FOUNDING OF THE ACADEMY 7 
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.” *° 
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. 
While to-day many scientific bureaus under the national 
Government are in existence, the conditions were quite different 
in 1863, 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 still continue to refer scientific matters of impor- 
tance to the Academy year by year for information and advice. 
On March 5, 1863, 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.” 
*° Loc. cit., p. 420. 
7" Ann. Nat. Acad. Sci. for 1863-4 (1865), p. Io. 
