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.” * 
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 not 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. Lesley, 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.” * 
The account of this first meeting, as given by Professor Bache 
in his report as President of the Academy, is as follows: 
“Tn pursuance of the provisions of that Act [of incorporation], the members 
of the National Academy met in New York on the 22d of April, 1863, 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 
* Life and Letters of William Barton Rogers, edited by his wife, vol. 2, p. 161, 1896. 
“ 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, 1864. 
(See p. 8.) 
*°B,. A. Gould, Eulogy on Joseph S$. Hubbard. Ann. Nat. Acad. Sci. for 1863-4 (1865), 
p. 72. 
