The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1910-12-22

preme court of the United States TO-
day.
Simple and public were the cere-
monies OF installation which was
neld in the presence of the bench
and distinguished gathering. The
oath Of allegiance was administered
by Associate Justice Harlan.
Because OF the Overwhelming
modesty of Chief Justice White, of
ficials % the court were uncertain
as to the exact details of the cere-
mony OF the day until they had oc-
cured. IN general way, the broad
customs attending the induction
-iato Office of the head of the court
we're followed: =.
lfnlfkeDthe Inauguration Of
president as. the head of the coordl-
nate branch of the government, the
induction into Office of chief JUS
tice of the United States has al
ways been a, comparatively unosten-
tatious occasion. Instead of an es-
cort from the Capitol to the White
House composed of gaily attired
civic organizations and seasoned
military commands, new chief JUS
tice has only his black robed breth-
rem on the bench in procession from
the robing room to the court room;
Instead of his approach being herald
ed by loud huzzas of cheering thous-
ands, the advance to power of new
chief justice is announced by moth
ing more than the solitary tones OF
the court crier; instead of an in
, augural address outlining his poll
icies the only utterance of new
chief justice is the solemn words OF
his oath Of Office. 5
The dignity resting in the customs
founded on the swearing into office
of John Jay, John Rutledge, Oliver
Ellsworth and John Marshall, and
perfected in the days of Roger B.
fancy, Ealmon p. Chase, Morrison
R. Waite and Melville w. Fuller was
not materially disturbed today by
radical innovations,
The ceremonies of elevating an
associate justice of the court into
the chief justice OF the nation
began In the secret confines OF the
courts robing room. 1t is here that
the oath OF allegiance is admins
tered, just before the court takes its
place on the bench. The oath pre-
pared for today's occasion, followed
the form prescribed by law. 1t
read:
q, Edward Douglass White, do
solemnly swear that I will support
and defend the Constitution of the
United States against all enemies,
foreign and domestic; that will
bear true faith and allegiance to the
same; that take this obligation
freely, without any mental reserva-
ton or purpose of evasion, and that
l will well and faithfully discharge
the duties of the Office on which
am about to enter. So help me
God"
Ut was similar oath of allegiance
that created such a tempest in the
court, back in reconstruction days.
Hence unusual interest was conferred
in its administration today to the
first chief justice, who had borne
arms in the cause OF the Confeder-
acy by the senior associate justice
of the court, Justice Harlan, who had
borne arms at the same time in the
cause of the nation.
Doubt had existed before the cere.
mony as to whether the new CHIEF
Justice would halt at the clerk /
desk in the court room to take the
oath there as most of the men who
nave occupied positions on the bench
have done, or whether he would as,
sumo his usual place on the bench
and take the oath there as Chief Jus,
tice Chase did. There was doubt
also as to whether he would hold il
his hand the historic Bible tina
practically all the chief justices hav,
used in this ceremony, or whether he
would follow the custom of Chief
Justice Chase in taking the oath or
a Bible provided for the occasion.
The oath which the new chic
justice subscribed to in the open
court is known as the judicial oath
as distinguished from the oath of al,
legiance. 1T read:
81, Edward Douglass White, dc
solemnly swear that will admins,
ter justice without respect to per.
sons, and do equal right to the poor
and to the rich. and that will faith
fully and impartially discharge and
perform all the duties incumbent on
me as Chief Justice of the United
States according to the. best OF my