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? [ phoenix # XP \ P 6Q XP# The Constitution of the Antient and Honourable John Locke Society Daniel Mark Ogden Daniel Mark Ogden 2 P l < l 2 Default Paragraph Fo Default Paragraph Font
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# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# Article I " Name
Section 1. The full name of this Society shall be the Antient and Honourable # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# .
Article II " Purpose
Section 1. The purpose of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# shall be to provide a collegial forum in the Dallas!Fort Worth Metroplex for conservative political debate and literary discussion; to provide a venue for fellow Conservatives to freely associate together; and to propagate the philosophy and writings of John Locke.
Section 2. To carry out its purpose properly, the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# is forbidden to participate in any candidate's campaign for public office, or to petition or lobby for or against any legislation.
Section 3. The property and income of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# shall be used solely for the purposes expressed in this Article. Should the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# be dissolved by the Board of Governors, its assets, debts, rights, liabilities, and powers shall revert to a trust consisting of the individuals making up the entire Board of Governors, who shall then enjoy the freedom to dispose of the property and income of the Society as they deem appropriate.
Article III " Members
Section 1. The Membership of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# shall consist of all Conservatives who are Members of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# at the time of the adoption of this Constitution " i.e. the Founding Members " and all Conservatives as shall subsequently be elected to Membership in the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# .
Section 2. Membership in the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# shall be open to all Conservatives who demonstrate interest in the Society, commitment to its Traditions, Customs, and Precedents, espousal of traditional conservative moral values, and who evidence their merit in participating in the activities of the Society. Conservatives may petition for induction as a Member of the Society upon meeting three conditions: (1) being recognized for their maiden speech on the floor of the Antient and Honourable # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# ; (2) attending the Induction Caucus in the same term as their maiden speech (or attending a subsequent Induction Caucus, during the term of which they have also spoken on the floor of the Society); and (3) depositing with the Treasurer their Membership fee.
Section 3. For purposes of induction at the First Induction Caucus held by the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# only, Conservatives who at that point would otherwise be Members in good standing of the Governor Stevenson Society will be deemed to have satisfied provisions (1) & (2) of Section 2 of this Article. Further, they shall be considered for election to Membership as if they have received the unanimous endorsement of the Privy Council, as set forth in Section 5 of this Article.
Section 4. For purposes of induction at the First Induction Caucus held by the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# only, Conservatives who at that point would otherwise be eligible Petitioners to the Governor Stevenson Society will be deemed to have satisfied provisions (1) & (2) of Section 2 of this Article. Election of such Conservatives to Membership shall be by the normal twothirds vote of those Members present, as set forth in Section 5 of this Article.
Section 5. Election and induction to Membership shall normally be by a two-thirds vote of those Members present, upon a motion by any Member at any meeting called for the purpose of electing and inducting Members. In cases where the Privy Council has, by a unanimous vote, recommended a particular Conservative for Membership, election to Membership shall be by a majority vote of those Members present, upon a motion by the Secretary, at any meeting called for the purpose of electing and inducting Members.
Section 6. No Member or group of Members may attach any condition, formal or informal, to the exercise of the right of any Member in good standing to stand for or be elected to any elective office, to vote on any elective office, or to vote on the induction of other Members, except that no Member may vote on the induction of other Members at the same caucus at which he is inducted.
Section 7. To remain in good standing, Members must be current in payment of the dues of the Society for each term that they have been a Member and must not owe the Society any dues or other arrears for the current term or past terms. Members who are not in good standing shall not be admitted into executive session, shall not stand for, or be elected to, any elective office, shall not vote on any elective office, shall not vote on the election of Members, shall not vote on any other matter in executive session, and may not participate " if they otherwise were eligible " in meetings of the Privy Council or the Board of Governors.
Section 8. The # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# may elect as Honorary Members Conservatives not meeting the eligibility requirements set forth in this Article, using the same procedures as for the election of regular Members. Honorary Members shall be admitted to and given floor privileges at all meetings of the Society, including those in executive session, and shall have voting privileges except in executive session. Honorary Members may not stand for, or be elected to, any elective office in the Society.
Section 9. Membership in the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# is for life. Membership in the Society may be terminated only upon acceptance by the Privy Council of a document written in a Member's own hand and delivered personally by him to the Chairman, expressly indicating the Member's intention to resign Membership.
Section 10. A Member in good standing may request inactive status by submitting such a request in writing to the Chairman. Inactive status will commence at the beginning of the term subsequent to the term in which the status is requested. A Member on inactive status may not attend Society executive sessions. A Member on inactive status may remain in a hibernated form of good standing by paying the administrative fee designated by the Privy Council for Members on inactive status. This administrative fee shall not be less than $10 per term of inactive status. A Member on inactive status may return to active status by paying his full dues for the current term in which he requests a return to active status. Members who were on inactive status may vote in executive session only after being on active status as a Member in good standing for one entire term. This is to say, payment of the entire current term s dues entitles a Member heretofore on inactive status to attend executive sessions during that term, but he will only be able to vote in the subsequent term s executive sessions, not the current term s. A Member on inactive status may attend and vote in the current term s executive sessions if he pays in full all term dues for each and every term that he was on inactive status (as if he had never gone on inactive status). Whatever amount paid as an inactive status administrative fee shall not be counted as a portion paid of Member dues .
Article IV " Officers
Section 1. The Administration, consisting of the Chairman, the Secretary, the Chief Whip, the Chancellor, and all other appointed Officers, shall be the executive body of the Society. The Privy Council shall be the executive overseer of the Society. The elected Officers of the Society shall be the Chairman and the Secretary.
Section 2. The Chairman shall be the chief executive officer of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# , and shall be responsible " in consultation with the Privy Council " for managing the day to day affairs of the Society. He shall preside over all meetings of the Society and of the Privy Council; he shall call meetings of the Society and of the Privy Council, except the Assize and meetings at which Officers or new Members are to be elected, which shall be called by the Senior Sometime Chairman on behalf of the Privy Council; he shall select all appointed Officers with the advice and consent of the Privy Council. In the absence of the Chairman, the senior most past Chairman present shall act in his stead.
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all proceedings of the Society; he shall keep records of attendance and Membership; he shall write the whip sheets. He shall preside over meetings of the Society in the absence of the Chairman and of all past Chairmen. He shall perform such other duties as shall be deemed necessary by the Chairman or Privy Council. In the absence of the Secretary, a Member designated by the Chairman shall act in his stead.
Section 4. Elected Officers shall be chosen once during each Fall and Spring Term at a caucus called for that purpose by the Privy Council. This Election Caucus shall always precede that term s Induction Caucus . Voting for Officers may only occur in executive session. Election to office shall be by nomination, second, and majority vote. Should no candidate receive a majority on the first ballot, balloting shall be repeated until one nominee is elected by a majority vote. Only candidates who have announced their candidacy prior to the Election Caucus and have appeared at the Assize called by the Privy Council may be nominated for the first ballot. Further nominations are in order after each ballot. A ballot with any mark on it other than the name of a nominated candidate shall be counted against the majority. Only a completely blank ballot shall be considered an abstention.
Section 5. Should the office of Chairman fall vacant, the Secretary shall become Acting Chairman and the Privy Council shall call a special election for the office of Chairman to be held within two weeks of the date when the vacancy occurred " this special election must occur prior to the next scheduled function of the Society. Should the Secretary be elected Chairman at the special election, the Society shall elect a new Secretary at the same election caucus. Should the office of Secretary fall vacant in any other manner, a Member designated by the Chairman shall become Acting Secretary; the Privy Council shall call a special election for the office of Secretary to be held within two weeks of the date on which the vacancy occurred; this special election must occur prior to the next scheduled function of the Society.
Section 6. The appointed Officers of the Society shall be the Chief Whip, the Chancellor, the Treasurer, the Exchequere, the Parliamentarian, the Archivist, the Sergeant!at!Arms, and any other Officers deemed necessary by the Chairman and Privy Council. All such Officers serve at the pleasure of the Chairman.
Section 7. The Chief Whip shall maintain a current list of addresses and other information for all Members and prospective members of the Society, produce and distribute the whip sheets and other communications of the Society to Members and prospective members, publicize meetings of the Society, recruit Members and promote attendance at Society events, and otherwise administer the whipping system. He shall direct the labors of any Officers appointed to assist the Chief Whip.
Section 8. The Chancellor shall promote the social aspects of the Society, preside over the Society s Provostery, make all preparations for the Society s social events " including each term s Banquet and Toasting Session, and all other social events held, such as the Port Tasting " as directed by the Chairman. He shall direct the labors of any Officers appointed to assist the Chancellor. It is traditional for the Chancellor to draft the whipsheets for all social events.
Section 9. The Treasurer shall manage the Society's finances, including the collection of dues, and the disbursement of funds. The Chairman shall approve in advance all disbursements of Society funds. The Treasurer shall have signatory authority for the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# s checking account, and be primarily responsible handling this checking account, including generating payments for debts incurred and maintaining the Society s accounts.
Section 10. The Exchequere shall insure the Society's dues are collected by the Treasurer and paid into the Society s coffers in a timely fashion. He shall also have signatory authority for the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# s checking account.
Section 11. The Sergeant!at!Arms shall insure orderly decorum is maintained at all Society functions. He shall conduct all vote counts at debate caucuses and report the results to the Chairman, distribute ballots at election and induction caucuses, insure that only Members in good standing are present at executive sessions of the Society, escort petitioners and candidates to and from the floor of the Society, and discharge any and all other duties as directed by the Chairman. He shall direct the labors of any Officers appointed to assist the Sergeant!at!Arms.
Section 12. The Archivist shall maintain the Archives of the Society, including preserving all minutes, whip sheets, other communications of the Society, the signature books, and any other materials germane to the Society s history. He shall also collect copies of all literary presentations made to the Society.
Section 13. The Privy Council shall consist of the Chairman, all those who have held the office of Chairman, and ex officio the Secretary. The Privy Council shall advise the Chairman in his direction of the affairs of the Society. The Privy Council shall set the dues of the Society. The Privy Council shall meet formally at least once each term. The Privy Council shall call an Assize several days prior to each Election Caucus for the purpose of examining candidates for elective office.
Section 14. The Privy Council shall take care that a good faith effort be made to inform all Members of all meetings of the Society at which non!members are to be considered for election to Membership or Officers of the Society are to be elected.
Section 15. The Chairman shall insure that a good faith effort be made to inform all Privy Councilors of all meetings of the Privy Council.
Article V " Board of Governors
Section 1. A Board of Governors shall be established for the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# . At the First Election Caucus held by the Society, before a Chairman and Secretary have been elected, nominations to the Board of Governors shall be considered by the Members of the Society present. Each nominee shall be a Member in good standing of the Society. To be considered for the Board of Governors, a nominee must receive two seconds. Election to the Board of Governors shall be by a threefourths vote of Members assembled.
Section 2. Members of the Board of Governors serve until death or resignation. Members of the Board of Governors may elect additional Members of the Society who are in good standing to the Board of Governors by nomination, two seconds, and an absolute threefourths vote of all members of the Board of Governors.
Section 3. The Board of Governors shall elect by an absolute twothirds vote a President of the Board of Governors when first constituted (or when the office falls vacant). The President (or his designate) shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Governors. The President, or alternatively, two members of the Board of Governors, may call a meeting of the Board of Governors. Notification of all meetings of the Board of Governors shall be conveyed to all members of the Board of Governors on a timely basis. The President serves until resignation (either from the Board or from the office of President of the Board).
Section 4. The Board of Governors primary responsibility is to be the guardian of the Constitution, Traditions, Customs, and Precedents of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# . In discharging this responsibility, all proposed constitutional amendments must be approved by an absolute twothirds vote of all members of the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors is the sole interpreter of this Constitution, other governing documents of the Society, and the Society s Traditions, Customs, and Precedents, and its interpretation is final. Further, the Board of Governors may by an absolute threefourths vote of all members of the Board of Governors remove any Officer of the Society from their office upon a finding by the Board of Governors that that Officer has failed to discharge his duties in accordance with the Constitution, Traditions, Customs or Precedents of the Society. A Chairman so removed no longer is a member of the Privy Council.
Section 5. A majority of the Board of Governors shall constitute a quorum for conducting business at any meeting. Members of the Board of Governors not in attendance may vote by proxy. Proxies may be extended in writing to any member of the Board of Governors. Any vote shall be binding provided it is approved by an absolute supermajority of all members of the Board of Governors alive (including those absent and not voting, and those absent and voting by proxy).
Article VI " Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. The parliamentary authority utilized by the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# is directly derivative of that employed by the Edmund Burke Society at the University of Chicago, which in turn derives from the Tory Party and Party of the Right at Yale University, which in turn hearkens back to the Union Societies at Cambridge University and Oxford University. This parliamentary authority shall provide the basis for the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# s parliamentary authority. Except insofar as it conflicts with this aforementioned parliamentary authority, this Constitution, or with any Tradition, Custom, or Precedent of the Society, the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Section 2. There is no cloture in the Society's caucuses; any attempt to move the previous question is always out of order. The motion to suspend the rules is never in order at any caucus of the Society. The motion to adjourn sine die is never in order at any caucus of the Society.
Section 3. The Privy Council shall take care that a Handbook of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# be established and maintained. This Handbook shall be a guide to the Traditions, Customs, and Precedents of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# . A guide to the parliamentary practices of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# shall similarly be established, published, and maintained. The Privy Council shall approve in advance all changes to the Handbook and other documents of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# .
Article VII " Executive Session
Section 1. Whenever a motion to enter executive session is approved by the Members, the Chairman " after consultation with the Privy Council " shall announce the period of time that has been designated for that executive session. The period of time designated for an executive session shall be in hours and/or fractions of hours. This period of time shall commence upon being announced by the Chairman. The Secretary shall be the official keeper of the time countdown.
Section 2. Once the period of time designated for that particular executive session has been reached, any Member may move that the Society adjourn from that executive session without a second needed to put the motion before the Society. Such a motion takes precedence over any and all other matters currently being addressed by the Society. The Chairman, at his discretion, may comment on the motion or entertain debate on this motion to leave executive session.
Section 3. A majority vote in favor of this motion to leave executive session results in the Society immediately leaving executive session. At the discretion of the Privy Council, outstanding business of the executive session in question that is not resolved by the Society that calendar day, may be resolved by the Privy Council or in a subsequent caucus called by the Privy Council.
Section 4. The election of Officers and the induction of new Members " including Honorary Members " may only take place in executive session in a caucus called for that purpose.
Article VIII " Amendment
Section 1. The Constitution may be amended only through the following procedure: an proposed amendment may be adopted only by a two-thirds vote of those Members present and voting at any meeting of the Society, provided (1) that the proposed amendment " in exactly the same form as voted upon by the Members " has been read on the floor at a previous caucus of the Society held during the same Term as the meeting at which the proposed amendment is voted upon; (2) that the proposed amendment " worded exactly as it is to be considered by the Members " has been approved by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Privy Council present and voting at a meeting of the Privy Council called by the Chairman for the consideration of the proposed amendment; (3) that the proposed amendment " worded exactly as it is to be considered by the Members " has been approved by an absolute two-thirds vote of all members of the Board of Governors at a meeting of the Board of Governors called by the President of the Board of Governors for the consideration of the proposed amendment; and (4) that a good faith effort has been made to provide to every Member who is in good standing " at least five days in advance " (a) notice of the exact date, time, and place of the meeting at which the proposed amendment will be considered by the floor, and (b) a copy of the exact text of the proposed amendment. The Privy Council, or the Board of Governors, during their meetings to consider the proposed amendment, may amend the proposed amendment within the scope of the proposed amendment; any such amendment to the proposed amendment must then be approved by both the Privy Council and the Board of Governors as provided for in (2) and (3) prior to being read on the floor at a caucus of the Society. No amendment to the proposed amendment may be offered on the floor, whether by the Privy Council or the Board of Governors or any Member or group of Members of the Society. Proposed amendments may be read on the floor of the Society only when the Society is in executive session, and any discussion, debate, or vote on any proposed amendment may occur only when the Society is in executive session. Amendments shall be in the form of Articles in addition to, and amendment of, this Constitution.
Article IX " Supremacy
Section 1. In the event that any term or provision in this Constitution shall conflict with any term or provision in either the Society s Handbook or Guide to Parliamentary Procedure, this Constitution shall govern. The unwritten Traditions, Customs, and Precedents of the Society, however, shall be the ultimate source of the authority that governs the Society and its proceedings, and are supreme to any written documents of the Society, including this Constitution.
Article X " Adoption
Section 1. This Constitution shall take effect immediately upon adoption by the Founding Members. p # XP \ P 6Q XP# PROVISOS to the Constitution of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# XP \ P 6Q XP#
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WITH THE PROVISO THAT The following Conservatives shall be recognized as the Founding Members of the Antient and Honourable # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# : Edwin Carl Olsen IV; Daniel Mark Ogden; Michael Lewis Geller; Roger William Harrington; Robert James Wood, Jr.; and Clark McAdams Neily III.
WITH THE PROVISO THAT The Constitution of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# was adopted by the Founding Members October 28, 1998 " the twohundred and ninetyfourth anniversary of the death of John Locke in 1704 A.D. " at Gershwins, in Dallas, Texas.
WITH THE PROVISO THAT The contents of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# Handbook were adopted by the Founding Members October 28, 1998 " the twohundred and ninetyfourth anniversary of the death of John Locke in 1704 A.D. " at Gershwins, in Dallas, Texas.
WITH THE PROVISO THAT The Founding Members shall assemble in executive session during December of 1998 to conduct the First Election Caucus to elect a Chairman and a Secretary for the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# .
WITH THE PROVISO THAT The Founding Members shall assemble in executive session during December of 1998 to conduct the First Induction Caucus to elect and induct new Members for the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# .
WITH THE PROVISO THAT During the First Administration, the Chairman shall insure that First Editions of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# Handbook and the guide to the parliamentary authority of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# are published, and the Privy Council shall establish other documents and structures as need be, and propagate the Traditions, Customs, and Precedents of the # ?J N @ P FQ?P# John Locke Society# ?M \ P 6Q ?P# based upon those of the Edmund Burke Society, as derived from the tradition of conservative parliamentary debating societies originating with the Union Societies of Cambridge and Oxford.