|
Items in cart [0] |
Questions? Call 888-624-8373 |
| Copyright © 2009. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Statement |
Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 1
CHAPTER I
THE FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY
THE National Academy of Sciences owes its origin as
an organization, in an indirect manner, to the need
of the Government for technical scientific avarice in con-
nection with the conduct of the Civil War. In February, ~863,
the Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, appointed a " Per-
manent Commission," consisting of Joseph Henry, Secretary of
the Smithsonian Institution, Alexander Dallas B ache, Superin-
tendent of the Coast Survey, and Charles H. Davis, Chief of the
Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, to report on various
" matters of science and art," but chiefly of a practical import and
relating to the physical sciences. These experts considered
numerous subjects, and gave their opinion regarding them.
The letter of appointment, which is preserved in the archives
of the Navy Department, is as follows:
NAVY DEPARTMENT,
"February As, ~863.
" SIR: The Department proposes to organize upon the following programme
a permanent commission to which all subjects of a scientific character on which
the Government may require information may be referred.
" Propositions relative to a permanent scientific commission:
" fist. There shall be constituted a permanent commission consisting of, for the
present, Commodore Davis, Professor Henry, and Professor Bache, to which shall
be referred questions of science and art upon which the Department may require
· ~ -
ntormatlon.
" ad. This commission shall have authority to call in associates to aid in their
investigations and inquiries.
" 3d. The members and associates of the Commission shall receive no compen-
sation for their services.
" You are directed to act as a member of the Commission in conjunction with
Professor Henry and Professor Bache.
I
OCR for page 2
2
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
" Such matters as are presented to the Department will be referred to you for
examination and report by the Commission.
" I am respectfully, etc.,
GIDEON WEILES,
" Sect of Nav..
COMMODORE CHARLES H. DAVIS,
" Chief of B2`rea2' of Navigational.', 1
Captain C. H. Davis, who published a life of his father, Rear-
Admiral Charles H. Davis, in Ii399' wrote as follows regarding
the labors of this Commission:
" This commission was no sinecure, and was constantly in session, for it was at
this time that mechanical and scientific ingenuity was beginning to be felt in
application to naval construction and equipment, and to this commission were
referred the innumerable plans and proposals for new inventions and devices with
which the government at Washington was flooded. This commission is inter-
esting because it led to the establishment of the National Academy of Sciences." 2
From the designation " Permanent Commission," it might nat-
urally be inferred that this body was preceded by an organiza-
tion or board of a temporary character, but such appears not to
have been the fact. There was, apparently, but one Commission,
which owed its rather peculiar name to an endeavor on the part
of Admiral Davis to find a designation corresponding to the
term " Select Commission " sometimes employed by the British
Government.3
Admiral Davis was appointed Chief of the Bureau of Naviga-
tion in the Navy Department in July, ~862, and resided in Wash-
ington from November of that year until April, ~865. During
that time, according to Captain Davis, " he wrote home almost
every day." Among the published letters of this period are four
which throw a strong light on the steps which led to the organiza-
tion of the Permanent Commission and the Academy. They
1 Letters to Heads of Bureaus (manuscript), vol. 4, July to, z86z, to December ~7, T868,
P ~53.
~ Davis, C. H. Life of Charles Henry Davis, Rear-Admiral, ~807-~877, by his son,
Captain Charles H. Davis. New York, z899, p. 286. Captain Davis later reached the rank
of llear-Admiral, but to distinguish him from his father, he is referred to below as Captain
Davis. See also G. Brown Goode, "The Smithsonian Institution, ~846-~896," p. ~52.
3 See Admiral Davis' letter of February 24, ~863, quoted on p. 3.
OCR for page 3
FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY 3
reveal the fact that the two organizations were closely associated
in the minds of their originators, and also that they came into
existence almost at the same time. It seems best, on this account,
to consider them in connection with each other rather than to
attempt to trace the beginnings of each organization separately.
The four letters referred to, as they appear in Captain Davis'
book, are as follows:
" February 2, ~863. How much have I told you, if anything, about a Per-
manent Commission or Academy? Bache, Henry, and myself are very busy on
this topic, and have made a move which will no doubt result in the Permanent
Commission. The Academy is more doubtful " (p. 289) .
" February 20. Inclosed is a copy of the order creating the Permanent Com-
mission. But the Academy is to be introduced into Congress by Mr. Wilson
Senator from Massachusetts]. The whole plan of it was arranged last night
between Mr. Wilson, Agassiz, Bache and Ben [Professor Peirce]. It was my
plan amplified and improved " (p. 289~.
" February 24. I told you a word about the Academy in one of my notes, but
only a word, being in a hurry. The appointment of a Permanent Commission was
suggested to me by one of my letters, which quoted a passage from the British War
Office which spoke of a Select Commission; and when I mentioned it to Bache and
Henry they acquiesced, and the latter presented the plan to the department.
You saw, by the copy of the Secretary's letter to me, that our plan was accepted
without any change whatever. We had hardly got through this thing before the
idea flashed upon my mind that the whole plan, so long entertained, of the
Academy could be successfully carried out if an act of incorporation were boldly
asked for in the name of some of the leading men of science from different parts of
the country. This I submitted to Bache and Henry with details, but the view was
not immediately adopted. The next step was Agassiz coming to Washington as
one of the regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Then followed a visit to
Agassiz by Senator Wilson, who had nominated him to the regency. At this
meeting, which took place at Bache s, Ben, Bache, and Dr. Gould were present;
and it was there that the mode of proceeding was devised. Mr. Wilson intro-
duced the bill last Saturday " .... (p. 289~.
" February 27. .... I am looking for Agassiz to come here and be intro-
duced to Admiral Foote, and then to go with me to the Capitol to see Mr. Grimes
about the Academy bill. I go to the President's once more, and I hope for the
last time, this morning.
" The dinner at Bache's was particularly pleasant, even for the chief's enter-
tainments, which never fail to be agreeable. Judge Loring, Mr. Hosford, and
Mr. Hilgard were there .... " (p. 291~.
i,
OCR for page 4
4
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
" March 7. .... If the plan we first pitched upon had been followed, that
of creating the Academy with a dozen or twenty members, and allowing them to
organize and fill up the whole number by usual system of ballot, then the odium
of exclusion would have been divided and distributed You will perceive
at once that, on the plan I proposed, not only would the odium (if any) of
exclusion be numerously shared, but a wider and broader opinion and control
would have been brought to bear on selection, which would then have become
election. And this was due to the interests of the government and to the claims
of men of science " (p. age).
In these letters the chronological order of the events narrated
is largely inverted, and, on the first perusal of them, the actual
sequence is not readily comprehended. They inform us that
Admiral Davis, having come to Washington in November, ~862,
heard and participated in various discussions among his scientific
associates of the need of a national scientific organization. Hav-
ing served as a member of various advisory boards, the idea
occurred to him not long before :February a, ~863, that the
organization might take the form of a Permanent Commission.
He at once broached the subject to B ache and Henry who agreed
that the plan was meritorious, while at the same time clinging
to the idea of founding an academy. Henry was so favorably
impressed with the commission plan that he immediately pre-
sensed it to the Navy Department. This plan received the
prompt attention of the Secretary of the Navy, who issued an
order on February ~ I, creating the Permanent Commission.
While awaiting the result of the Navy Department's con-
s~uerat~on of the plan to establish a scientific commission, the
idea occurred to Admiral Davis that an academy might be
organized by the simple process of asking Congress for its incor-
poration " in the name of some of the leading men of science
from different parts of the country." This idea was also pre-
sented to Bache and Henry, who, however, were not immediately
convinced of its merits. About this time Louis Agassiz, having
been nominated by Senator Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts,
a regent of the Smithsonian Institution, came to Washington
and met him on February ~9, at the house of Professor B ache,
where were also assembled Professor Peirce, Dr. B. A. Gould
OCR for page 5
FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY
s
and we may presume, Admiral Davis. The plan of incorporat-
ing an academy was discussed, and it was decided that Senator
Wilson should introduce a bill of incorporation, which he did on
Saturday, February at. Admiral Davis asserts that the plan of
action adopted on this occasion was his own, " amplified and
improved."
While there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of the state-
ments regarding the organization of the Academy contained in
these letters, which were written while the events were taking
place, it is interesting to find that many of them are corroborated
by other documents.
That Louis Agassiz was nominated by Senator Wilson as a
regent of the Smithsonian Institution at the time mentioned by
Davis is verified by the record of the proceedings of the 37th
Congress contained in the Congressional Gio be. From this
journal we learn that his name was proposed in the Senate by
Senator Wilson, of Massachusetts, on Februaly 6, ~863, and that
the joint resolution providing for his appointment (Senate no.
~6) was passed on that date; that this resolution passed the
House on February ~ 9, ~ 863 ; and that it was signed by President
Lincoln on February 21.4
The date of the introduction by Senator Wilson of the bill
incorporating the Academy is also found to be correctly given in
Davis' letter. The Globe contains the following regarding it:
IN THE SENATE.
Friday, F`ebruary 20, ~863. " Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, gave notice of
his intention to ask leave to introduce a bill to incorporate a national academy of
sciellces." 5
Saturday, February 2I, 1863. " Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, in pursuance
of previous notice, asked and obtained leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 555) to
incorporate the National Academy of Sciences; which was read twice by its title,
and ordered to lie on the table, and be printed." ~
The bill was passed by the Senate on March 3, ~863, without
~iscussion.7
4 Congressional Globe, 37th Congress, ad Session, pp. 762', ~~, ~8~.
5 Loc. cit., p. ~3~.
6 Loc. cit., p. Its.
Bloc. cit., pp. Moo, arson. There was no report on this bill.
OCR for page 6
6 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
IN THE HOUSE.
March 3, ~863. " Mr. Thomas, of Massachusetts. I ask the unanimous
consent of the House for leave to take up Senate bill No. 555, to incorporate a
National Academy of Science.
" There was no objection, and the bill was taken up, read three times, and
passed.
" Mr. Thomas, of Massachusetts, moved to reconsider the vote by which the
bill was passed; and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table.
" The latter motion was agreed to." ~
The bill, having been passed by both Houses, was signed by
the President on the same day, Tuesday, March 3' 1863.
Upon examining the list of names of persons at the meeting
held at the house of Professor B ache on February In, to arrange
the plan of incorporation, it will be noted that Joseph Henry is
not mentioned. One might suppose that his name was acciden-
tally omitted by Admiral Davis, but from remarks made later by
Henry it appears certain that he did not attend the meeting. In
his report as President of the Academy, for the year ~867, he
speaks as follows:
" I feel myself more at liberty to urge the claims of the Academy, inasmuch as
its members generally, including myself, took no step toward its establishment.
Indeed, I must confess that I had no idea that the national legislature, amid
the absorbing; and responsible duties connected with an intestine war, which
threatened the very existence of the Union, would pause in its deliberations to
consider such a proposition." 9
Whether other motives than the mere doubt of the feasibility
of the plan for incorporating the Academy influenced Henry in
refraining from attending the meeting of February I9, can,
perhaps, not be discovered after the lapse of so many years. As
soon as the Academy had been established, he took an active
part in its proceedings, becoming chairman of the first com-
mittee appointed in ~863, and a member of two others appointed
in ~863 and ~864. He also read a paper at the first scientific
session of the Academy, in January, ~864, " On Materials of
Combustion for Lamps in Light-houses." His name does not,
P. s.
8Loc. cit., p. USA.
Rep. Nat. Acad. Sci. for ~867. Sen. Misc. Doc. no. for, 40th Congress, ad Session, z868.
OCR for page 7
POUNDING 0E InE AC-E~Y
7
botchers appear in the first hat of officers Of the Academy, nor
of the members of the Council.
~bile, as teas been seen, many of the statements in Admlra1
Davl~ letters regardlog the lulda1 steps in 1be formation of the
Academy are substantiated by other records, the most important
one teas yet to be considered. Ibis ~ big claim that the practlca1
plan for brlnglug the organlzatlon into existence was bit own,
though ~ ampllbed and improved/, as be remarks by the sug-
gestions of others.
It ~ not to be supposed that Davls intended to claim b~vlug
orlglnated the idea of ~ natlona1 scientlOc assoclatlon or academy.
Ibis though as Goode teas abort Was in the minds of ~ash-
lngton, Jefferson, Barlow, and other early American statesmen
and publicist and led to practlca1 results of large importance
through the Chides of Franklin, John Adams and Poinse,.
Bacbe dwelt on the need of ~ national scientific organization
in his address as retiring President of 1be American Association
for the Advancement of Science, at Albany, in I86I, on Ebb
occasion be said:
~ But first ~ few otse^~dons on the ~dlnary Yes of pr~otlng sconce; in
connexlon Nab filch, I would Troy out for your conslderatlon some reasons
Lab induce me to bulge that ~~ ;~f~;o~ of ;~ &~ go
c~;~, oafs ~ Bark ~~ ;~ oar co~, to ~~e ,~r JO ;~ rr~s
fo ,~r Iffy.....
~ It b, I b~leve, ~ common mantle to a~ocl~te He lJea of ~dem~1 losd-
tutlons Lab mon=^l~ lnstltutlons. Ye ~~ in Also ~ in may IBM things,
the prdudlce of our resent. Ye bye Tong us the To extremes of exaggerated
natlonaL~ and of ~ces~ve lmhatlon; let us modlly em ~ Be other, and be
Else. ~ nations lnsd~te ~ not necessary to Great Brltaln, ~1~ her rlcb an]
powerful unlvershles RepubIlcan France bag cberl~ed her Institute, se~lng
rather to extend ~= to curtail its proportions. .... Nor does the leer of ~
necessary connexlon baleen centrallzatlon and an insthutlon strike me as ~ vend
one. Suppose ~ lnsUtute of ably Be members belong in turn ~ em of our
Bluely scattered stated ~rklog at Ear plum of r~ldence and r~ortlog their
resow; Debug My at p~tl~lar d~ and for speck purples; engaged in
ravage s~l-~ec~d, or decked by Be body' caged for by Confess or ~ the
~ Coode, G. Brown, The Orlgln of Me ~atlona1 6clentlAc sad Educatlon~1 InsHtutlons of
the Unked States. Ann. Rep. Amer. Also Assoc. for x8Sg, pp. ~3-xGx. xSgo.
l
OCR for page 8
8
URINAL PIETY 0P SOENCES
Ex~utlve, To furnish the Cons for the lnqulrles. The detaN of sum
or~lz~tlon cold be mewed out so ~ to Care Vacancy Abut ~ntr~lzatloa,
and constant labor ~~ 1~ ~pr~rlate results. The public tryout Could ~
sued many Ales He puppet of such ~ ~ncll, by the sound AL -1~ it
would d~ in regard to the varl~s project ably a~ constantly forced upon
their notice, Ed in regard to AL tab are now Dappled to decide Abut
the kn~ed~ whl~ Ale can ensure ~ Else c-duslon. Be ma of sclen~ Lo
are ~ the seat of Averment either custody or temporally, ~= too ~~
Coupled in Be special Ark -1~ belong to their ~~ odds to answer
=^ ~ purple; besides, the ~J8ltl~d resp~slblllty Thy, if Hey were Led
to~ber, they must n~essarDy bears would prove too Heat ~ burtben, conslJerlng
the fe~ld zeal =d I moat Smut say fierceness Lab AL questers of intent
are pursued and the very ~tr~rdlnary means resorted to to bring Bat
su=~ful concIusl-.....
#{ Our country is making =~ rely probes in masterly lmp~ements, tab it
~ lmpo~ble for tuber He led~atlve or executive Abutments of our Government
to mold incidentally, if not dl~dy, being lnv~ved in the Talon of sum
-~ #~ ~1- lUs em ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ few ~1~
of spend Which do not bear ~ the incrusts of c=~rce and n~lgatlon, n=~1
~ mllltary concerns, He customs, He ll~t-h~ses. the public lams. o~t-~cs
. . . .. . .
,
. . · .
and p~ds, elder daftly or remedy. If all examln~- is ~fused, He
good is conf~ndeJ Dab the bad, and He Government ma lee ~ most lmport~t
advents. If a declare ~ left to lnOuence' or to imperfect kno~leJ~' He Corm
consequ==s Ludlow.
" Sum ~ boUv ~~Id suDDlv ~ Dlace not ~cuDleJ by Lang lostltutl~s, and
.
ably our In 1~ from its temporary and voluntary ^xr=er' not He
supply. 1:
^ . , . ^ ,
Ibis declaration, ~bicb foresbado~s so much of the program
of the ~ationa1 Academy organized twelve years later, must
brave been Ecu known to Admiral (tben Lieutenant) David
Indeed, ~ ~ probable that be listened to Professor Bacbe~ ad-
dress Ruben delivered in Albany' as be was present at the meeting
, , , , ~ , .
and read ~ paper nlmsel1 on the solar eclipse of July 28, I86I.
Ibe claim of David tberefore1 was not that be Was the Arst to
detect the need of ~ national academy of science, or to outline 1
proper character and scope, but that be first bit on ~ pracdca1
plan for bringing it into existence and for securing the inida1
mcmbersbip.
"Proc. Amer. Assoc. AdvaDc. Scl.' 6~ ~eetln~ X85I (XS53), pp. ~lYll-ll.
OCR for page 9
FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY
9
The more interesting question as to what scientific men were
the chief promoters of the Academy movement is not easy of
solution. Not only has the little coterie which is mentioned by
Davis as having arranged the plan of incorporation passed array,
but all the group of fifty incorporators. Of some of these men
no published biographies exist, and for others we have only brief
sketches and fragments of correspondence. Piecing together the
scraps and shreds of information scattered through many volumes
leads to no very satisfactory result. We may confidently believe
that, as Davis informs us, Bache, Peirce, Henry, Davis and B. A.
Gould were strongly imbued with the idea that some form of
national scientific organization, created by and bearing at least
a quasi-official relation to the Federal Government would be of
importance both to American science and to the Government.
It is more difficult to be assured as to others. The name of
Louis Agassiz should probably be added to the list, although the
idea seems tenable that his activities in behalf of the Academy
were prompted chiefly by a desire to aid his scientific associates
and friends. Marcou states that Agassiz " may be called one of
the founders, but not the ' prime mover "' and intimates that he
took part in the plans for incorporation mainly to satisfy Bach.
However this may be, he was sufficiently interested in the
Academy to accept the position of foreign secretary, to which
he was elected at the first meeting in ~863, and also to take an
active part in shaping the constitution and by-laws.23
Among those who have been mentioned as early promoters
of the Academy is J. Peter Lesley. In a biographical sketch of
his life read before the American Institute of Mining Engineers
in ~903, Benjamin S. Lyman remarks:
"About ~862 he Wesley and several of his scientific friends earnestly dis-
cussed the desirableness of forming a National Academy of Science, that should
12Marcou, Jules. Life, letters and works of Louis Agassiz, voL 2, 1895, p. zs7. Many
of Marcou's statements are erroneous, as, for example, that Henry Wilson was Vice-
President of the United States at the time of the incorporation of the Academy. They
can hardly be accepted unless corroborated by other testimony.
13 See Ames, Mary Lesley, Life and letters of Peter and Susan Lesley, vol. I, 1909, p.
4~9, where there is an amusing account of the meeting for organization.
OCR for page 10
IO
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
be limited in number and more select than the American Association for the
Advancement of Science, and should have its meetings less encumbered with
unsatisfactory communications. He was decidedly in favor of the enterprise,
thinking that the exclusive character, and what might possibly be considered the
aristocratic appearance or desires of such an organization, would not be distasteful
to Americans, nor really inconsistent with their democratic principles. The
Academy was incorporated by the United States Congress in ~863, and he was
one of the original members, and continued to be a member throughout his life." ~4
The foregoing assertion of Lesley's early interest in the forma-
tion of an academy bears the impress of accuracy, but is some-
what at variance with a published letter of Mrs. Lesley, dated
Starch 8, ~863, as follows:
" Yesterday came an official letter from the Honorable Henry Wilson, naming
him [Lesley] as one of the corporators of the new National Academy of
Sciences, and asking his attendance at the first meeting in New York. This was
a very great surprise to Peter Wesley, a thing entirely unsought and unsolicited,
and gives him pleasure." 25
It is quite in harmony with LesIey's unselfish and unassuming
character that his interest in the Academy should be entirely
impersonal.
There are some indications besides that contained in Lyman's
address, just quoted, that the question of forming an academy
was more or less widely discussed in ~862. In a biographical
sketch of Professor Benjamin A. Gould, written by A. McF.
Davis and published in ~ 897, the following remark is made:
" In ~862, he was appointed to reduce and compute the astronomical observa-
tions made at the Washington Observatory, and he was active both that year and
the next in promoting the establishment of the National Academy of Sciences, of
which he was an original member." \6
Doctor George W. Hill, in a letter addressed to Doctor Arnold
Hague, remarks of Admiral Davis and Professor Peirce:
14 Ames, Mary Lesley. Life and letters of Peter and Susan Lesley, vol. a, ~909, p. 469.
(Appendix D. Biographical sketch of J. Peter Lesley, by Benjamin Smith Lyman, Phila-
delphia, Pa. (New York Meeting, American Institute of Mining Engineers, October,
z903.~.) (Published originally in Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining Engineers.)
35 Op. cit., vol. I, p. 4~9
~ Davis, A. McF. Benjamin Apthorp Gould. Proc. Amer. Antiq. Soc., April, z897, p. 7.
(Also separate.)
OCR for page 11
FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY
I I
" My impression is that these two men originated the idea of having a general
scientific society for the whole country which, as far as our democratic institutions
would allow, in imitation of those of Europe, should be under the patronage of
the government. This idea was probably broached as early as ~862. Of course
two men by themselves could not originate an academy and soon others were
drawn into the project. Bache, Henry, B. A. Gould and Agassiz were invited
to take part. It was decided that 50 should be the number of the members of
the new scientific body."
Others besides those already mentioned should be perhaps
included among the founders of the Academy, but it is certain
that not all who were named as incorporators participated in the
movement. We know that in several Instances persons so named
were unaware that they had been designated until they had re-
ceived a letter from Senator Wilson advising them that they
were included in the list. One of the incorporators declined
membership in the Academy. It appears from the letters of
Davis that the list was made up at the preliminary meeting held
at the house of Professor B ache on February ~9, ~863, or soon
afterwards. and caused some dissatisfaction when published in
~ ~ ~ ,.
1
the bill of incorporation.
It is perhaps an unnecessary task to endeavor to determine
who should be considered the head and front of the Academy
movement, but judging from contemporary evidence, this dis-
tinction probably belongs to Professor Bache. Arnold Guyot
sneaks of him as " the enlightened and far-seeinz head of the
-rip O ~
~ ~ At ~ [~ .~ ~ ~ ~ ,1 a_ ~ _ _ ~ ~ ~~ 17
(boast purvey and the touncter or tnls ~caaemy.-
E. S. Morse remarks: " Agassiz, Bache and Henry were the
leading spirits in originating the National Academy of
Sciences." is The address delivered by Professor Bache at
Albany in T851' a portion of which is quoted above (p. 7), con-
tains the first definite plan for the particular kind of academy
which was organized twelve years later. Doubtless many of its
features had been suggested by Cache s associates and friends,
and we know, indeed, that it was a frequent subject of discussion
among the scientific men of America for many years. B ache
himself remarked in ~863 that the need of such a body as the
37Biogr. Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci., vol. 2, ~886, p. 7o.
28 pop. Sci. Monthly, voL 7~, ~907, p. 548.
OCR for page 14
I4
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
responsible. It is, however, responsible for those who have since been and are still
to be elected; and I am happy to say that in filling the large number of vacancies
which have been occasioned by death and resignation since the original organi-
zation, the principle before mentioned has been strictly observed, and no one has
been admitted except after a full discussion of his claims and a satisfactory
answer to the question, ' What has he done to advance science in the line of
research which he has especially prosecuted ? '
" The organization of this academy may be hailed as marking an epoch in the
history of philosophical opinions in our country. It is the first recognition by our
government of the importance of abstract science as an essential element of mental
and material progress." 2\
It is obvious from the foregoing statements of B ache and
Henry, that two principal objects were uppermost in the minds
of the founders to afford recognition to those men of science
who had done original work of real importance and thereby to
stimulate them and others to further endeavors; and to aid
the Government in the solution of technical scientific problems
having a practical bearing on the conduct of public business.
The idea that election to membership in a scientific associa-
tion incorporated by the Congress of the United States might be
regarded as a badge of distinction conferred by our Government,
similar to the honors bestowed by the monarchical govern-
ments of Europe, seems to have provoked more or less discus-
sion. By some, the bestowal of any such recognition was thought
to be inconsistent with democratic principles. Professor Henry,
however, was of the contrary opinion. In his report for ~867,
already quoted, he remarks:
" It is not enough for our government to offer encouragement to the direct
promotion of the useful arts through the more or less fortunate efforts of
inventors; it is absolutely necessary, if we would advance or even preserve our
reputation for true intelligence, that encouragement and facilities should be
afforded for devotion to original research in the various branches of human knowl-
edge. In the other countries scientific discovery is stimulated by pensions, by
titles of honor, and by various social and official distinctions. The French
academicians receive an annual salary and are decorated with the insignia of the
legion of honor. Similar marks of distinction are conferred on the members of the
2lRep. Nat. Acad. Sci. for z867 (~868), pp. I, a. Sen. Misc. Doc. no. cob, 40th Congress,
ad Session.
OCR for page 15
FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY
IN
academy of Berlin and that of St. Petersburg. These modes of stimulation or
encouragement may be considered inconsistent with our social ideas and perhaps
with our forms of government. There are honors, nevertheless, which in an
intelligent democracy have been and may be justly awarded to those who enlarge
the field of human thought and human power. Heretofore, but two principal
means of distinction have been recognized in this country, viz: the acquisition
of wealth and the possession of political power. The war seems to have offered a
third, in bestowing position and renown for successful military achievement. The
establishment of this Academy may be perhaps regarded as having opened a fourth
avenue for the aspirations of a laudable ambition, which interferes neither with
our national prejudices nor our political principles, and which only requires the
fostering care of government to become of essential benefit and importance
not only to this, but all the civilized countries of the world." 22
Whatever the merit of the views enunciated by Professor
Henry, no tangible evidence of distinction has been attached
to membership in the Academy, such as is connected with
high military, political or judicial station. The members of
the early American Geological Society were accustomed to
append the letters ''M. A. G. S." to their names, corresponding
to the familiar " F`. R. S." " F. L. S.," etc., of the Royal
Society and the Linnean Society of :London, and other English
associations, but the practice has not obtained in connection with
the National Academy of Sciences.23
To be the scientific adviser of the Government was second
among the principal objects of the Academy, as laid down in
the act~of incorporation in ~863. The country was- then in the
throes of the Civil War, and the Government needed as never
before, sound advice on technical scientific subjects, especially
such as had a bearing on naval and military affairs. Numerous
commissions were appointed, including the Permanent Com-
mission, already mentioned, arid it was quite in harmony with
the purpose of these organizations that one of the chief duties
of the new academy should be to aid the Government wherever
scientific truths could be serviceable. It has been intimated
22 Rep. Nat. Acad. Sci. for z867 (~868), pp. 3, 4. Sen. Misc. Doc. no. cob, 40th Congress,
ad Session.
23 Goode, G. B. The origin of the National Scientific and Educational Institutions of the
United States. Ann. Rep. Amer. Hist. Assoc. for z889 (~890), p. 68.
l
OCR for page 16
I6
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
by one writer that this provision was included in the bill of
incorporation mainly to secure the passage of the bill, by convinc-
ing Congress of the practical utility of the Academy. This may
be in part true, but it does not explain the fact that the executive
branch of the Government immediately took course! of the
Academy on a variety of subjects and has continued to do so
up to the present time.
In this connection, it is interesting to note the attitude of
President Lincoin and his Secretary of State, Seward, toward
the Academy, as shown by the following letter which was ad-
dressed to Professor B ache a few months after its organization:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, January 8, ~ 864.
" SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the
7th instant, tendering to this department the aid of the Academy of Sciences in
any investigations that it may be thought proper to institute with a view to the
great reform of producing an uniformity of weights and measures among com-
mercial nations. Be pleased to express to the academy my sincere thanks for this
enlightened and patriotic proceeding, and assure them that, with the authority of
the President, I shall be happy to avail myself of the assistance thus tendered to
me, and to that end I shall at all times be happy to receive the suggestions of the
academy, or of any committee that may be named by it, in conformity with the
spirit of the note you have addressed to me.
" I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
WILLTAM H. SEWARD.
PROFESSOR A. D. BACHE,
" President of the National Academy of Sciences." 24
That the founders of the Academy felt that it owed a duty to
the Government is shown by the rather singular provision which
was incorporated in the constitution, that each member should
upon his admission " take the oath of allegiance prescribed by
the Senate of the United States for its own members." This
matter of an oath of allegiance was by no means regarded as one
of slight importance, as is indicated by the animated discussion to
which it gave rise when the report of the committee on the consti-
tution was brought before the Academy at the first meetings
Rep. Nat Acad. Sci. for T863, p. IT.
25 See Ames, Mary L. Life of Peter and Susan Lesley, vol. T. p. 4T9.
OCR for page 17
I'
.
FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY
I7
In a letter dated April 23' 1863, Lesley writes:
" Some one argued that we would lose government patronage, unless we bid
for it with the oath; I suspect it was only an unfortunate way of stating a higher
truth, that we are the children of the government, and the Academy is the creation
of the government, and owes it the oath of allegiance as its first duty." 26
In view of this evidence and the fact that several of the
original members of the Academy were conspicuous for their
services to the Government in connection with the War, it can
hardly be maintained that the offer of aid was merely a form
of words inserted in the bill of incorporation for the purpose
of inducing Congress to pass the measure.
This governmental relationship is one of the chief peculiar
ities of the National Academy. Other scientific organizations
were founded whose membership was drawn from all parts of
the country, whose scope covered all branches of scientific re-
search, and whose transactions reflected credit on their member-
ship and on American science, but none could claim recognition
as the scientific adviser to the Government.
~~. . ~ . ~
w bile to-uay many scientific bureaus under the national
Government are in existence, the conditions were quite different
in ~863, when the Academy was organized. At that time the
only governmental organizations of this class were the Coast
Survey, the agricultural divisions of the Patent Office, and the
Naval Observatory. To-day technical information on a wide
range of subjects is available within the limits of the civil service.
Nevertheless, the legislative and executive branches of the
Government stir! continue to refer scientific matters of impor-
tance to the Academy year by year for information and advice.
On March 5, ~863, two days after the passage of the bill
incorporating the Academy, Senator Wilson addressed letters
to the fifty men of science whose names were mentioned therein,
advising them of their designation as incorporators, and re-
questing them to fix on a day when it would be most convenient
to meet in New York City for the purpose of organization.
This letter is printed in the first Annual of the Academy.27
26 (Or. Cit., p. 420.
2T Ann. Nat Acad. Sci. for ~863-4 (~865), p. To.
i
OCR for page 18
I 8
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
More than three-fifths of the incorporators replied to this re-
quest, and on March ~8, ~863, Senator Wilson, having given
consideration to the various dates suggested, selected April zz
as the day, and the chapel of the University of the City of New
York (now New York University) as the place for the meet-
ing.28 This meeting was called to order at ~ ~ o'clock by Senator
Wilson who delivered the following address: 29
ADDRESS OF THE HON. HENRY WILSON
Delivered at He opening of the first session of the Academy, April 22, i863.
" GENTLEMEN: I hold in my hand the Act, passed in the closing hours of the
Thirty-seventh Congress, ' To incorporate the National Academy of Sciences,' In
compliance with many kind requests I am here to call the corporators to order.
In rising to perform this agreeable task, I crave for a moment your indulgence.
" This Act, under which you have met to organize, incorporates in America,
and for America, a National Institution, whose objects, ranging over the illimitable
fields of science, are limited only by the wondrous capacities of the human intellect.
Such an institution has been for years ire the thought and on the tongue of the
devotees of science, but its attainment seemed far in the future. Now it is an
achieved fact. Our country has spoken it into being, in this ' dark and troubled
night ' of its history, and commissioned you, gentlemen, to mould and fashion its
organization, to infuse into, it that vital and animating spirit that shall win in
the boundless domains of science the glittering prizes of achievement that will
gleam forever on the brow of the nation.
" When, a few months ago, a gentleman whose name is known and honored
in both hemispheres, expressed to me the desire that an Academy of Physical
Sciences should be founded in America, and that I would at least make the
effort to obtain such an act of incorporation for the scientific men of the United
States, I replied, that it seemed more fitting that some statesman of ripe scholarship
should take the lead in securing such a measure, but that I felt confident I could
prepare, introduce, and carry through Congress a measure so eminently calculated
to advance the cause of science, and to reflect honor upon our country. I promptly
assumed the responsibility, and with such aid and suggestions as I could obtain,
I prepared, introduced, and by personal effort with members of both Houses of
Congress, carried through this act of incorporation without even a division in
either House.
28 Op. cit., p. As. New York University at that time occupied a large building of light-
colored stone on the east side of Washington Square. The chapel was in this building.
flop. Cit., pp. 12-15.
OCR for page 19
FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY
I9
" The suggestion was sometimes made that the nation is engaged in a fearful
struggle for existence, and the moment was not well chosen to press such a
measure. But I thought otherwise. I thought it just the fitting time to act. I
wanted the salads of the old world, as they turn their eyes hitherward, to see
that amid the Ere and blood of the most gigantic civil war in the annals of nations,
the statesmen and people of the United States, in the calm confidence of assured
power, are fostering the elevating, purifying, and consolidating institutions of
religion and benevolence, literature, art and science. I wanted the men of
Europe, who profess to see in America the failure of republican institutions, to
realize that the people of the United States, while eliminating from their system
that ever-disturbing element of discord, bequeathed to them by the colonial and
commercial policy of England, are cherishing the institutions that elevate man
and ennoble nations. The land resounds with the tread of armies, its bright
waters are crimsoned, and its herds reddened with fraternal blood. Patriotism
surely demands that we strive to make this now discordant, torn, and bleeding
nation one and indivisible. The National Academy of Sciences will, I feel sure,
be now and hereafter another element of power to keep in their orbits, around
the great central sun of the Union, this constellation of sovereign commonwealths.
" This act of incorporation may not be, is not, perfect. The task has been one
of difficulty and delicacy. The number of members must be limited, while the
most eminent men of science must be recognized, and sectional claims harmonized.
If unintentional injustice has been done to any one, if msitakes have been made,
time will, I trust, correct the injustice and the mistakes. Changes will surely
come. ' Death is in the world,' and this original list of honored names will not
remain long unbroken. If men of merit have been forgotten in this act of incor-
poration, the Academy should seize the first and every occasion to right the
seeming wrong.
" This Academy is destined, I trust, to live as long as the republic shall endure,
and to bear upon its rolls the names of the savants of coming generations. Let it
then advance high its standard. Let it be as inflexible as justice, and as uncom-
promising as truth. Let it speak with the authority of knowledge, that pretension
may shrink abashed before it, and merit everywhere turn to it confident of
· . .
recognition.
" In the Providence of God, the Thirty-seventh Congress was summoned to the
consideration of measures of transcendent magnitude. It enacted measures, empow-
ering the government to raise hundreds of millions of dollars and millions of men,
to protect the menaced life of the nation and preserve the vital spirit of freedom.
It dealt with great questions of revenue and of finance. It obliterated an abhor-
rent system from the national capital, and engraved freedom upon every rood of
the national territory. It consecrated the public domain to homesteads for the
homeless and landless, and authorized the construction of a railway to unite the
Atlantic and the Pacific seas. The enactment of this act to incorporate the
OCR for page 20
20
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Academy of Sciences, was not the least in the long list of acts the Thirty-seventh
Congress gave to the country, which will leave their impress upon the nation for
ages yet to come. It was my fortune to take a humble part in these great measures
of legislation. It is a source of profound gratification to me, that, amid the pres-
sure of public affairs, I have been enabled to contribute something to found this
Academy for the advancement of the physical sciences in America It will ever
be among my most cherished recollections, that I have been permitted through
your courtesy to unite with you in organizing this National Academy, which, we
fondly hope, will gather around it, in the centuries yet to come, the illustrious sons
of genius and of learning, whose researches will enrich the sciences, and reflect
unfading lustre upon the republic."
The official records of the Academy do not contain an account
of this first meeting or a list of the members who attended it.
The New York Commercial Advertiser of April 23, ~863, how-
ever, contains a list of the names and states that Professor Henry
was elected President pro fem., and Professor Caswell, temporary
secretary. The notice is as follows:
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE.
" The last Congress incorporated a National Academy of Science, in pursuance
of which the following thirty-one corporators of the institution assembled in the
chapel of the New York University for the purpose of organizing: Prof. Agassiz,
Stephen Alexander, A. D. Bache, F. ~A.] P. Barnard, J. T. KG.] Barnard,
U. S. A.; W. H. C. Bartlett, U. S. M. C.; Profs. Caswell, Cohn, Dana, C. H.
Davis, U. S. N.; Profs. Wazer EFrazer], Wolcott Gibbs, J. W. [M.] Gilless
rGilliss], U. S. A. tU. S. N.~; B. A. Gould, Prof. Guyot, James Hall, Joseph
Henry, Hilyard EJ. E. Hilgard], Hubbard, U. S. N. 0.; Profs. Leidy, Lesley,
Newberry, Newton, Peirce, Vauman Rogers rFairmcm Rogers], R. E. Rogers, At.
B. Rogers, L. M. Rutherford rRz`therfurd], Joseph Saxton, B. Silliman, Jr.,
Joseph Winlock, U. S. Nautical Almanac Once. The number of corporators is
restricted to fifty. The meeting was called to order by Senator Wilson. Pro-
fessor Henry of the Smithsonian Institute Esic] was chosen president pro fem.,
and Professor Caswell, temporary secretary.
with closed doors."
The proceedings were conducted
This account is probably correct, except for slight errors
in the spelling of names, etc. We know that the number of
incorporators was 50. Senator Wilson stated that more than
three-fifths responded to his letter regarding the meeting, and
the number ~~ in the newspaper article is therefore, quite prob-
OCR for page 21
ably correct
FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY
J
2I
Lesley informs us that Professor Henry was in
the chair, and mentions as being present also, Agassiz, ATex-
ander, B ache, Barnard, Caswell " the secretary," Frazer, Gould,
L`eidy, L`esTey, R. E. Rogers and W. B. Rogers, all of whom are
included in the A!dverfiser list.
The New York Daily Tribune of April z3, ~863, informs us
that Senator Wilson's address was followed by a brief statement
by Professor Agassiz of " the fundamental principles upon
which a permanent edifice of science should be based," also, that
a committee of nine was appointed to draft a form of organiza-
tion. The members of this committee, according to the New
York AVorId of the same date were as follows: Caswell, B ache,
Rodgers, Gibbs, Frazer, Silliman, Jr., Gould, Peirce and
Agassiz. The Herald of that date states that the committee met at
the Brevoort House in secret session, and substitutes the names of
Henry and Winiock for Caswell and Gibbs. It also includes
Rogers, instead of Rodgers, which, as will be shown presently,
was correct.
Corroborating these newspaper items regarding the committee
on the constitution is a remark in Lesley's letter of April by,
T863. "Yesterday ~ went down to the eight o'clock evening
session tof the Academy], at which we heard and began to vote
upon the constitution and by-laws, as reported by the committee
of nine appointed in the morning." 30 Further corroboration,
together with other interesting details, is found in a letter of
William B. Rogers, dated April 28, ~863, from which the follow-
· —
sang Is an extract:
" Of the fifty corporators named in the bill, thirty-two were present the first
day, and twenty-seven during the rest of the session. A committee of organization
was first appointed, consisting of nine, Bache being chairman, supported by Ben-
jamin Gould, Agassiz, Peirce, Benjamin Silliman, Frazer, etc., and to which I
also was admitted. The Constitution and Rules, most elaborately prepared, were
read from the MS. by Bache. There was no dissent on any important point,
unless when I made objection. One of the provisions made the tenure of the offices
of president, vice-president and secretary, for life. To this no one objected, and
I let it pass without voting until, the morning's task being closed, Bache was
30 Life of Lesley, vol. I, p. 4~9.
)
\
1
OCR for page 22
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
about shutting up his book. Then I rose, and calmly called their attention to
this clause, told them that to exact that would be to blast every hope of success,
and so impressed them with the responsibility of such a course that they voted
the term of six years instead of for life." 3t
The article of the constitution which seems to have provoked
the most animated discussion was, as already mentioned, that
which provided that the members of the Academy should take
an oath of allegiance to the Government. This is riot surprising,
when one recalls the condition of the country at the time. The
article was adopted, however, and the whole business of the
meeting was completed, including the adoption of the constitu-
tion and by-laws, and the election of officers in a session of
three days, ending on the afternoon of April 24.32 Wesley, in
his cautious spirit, remarks on " the splendid success of the
organization as it appears," and continues " Time will show how
much reality underlies this show. We have laid down the base
of a pyramid for the ages." Hubbard was more enthusiastic.
" A better three days for science were never spent," he writes
to his brother, " The inauguration of this Academy marks the
most important epoch ever witnessed by science in America." 33
The account of this first meeting, as given by Professor B ache
in his report as President of the Academy, is as follows:
" In pursuance of the provisions of that Act tof incorporation], the members
of the National Academy met in New York on the mad of April, ~863, and com-
pleted their organization, renewing by their loyal oath their obligations to serve
their country and its constituted authorities to the best of their abilities and
knowledge, on such subjects as were embraced in their charter, and upon which
they might be consulted, and adopting a Constitution and Laws which they sup-
posed would enable them to carry on successfully the plans of Congress as
sketched in the charter.
" Providing for the full and deliberate consideration and arrangement of their
laws by a Committee selected for their capability in such a task, the Academy
31 Life and Letters of William Barton Rogers, edited by his wife, vol. 2, p. ~6~, ~896.
32 Although President Bache in his first report states that the constitution and by-laws
were adopted at this meeting, it seems probable that the action was informal, as they are
mentioned later in the same report, as having been " finally passed" on January 6, z864.
(See p. 8.)
33B. A. Gould, Eulogy on Joseph S. Hubbard. Ann. Nat. Acad. Sci. for ~863-4 (~86s),
p. 72.
. . . ~ . .. _
OCR for page 23
FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY
23
adopted the laws presented to their discussion, divided into Classes and Sections
for the consideration of matters of science, elected officers, and adjourned to a
stated day, the 4th of January, and to Washington, the National Capital, with
which they were henceforth to be connected in their membership of the National
Academy of Sciences." 34
The organization for the year ~863 was as follows:
President, ALEXANDER DALLAS BACHE.
Vice-Preside~zt, NAMES DWIGHT DANA.
Foreign Secretary, Louts AGASSIZ.
Home Secretary, WOLCOrr GIBBS.
Treasurer, FAIRMAN ROGERS.
CLASS OF MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS
Chairman, BENJAMIN PEIRCE.
Secretary, BENJAMIN A. GOULD.
CLASS OF NATURAL HISTORY
Chairman, BENJAMIN SILLIMAN, SR.
Secretary, 3. S. NEWBERRY.
Council: CHARLES HENRY DAVIS, lOHN TORREY, LEWIS M. RUTHER-
FURD, T. PETER LESLEY, and the officers and chairmen of classes
ex o,fficio.
In addition to considering the constitution and by-laws and
electing officers, the Academy at this first meeting appointed a
committee on the form of a diploma, on a corporate seal, and
on a stamp for books and other property, and also a committee
on the mode of electing foreign associates. The latter committee
did not report until January, ~864, and the former appears nor
to have presented any formal report.
84 Ann. Nat. Acad. Sci. for z863-4 (~865), pp. 48, 49.
OCR for page 24
Representative terms from entire chapter:
permanent commission
