to be used throughout that Division. These blanks may. differ in form, but must not conflict with the qualifications of membership as set forth in this Constitution. The mode of electing- and admitting- members may also vary with each Division, provided, again, the qualifications for membership be not inconsistent with this Constitution.
Sec. III. Seven or more women in any State in which no Division exists, may organize a Chapter and be chartered on application to the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and all Chapters subsequently formed in that State shall apply through the first Chapter to the United Daughters of Confederacy for their Charters. A fee of three dollars shall be paid to the United Daughters of the Confederacy for each Charter. Each Chapter shall report annually to the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and shall on the first day of each succeeding February pay into the Treasury of the United Daughters of the Confederacy the sum of ten cents for each and every member who may at such date be in good standing- on the roll of such Chapter. Provided, however, that nothing in this Constitution contained shall be construed as preventing any Division or Chapter from becoming legally incorporated under the laws of the State in which it is located, should it desire to do so.
Sec. IV. The United Daughters of the Confederacy suggest that the annual meeting of all Chapters be held on Gen. Lee’s birthday, January 19th, or if that day falls on Sunday, then on the day following.
Article IV.
ORGANIZATION OF STATE DIVISIONS.
Section I. When three or more Chapters shall be organized in any state, it shall be the duty of the first or Charter Chapter to call a Convention for the purpose of organizing a State Division. Such Convention shall be held at a time and place to be designated by the Charter Chapter, at which Convention each Chapter shall be entitled to one vote for every twenty-five members or fraction thereof if such fraction be not less than seven.
Sec. II. Each State Division shall be organized by the adoption of a Constitution and By-laws, none of which shall be inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Constitution, and by the election of a president and other proper officers. Any one or more representatives from any Chapter shall be authorized to cast the full vote to which such Chapter may be entitled. In case a Chapter is unable to send a delegate its vote may be cast by proxy.
Sec. III. From and after the organization of such State Division, all Chapters in such State shall be organized upon proper application for their Charters to the United Daughters of the Confederacy, through the Division.
Article V.
CONVENTIONS OF U. D. C.
Section I. Conventions of United Daughters of the Confederacy shall be held annually on the second Wednesday of November, at such place as designated by the preceding Convention.
Sec. II. Each Chapter shall be entitled in all Conventions of the United Daughters of the Confederacy to one vote for every twenty-five members or fraction thereof not less than seven, provided that when a Chapter has less than twenty-five members it shall be entitled to one vote. Any one or more representatives from any such Chapter shall be authorized to cast the full vote to which such Chapter may be entitled. Any Chapter not able to send a delegate may send the vote by proxy.
Article VI.
OFFICERS.
The officers of the United Daughters of the Confederacy shall be a President who shall preside at all meetings. A Vice President, who shall preside in the absence of the President. A Recording Secretary. A Corresponding Secretary. A Treasurer. All these shall be elected to serve for one year, or until their successors shall be elected and qualified. In case of a tie, the President has power to cast the deciding vote.
Article VII.
FINANCE.
A Committee on Finance shall be composed of five members, to whom shall be referred all matters of receipts and expenditures.
Article VIII.
CERTIFICATES OF MEMBERSHIP.
Certificates of membership shall be furnished by each Chapter to all members in good standing. Such certificates shall be supplied by the United Daughters of the Confederacy with their seal attached. These Certificates must be signed by the President of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the President of the State Division and the President and Secretary of the local Chapter.
Article IX.
BADGES— INSIGNIA— SEALS.
Section I. The badge to be worn by the Daughters of the Confederacy shall consist of a representation of the Confederate flag (stars and bars) in white, blue and scarlet enamel, surrounded by a laurel wreath with the monogram, D. C. under the flag, and dates ’61- , 65 on loops of bow tieing wreath. Divisions and Chapters may use in addition a badge of their own.
Sec. II. The seal of the United Daughters of the Confederacy shall be a reproduction of the great seal of the Confederate States of America, with the
addition of the inscription, Daughters of the Confederacy, on the outer rim.
Sec. III. The seals for all State Divisions shall be of the same design with the addition of the name of the Division.
Sec. IV. All official documents emanating from the United Daughters of the Confederacy shall bear the impress of its great seal.
Sec. V. The use of the name, seal and badge of the United Daughters of the Confederacy for business purposes other than the business of this Association is expressly prohibited.
Article X.
AMENDMENTS.
This Constitution may be amended by a two thirds vote at any Convention of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, provided notice of such intention to amend be filed with the Secretary at least thirty days before the day fixed for the Convention. Upon the filing of such notice the Secretary shall forthwith extend the same to each of the officers of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and to the representative of each Chapter in direct connection with the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
We, the Committee appointed March 30, 1895, to revise the Constitution of the National Association of the Daughters of the Confederacy, and reappointed November 8, 1895, and empowered to put it
with its amendments into proper shape for printing”, hereby certify this paper to be in every clause a true copy of that passed on by the Convention of November 8, 1895, with the exception of a few grammatical and clerical corrections made necessary by the amendments.
Signed, Mrs. Jno. P. Hickman,
Mrs. Wm. M. Parsley,
Louisa McC. Smythe.
Atlanta, November 9, 1895.
