The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-15
Providing a Bible for the Presi-
Dental Inauguration
Belongs to the Clerk of the SUI
preme Court.
ARE NOT ALWAYS USED
Those Supplied by This Official
Give Place
Sometimes to Books Furnished
From Other Sources.

/ Washington, Feb. 15.-That the in
coming president always takes the
oath of Office on a Bible and that the
chief justice of the United States ad-
ministers the oath is generally known.
but where the Bible comes from is a
fact concerning which the public
knows much less. The one who is
! able to give more information on this
subject than any other is James H.
McKennedy, 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 or
the people of the United States,
finds his palm resting upon some pas
sage which is an augury of good for
all concerned. The purchase OF the
book is one of the Prerequisites" OF
the clerk.
s.No," said Mr.. Mckinney. in re-
Spouse to a question; mo. we do not
use our century-old Bible for the
swearing in of presidents, but II
often happens that the clerk supplies
new book for the occasion. 1t IS
the intention that the men who takes
the oath of office should have the
volume as keepsake. and it gen
eralIy transpires that his family, If not
himself set much store by it. Not al
of cases, are we called upon to supply
new book, for it frequently hap
pens that the president or some mem
Der of his family is the owner or
some treasured volume or the scrip
lures, which it is desired that he
should use upon this sacred and i'm
portant occasion.
The Cleveland Bible.
''This was the case when Mr.. Cleve-
land was inaugurated. He was the
owner of a small bible. not longer
than your hand, and which apparently
had seen much usage. His mother
had presented it to him when he was
a boy. and he had treasured 1t ever
since. When he was consulted about
taking the oath. when first in
augurated as president, he stated
that he desired his mothers present
should be used for this purpose. When
the oath was administered TO MIN al
the beginning of his second ad-
on this occasion had been hunted out
by Mrs Cleveland. was again brought
forward and presented as the one
upon which her husband should make
his pledges.
"ouite in contrast with this little
volume was the one used in admins
tering the oath to Mr.. Mckinley. The
negro bishops Joined together and
biggest books 1 have ever seen. 1t
was an extraordinarily large family
Bible, bound in heavy morocco, |
trimmed in gold and stored in much
ornamented box. I remember very |
well that was quite tagged out from
carrying 1t to the senate chamber and |
from that chamber to the platform in
front of the capitol. After the Bible |
turned it over to the president. but, |
Notwithstanding he had already re-
ceived it. the donors afterwards !
called at the White House and pre-
scented it with formal speeches. to |
which Mr.. Mckinley made appro- |
pirate reply. |
When Roosevelt Was Sworn.
president Roosevelt was sworn in
on a Bible which had been used for
the same purpose when he was in
augurated governor OF New York. we
had bought a Bible Cor his inauguration
when we received word from Mrs. |
Roosevelt that she preferred the use of
their own volume. and it was accord
ingly substituted.
I'VE still have on hand the Bible |
not use it for Mr.. Taft. Unless he
furnishes a book himself. we will get a
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 Justice
Waite and about 20 other people of
prominence were called very suddenly
together in the vice presidents room at
the capitol [ had to send uptown for a |
book, and had but a few minutes in |
which to execute the commission. II
succeeded, however, in getting the book
in time for the ceremony and was one
of the few present when Mr. Garfield's |
successor was initiated into his high Of |
fee.
I'VE 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.,,