1865.] ]^29 [Wood. 



terest in its affairs among those he was happy enough to meet, and 

 seeking to extend its relations, both with individuals and associations, 

 whenever apparently desirable. After his return, he gave, December 

 16th, 1853, an address to the Society in relation to its affairs, an ab- 

 stract of which is contained in the published Proceedings of that 

 year. In consequence of a by-law then existing, "that no person 

 should be eligible as President at more than two out of three succes- 

 sive elections," he ceased to hold the office after January, 1855. 

 Believing that this rule did not work beneficially for the Society, he 

 introduced a resolution, November 5th, 1858, after the decease of the 

 late President, Judge Kane, for the repeal of the by-law, which at 

 the subsequent meeting was carried by a majority of 28 to 2. Be- 

 fore initiating this measure, he had firmly resolved not again to 

 accept the responsibilities of the position; and, though the general 

 feeling of the members was, I believe, in favor of his re-election, 

 and he was strongly urged to permit himself to be considered as a 

 candidate at the approaching election in January, 1859, he adhered 

 to his resolution, and continued a private member during the residue 

 of his life. His interest, however, in the Society, in no degree 

 abated; and he continued to be as assiduous as ever in his attend- 

 ance at the meetings, and as actively participant in the proceedings. 

 How much the Society was present in his thoughts, may be inferred 

 from the fact, that, on his death-bed, just before bis intellect was 

 swallowed up in stupor, he spoke to lue of a measure then under the 

 consideration of the Society, which he feared, if adopted, might 

 prove injurious to its interests; and these were among the last intel- 

 ligent words that he uttered. 



In the course of his membership, Dr. Bache rendered several im- 

 portant services to the Society, which are worthy of being recalled. 

 The first that I shall notice concerned the catalogue of members. 

 Soon after he was first chosen one of the Secretaries, it was resolved, 

 at his suggestion, that such a catalogue should be prepared by these 

 officers; and ever afterwards he appeared to take it under his special 

 guardianship, being always solicitous that it should be at once com- 

 plete and correct, with every name properly entered, and every date, 

 whether of the election, resignation, or decease of a member, accu- 

 rately stated. On the last point he often took great pains in making 

 inquiries, especially as to the foreign members; and in regard to the 

 subject generally, there was no one, I presume, who nearly equalled 

 him in a careful watchfulness over the necrology of the Society, the 



VOL. X, — s 



