The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-15
Century Old Sacred Book of
The Supreme Court Not to
Be Used by Clerk of the Su-
preme Court.
CLEVELAND USED
BOOK OF HIS MOTHER
Presidents Desire to Keep BIZ
bIes They Take Oath on
As Valuable Keepsakes of
Their Families.

Washington. Feb. 1o.-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 not where the Bible comes from.
The one who is able to give more in
formation on this subject than any
other is James H. McKenney, clerk of
the supreme court, the man who al
ways 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 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.
Generally New Bible.
NO" said Mr.. McKenney, in re-
sponse to question, mo, we do not
use our century-old Bible for swear
ing in of presidents, but it often hap
pens that the clerk supplies a new
book for the occasion. 1t is the in
tention that the man who takes the
oath of Office should have the volume
as keepsake, and it generally trans
pires that his family, II not himself
set much store by it. Not always,
however, nor even in a majority of
cases, are we called upon to supply q
new book, for 1t frequently happens
that the president or some member OF
his family, is the owner of some treas
ured volume Of the Scriptures, which
it is desired that he should use upon
this occasion.
Present From Mother.
This was not the case when Mr..
Cleveland was inaugurated. He was
the owner of 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 it ever
since. When he was consulted about
taking the oath when first inaugurated
as president, he stated that he desired
his mothers present should be used
for this purpose. When the oath was
administered to him at the beginning
of his second administration the same
volume, which on this occasion had
been hunted out by Mrs. Cleveland,
was again brought forward and again
presented as the one upon which her
husband should make his pledges.
Gift Of Negro Bishops.
Quite in contrast with this little
volume was the one used in admins
tering the oath to Mr.. Mckinley. The
negro bishops joined together and pre-
sented to Mr.. Mckinley one of the
biggest books l have ever seen. 1t
was an extraordinarily large family
Bible, bound in heavy morocco. trim
med in gold and stored in a much Or
namented box. l remember very we'll
that l was quite tagged out from car
rying it to the senate chamber and
from that chamber to the platform in
front of the capitol After the Bible
had been used for this purpose l turn
ed it over to the president but notwith-
standing he had already received it. the
house and presented it with formal
speeches to which Mr.. Mckinley made
appropriate reply.
In Rooseveit's Case.
president Roosevelt was sworn in
on a Bible that had been used for the
same purpose when he was inaugur.
ated 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 &C
cordingly substituted.
We still have on hand the Bible
bough. for that occasion, but We shall
not use it for Mr.. Taft. Unless he
furnishes 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 administer the oath in
Washington.
Accordingly, Chief Justice Waite
ouo oooua twenty OtHcf peOpde VI
prominence were called very suddenly
together in the vice presidents room
al the capitol. l had to send uptown
for a book. and had but few minutes
to execute the commission. I succeeded
however in getting the book in time
for the ceremony. and was one of the
few present when Mr.. Garfleld's sue
Fcessor was initiated into his high oE
fee.
We now make it point to have an
available book on hand at all tiiIkes.
and WIN probably keep the Roosevelt