Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-16
Those Used in the H.
auguTa| Ceremony.
Different Books Are Used on
Each Occasion.
New Bible Will Be Bought for 1aft's
Use on March 4.


the incoming President always takes
the oath of office on a Bible and that
the Chief Justice of the United States
administers the oath is generally
known. but where the Bible comes
from is a fact concerning which the
hubble knows much less. The one who
Is able to give more information on
this subject than any other is James RI.
Mckinney, Clerk of the Supreme
Court, who is the man who always
has the sacred book at the right place
at the right time, and in whose handS,
strange to say, it always so opens that
the august parsonage who is about to
pledge his fidelity to the Constitution
and the best interests of the people OF
the United States, finds his palm rest
ing upon some passage which Is an
augury of good for all concerned. The
purchase of the book is one of the
"perquisites'' of the clerk.
NO" said MIR. McKenney, in re-
Spouse to- a question; mo. We do not
use our century old Bible for the
swearing in OF Presidents, but it often
happens that the Clerk supplies new
book for the occasion. 1t is the IN
tention that the man who takes the
oath Of Office should have the volume
as u keepsake, and it generally trans
pires that his family. if not himself,
sets much store by it. Not always, how
ever, nor even in a majority of cases,
are we called upon to supply new
book for it frequently happens that
the President or some member of his
family is the owner of some treasured
~, Of bf, Co. ir,tti "
desired that he should use upon this
sacred and important occasion.
This was the case when Mr.. Clevc-
land was iuaugurated. He was the
owner of II small Bible. not larger than
your hand, and which apparently
had seen much usage. His mother
had presented it to him when he was
boy, and he had treasured it ever
since When he was consulted about
taking the oath. when first Inaugural
ted as President. he stated that he de-
sired his mothers present should be
used for this purpose. When the oath
was administered to him at the begin
ming of his second administration. the
same volume, which on this occasion
had been hunted out by Mrs. Cleve-
land, was again brought forward and
presented as the. one upon which her
husband should take his pledges.
quite in contrast with this little vol
ume was the one used in administering
the oath to Mr.. Mckinley. The negro
bishops Joined together and presented
to Mckinley one of the biggest books
I haze ever seen. 1t was an eXtraor-
binary large family Bible. bound in
heavy morocco. trimmed in gold and
stored in a much ornamented box. |
remember very well that ! was quite
tagged out from carrying it to the Sem
ate chamber and from that chamber
to- the platform in front of the Capitol.
After the Bible had been used for this
purpose | turned it over to the Presi-
dent, but, notwithstanding he had al
ready received it, the donors after
wards called at the White House and
presented it with formal speeches. to
which Mr.. Mckinley made appropriate
reply.
president Roosevelt was sworn N
on Bible which had been used for the
same purpose when he was Inaugural
ted Governor of New York. We had
bought a Bible for his inauguration
when we received word from Mrs.
Roosevelt that she preferred the use
of their own volume. and it was ac-
cortfiilgly substituted
I'VE still have on hand the Bible
bought Tor that occasion. but we shall
not use it for Mr. Taft. Unless he fur
nishes book himself. we will get
new one and will keep the Roosevelt
Bible on hand for emergencies. such
for instance. as occurred when Arthur
took the oath of office in this city. He
had been sworn in New York. but it
was Suddenly decided that it would be
safer to again administer the oath in
Washington. Accordingly Chief JUS
tice Waite and about 90 other people
of prominence We're called very sud-
denly together in the Vice Presidents
room at the Capitol I had to send up
town for the book. and had but few
minutes in which to execute the COM
mission. | succeeded. however, In get
ting The book in time for the ceremony
and was one of the few present when
Mr.. Garfeld's successor was initiated
in , his high office.
1--WE now make it a point to have an
available book on hand at all times.
and will probably keep the Roosevelt
Bible for that purpose