Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 16.djvu/135

 FORTY—FIRST CONGRESS. Sess. H. Ch. 80. 1870. 101 SOCIETIES, BENEVOLENT, EDUCATIONAL, IAND so FORTH. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That any three or more persons of Societies for fnll age, cmaens of the United States, a majority of whom shall be b°“F"°l°“*· °d“· citizens of thm District, who desire to associate themselves for benevo· gxggxé &°' lent, charitable, educational, literary, musical, scientific, religious, or mis- Certiticatcto sionary purposes, including societies formed for mutual improvement, or bedm,“d°· m°‘l• for the promotion of the arts, may make, sign, and acknowledge before an mc°rded’ any officer authorized to take the acknowledgment of deeds in this District and file in the office of the register of deeds, to be recorded by him, a certificate in writing, in which shall be stated the name or title bv to state what; which such society shall be known in law, the particular business and objects of such society, the number of trustees, directors, or managers of such society, for the first year of its existence. Upon filing a certificate, as aforesaid, the persons who shall have signed persons signand acknowledged such certificate, and their associates and successors, i"g·&°·F° b°‘ shall thereupon, by virtue of this act, be a body politic and corporate, by coiizixzgsgf co,-. the name stated in such certificate; and by that name they and their suc- porationcessors may have and use a common seal, and the same may alter and Seal. change at pleasure, and may make such by-laws; and they and their By-laws. successors, by their corporate name, shall in law be capable of taking, receiving, purchasing, and holding real and personal estate necessary for Property. the purposes of said society as stated in said certificate, and may sell and convey the same; to elect officers and agents of such society for the man- Omeers and agement of its business. ”S**¤*$· The society so incorporated may annually, or oftener, elect from its Election of members, its trustees, directors, or managers, at such time and place, in *'“§'€°5·8;h°i' such manner as may be specified in its by-laws, who shall have the control pow"' c' and management of the etfairs and funds of said society, a majority of whom shall be a quorum for the transaction of business, and whenever Quorum. any vacancy shall happen among such trustees, directors, or managers by death, resignation, or otherwise, such vacancy shall be filled in such man- Vacancies. ner as shall be provided by the by-laws of said society. The provisions of this act shall not extend to nor apply to any associa- Assvcinfiovs tion or individual who shall, in the certificate filed with the register of Q?°e¥;g§g';;*:° deeds, use or specify a name or style the same as that of any previously poranons. existing incorporated body in the District of Columbia. Any corporation formed under this act shall be capable of taking, Fmpedy OY holding, or receiving any property, real or personal, by virtue of any gift, °°rp°m¤°"' purchase, devise, or bequest, necessary for the purposes of said society, as stated in said certificate, or in any lother manner. The trustees, directors, or stockholders of any existing benevolent, Trust9¢S,&¤· cliaritable, educational, musical, literary, scientific, religious, or mission- ;;fo°;f;:‘§“lf ary corporation, including societies formed for mutual improvement, may, corporations by conforming to the requirements of the several sections of this act, Igfgggiféqgg reincorporate themselves, or continue their existing corporate powers unda, tm, mm under this act, or may change their name, stating in their certificate the original name of such corporation as well as their new name assumed; Name. and all the property and effects of such existing corporation shall vest in Property. and belong to the corporation so reincorporated or continued. Corporations under this division may be organized for any term not exceeding T°"m· twenty years, the term to ve stated in the certificate mentioned 1H the first section. _ _ _ The corporations formed under this act may sell and. dispose of any anggigégsgzf real estate they may acquire by purchase, gift, or devise, las follows: property_ WVlicnever any lot purchased for the use of the corporation, or any building erected thereon, shall become ineligible for the uses for which said lot was purchased or said building erected, to be determined by a vote of two thirds of the shares of the stock of said corporation or the