Inaugural Meeting Minutes Cropped

New York Chamber of Commerce

New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry Records collection
Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University

eng

Box: 394

1768-04-05

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nnc-rb

eng

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WHEREAS, mercantile societies have been found very usefull in tradeing cities for promoting and encouraging commerce, supporting industry, adjusting disputes relative to trade and navigation, and procuring such laws and regulations as may be found necessary for the benefit of trade in general;
For which purpose, and to establish such a society in the city of New York, the following persons convened on the first Tuesday in, and being the 5th day of, April, 1768:

JOHN CRUGER, THOMAS WHITE,
ELIAS DESBROSSES, MILES SHERBROOKE,
JAMES JAUNCEY, WALTER FRANKLIN,
JACOB WALTON, ROBERT Ross WADDLE,
ROBERT MURRAY, ACHESON THOMPSON,
HUGH WALLACE, LAWRENCE KORTRIGHT,
GEORGE FOLLIOT, THOMAS RANDAL,
WILLIAM WALTON, WILLIAM McAoAM,
SAMUEL VERPLANCK, ISAAC Low,
THEOPHYLACT BACHE, ANTHONY VAN DAM,

Who agreed that the said Society of Merchants should consist of

A PRESIDENT,
VICE-PRESIDENT,
TREASURER,
SECRETARY,

And such a number of merchants as already, or hereafter may become members thereof, to be called and known by the name of
THE NEW YORK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
The Members present unanimously chose the following Gentlemen their officers for this year, to commence the first Tuesday in May next:

JOHN CRUGER, President.
HUGH WALLACE, Vice-President,
ELIAS DESBROSSES, Treasurer,
ANTHONY VAN DAM, Secretary.

Then the following resolutions, being read, were agreed to.

That the members of the Chamber of Commerce shall meet the first Tuesday in every month, to transact such business as may come before them; and establish such rules for the order and good government of the Society as they may think proper and find necessary.

That the first Tuesday in May, August, November, and February in every year are declared to be the Grand Quarterly Meetings, at which times the accounts of the Chamber are to be settled, and any new members who desire it and are chosen by ballot are to be admitted.

The officers of said Chamber of Commerce to be chosen yearly by ballot on the first Tuesday in May, and to continue for one year.

Every member of the Society who now is or hereafter may be admitted into the same, shall pay unto the Treasurer for the use of the said Chamber of Commerce five Spanish dollars on his admission, and shall also pay unto the said Treasurer for the aforesaid use the further sum of one Spanish dollar on each of the four quarterly days before mentioned, and such members shall faithfully and truly keep, obey, and conform to all rules and regulations made and entered into by said Chamber of Commerce, which are to be entered into the Books of the said Society to be kept for that purpose, on pain of being dismissed the said Chamber of Commerce, and having his or their names struck off the list.

Any merchant chooseing to become a member of this Chamber of Commerce must give in ,his name to the President for the time being on the first Tuesday in the month preceeding the Quarterly meeting, and the person proposed is to be balloted for, and if three nays appear he cannot be admitted during the government of the President in whose year he was so refused, but may be proposed the succeeding or any year after, and if not again opposed by three nays then to be admitted, but if any person is three times refused, he is never to be admitted.

A proper room for the meeting of the members of the Chamber of Commerce is to be provided at the expence of the members so that it doth not exceed one shilling per man, which each person is to pay to the Treasurer at their respective meetings.

The members of the Chamber of Commerce doth agree that the Treasurer shall provide for their use a strong chest wherein shall be deposited their cash, books and papers which is to have three different good locks and keys—one key to be kept by the President, one by the Treasurer, and the third by the Secretary; the chest for the present to be kept at the Treasurer's.

No business to be done by the said Chamber of Commerce unless there be twenty-one members present, of which the President or Vice-President to be always one (unless by committees to be appointed for particular purposes), the meeting on the first Tuesday in May next only excepted, when thirteen or more members may do business, and every thing proposed or transacted to be by vote of the members present, and the opinion of the majority of votes to be conclusive and binding on the members, except in admitting new members, which is to be done as is herein before directed.

The President, with the advice of the members of the Chamber is to appoint the place of meeting, nothing to be done but by application to him, who is to examine and sign the Treasurer's accounts, and in general to superintend all the Society's affairs.

The Vice-President in the absence of the President to have the same power and authority as if the President was personally present, who is to keep the President's key when absent.

The Treasurer to provide a proper book at the expence of the said Chamber for keeping the receipt of all money paid to him, and all money laid out by him for the use of the said Society, which are to be fairly entered at the meetings held from time to time, and which are to be audited on the first Tuesday in May in every year, and signed by the auditors to be appointed for that purpose, when he is to deliver over the cash remaining in hand, books and his key to the Treasurer elected, or in the absence of the Treasurer so elected, then to the President, or in his absence to the Vice-President.

The Secretary is to keep a fair register of all proceedings, orders, rules, and regulations of the said Chamber of Commerce, which are to be entered in a proper book to be provided for that purpose at the expence of the said Society. In the absence of the Secretary, the President to appoint one of the members to officiate in his place for the time being, to whom, by a written order from the President, the Secretary is to deliver his key.

Every member not attending the monthly meeting, to forfeit and pay to the Treasurer two shillings, and such who do not attend the quarterly meeting, to pay four shillings for non-attendance, unless some cause, judged reasonable by the Society, is admitted by them as sufficient. Sickness, and being absent at least six miles from the city, to be always allowed sufficient reason for non-attendance.

The President is to appoint a proper person, to be approved of by the Society, as their Doorkeeper and Messenger, who is to be paid by the Treasurer such sums as may be hereafter directed by the President, for his serv1ces.

It is agreed that no new rules, regulations, or orders for the government of this Socieiy shall be made, unless proposed at a preceeding meeting, that there may be time for the general sense of the Society to be known.

The President, or, in his absence, the Vice-President, hath power on any emergency to call a meeting of the said Chamber, and all meetings to be at six o'clock in the evening of every day that their attendance may be required.

The following gentlemen, who are of the Society, not being present, assented to the same:

JOHN ALSOP, PHILIP LIVINGSTON,
HENRY WHITE, JAMES McEvERs.