Sec[Section] 1st. Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly; that Dewey Whitney, Luther N. Ransom, William Thornton; Job Fletcher Esqr[Esquire], Josiah Barrows, Cornelius Lyman, William Meteer Esqr; John G. Bergen, James L Lamb, John Todd[,] Thomas Moffit Esqr, and Joseph Thayer, be, and hereby are created a body corporate, to be styled the Trustees of the Chatham Manual Labor School of Illinois, with full power, to acquire, hold and transfer property, real and personal, make
contracts, sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded in their corporate capacity, to
make, have and use a common seal, and the same to break, alter or destroy at pleasure.
and said trustees shall never exceed the number of twelve. But it is expressly declared,
that the powers hereby given, shall not be used or construed to extend to the contracting
for, or acquiring, any property, real, personal, or mixed, or for dealing any otherwise,
than in such things as may be necessary and proper for the purposes of an institution
of learning. And the whole property and estate of said corporation, shall be applied exclusively and solely to that purpose: and said corporation, shall not deal in exchange, discount of
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of notes, or in commercial buisiness or pursuits.
Sec. 2nd. Be it further enacted, that the Chatham Manual Labor School, of Illinois, shall be located on Lick Creek Prairie in Sangamon county, and within the bounds of Township fourteen and Range Six west of the third principal
meredian: and all the monies, funds, and estate hereby vested in the Trustees, thereof, or
which may be hereafter acquired by them in their corporate capacity, shall be held,
used, and employed for corporate purposes only.
Sec. 3rd. Be it further enacted, that the before named Trustees, shall have power to fill
all vacancies in their own body: to appoint a chairman of their board, a President,
and Professors, and such other officers and servants under them, as they deem necessary
and proper, to hold these officers, under such rules, and regulations as the said trustees may prescribe, and to make,
allow, and pay to the President, Professors, and other officers and servants, such
reasonable compensation for their servisees, as to the said trustees may seem right and proper. And the said trustees shall
have full power and authority, to make by-laws, rules, and regulations for the better government of
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said school as they may judge expedient, and the same to annull, alter or amend at pleasure. Provided said by-laws, rules, and regulations be not repugnant to the laws of this State, or inconsistent with the principles laid down in this act, as fundamental laws for
the government of said school. And the said Trustees shall have full power and authority to do and perform any
lawful matter and thing which they may deem conducive to the good of the institution, and consistent with the state of the funds thereof.
Sec 4th. Be it further enacted, that the following principles and rules, be the fundamental
laws of said corporation, viz First The said Trustees and other officers before they enter upon the duties of their offices,
shall severally take the following oath or affirmation, before some court of record
or Justice of the peace, (to wit). I A. B. do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will
to the best of my skill and judgment discharge the duties ofin the Chatham Manual Labor School of Illinois according to ^the^ provisions of their charter.
Second. A majority of the trustees shall constitute a board, competent to make pro tempore appointments; and the transaction of all buisiness, except the permanent appointment
Third. The Board of Trustees, shall have the entire control of the system of manual labor, and shall determine the proportion of labor of each student: and no student shall be received as a regular member of the school, unless he submits to the performance of such an amount of labor as is enjoined by the trustees; and the trustees shall account to each student for such labor, which shall be appropriated to the discharging of his expences in said school
Fourth. No religious doctrine peculiar to any one sect of Christians, shall be inculcated by any professor in said school; but said institution shall at all times be conducted, upon free, liberal, and enlightened principles; and no student shall be excluded, in consequence of his religious opinions, or those of his parents, guardians or relations.
Second. A majority of the trustees shall constitute a board, competent to make pro tempore appointments; and the transaction of all buisiness, except the permanent appointment
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appointment or removal of officers, in which case, a concurrence of two thirds of
the whole board shall be necessary.Third. The Board of Trustees, shall have the entire control of the system of manual labor, and shall determine the proportion of labor of each student: and no student shall be received as a regular member of the school, unless he submits to the performance of such an amount of labor as is enjoined by the trustees; and the trustees shall account to each student for such labor, which shall be appropriated to the discharging of his expences in said school
Fourth. No religious doctrine peculiar to any one sect of Christians, shall be inculcated by any professor in said school; but said institution shall at all times be conducted, upon free, liberal, and enlightened principles; and no student shall be excluded, in consequence of his religious opinions, or those of his parents, guardians or relations.
Sec. 5th. Be it further enacted, that it shall and may be lawful, for the trustees of said
school, to receive, acquire, hold and procure from any individual or society, religious
or otherwise, donations, gifts, or bequeaths of any sum, or sums of money, books,
map, chart, Philosophical
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apparatus, or estate of any kind, which shall be applied, wholely and exclusively, to the uses and purposes that may be specially designated by the
donors respectively, or to the establishment and maintainance of one or more professorships of Theology, Law or Medicine or other professorships,
(to be appointed by the donors) to be seperate and distinct from the internal concerns of said school. Provided, that the fundamental law of said school, which forbids doctrines peculiar to any one sect of christians to be taught by any
professor in said school, shall remain unchanged and inviolate; except in the Theological department, of which
he is professor; where he or they hold any other professorship in said school. Each and every department of Theology, Law or Medicine, or other professorship that
may be established, shall remain, as to the internal concerns, seperate and distinct from the literary department: and shall at all times regulate their
own affairs, without interfering with, or being interfered with in any way, with the
by-laws or statutes of the school, or of any department thereof. and the privelege is hereby secured to each and every denomination of christians to establish a professorship
of Theology in said school; they severally, furnishing the funds necessary for its support.
Sec. 6th.
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Sec 6th. Be it further enacted, that the first meeting of the trustees hereby appointed,
shall be held at the dwelling house of Dewey Whitney on the first Monday of April, or so soon thereafter as may be convenient: and the
said trustees, shall have at least, one stated meeting every year. And should any
trustee hereby appointed, or hereafter to be chosen, refuse to serve, or fail to be
qualified for the space of six months, after notification of his appointment, or after
qualification shall fail to attend the meeting of the board for the term of one year,
the seat of such trustee or trustees shall be declared by the board to be vacant;
and they may proceed to fill the vacancy as heretofore provided.
Sec 7. The lands, tenements, and heriditaments to be held in perpetuity, in virtue of this act, by said corporation shall not exceed one thousand acres. Provided however, That if donations, grants
or devises, in land shall, be made from time to time be made to said corporation, over and ^above^ said one thousand acres, which may be held in perpetuity as aforesaid, the same may
be held and received by said corporation for the period of five years from the date of every such donation, grant, or devise,
at the end of which time, if the said lands
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over and above the said one thousand acres shall not have been sold by said corporation, then and in that case the lands so donated, granted, or devised, shall revert to
the donor, grantor, or the heirs of the devisor of the same. Provided, That if at
any time said corporation, shall act contrary to the provisions of this charter, or fail to comply with the
same, it shall be the duty of the circuit Attorney1, in and for the sangamon circuit to issue a scire facias to repeal this charter.
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A Bill for An act to incorporate the Chatham Manual Labor School.
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[12]/[17]/[1835]
[12]/[17]/[1835]
Engrossed
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[12]/[29]/[1835]
[12]/[29]/[1835]
Handwritten Document, 8 page(s), Folder 11, HB 11, GA Session: 9-2,
Illinois State Archives (Springfield, IL) ,