6 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
In THE HousE. 
March 3, 1863.—‘ 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 Bache on February 19, 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 1867, he 
speaks as follows: 
“T 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.” ® 
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 19, 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 1863, and a member of two others appointed 
in 1863 and 1864. He also read a paper at the first scientific 
session of the Academy, in January, 1864, “On Materials of 
Combustion for Lamps in Light-houses.” His name does not, 
* Loc. cit., p. 1540. 
“Rep. Nat. Acad. Sci. for 1867. Sen. Misc. Doc. no. 106, goth Congress, 2d Session, 1868. 
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