Record of John Jay’s Oath as Chief Justice of the United States of America, 19 October 1789

Record of John Jay’s Oath as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America

[New York, 19 October 1789]

Be it Remembered, That at the City of New York on the nineteenth Day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine, personally appeared before me, Richard Morris Esquire Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, John Jay of the same City, Esquire, and did then and there in due form take an oath in the words following, to wit, “I John Jay do Solemnly swear, that I will administer Justice without respect to persons, and do equal Right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will impartially discharge and perform all the Duties incumbent on me, as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, according to the best of my abilities and understanding, agreeably to the Constitution and Laws of the United States, so help me God.” And be it also Remembered, That at the same time and place before me, the said Richard Morris, he the said John Jay did in due form take another oath in the words following, to wit—

“I John Jay do Solemnly swear, that I will support the Constitution of the United States, so help me God.[”]1

Rid Morris

John Jay’s oath as chief justice of the Supreme Court, attested to by Richard Morris, 19 October 1789. (John Jay Papers, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University in the City of New York)

DS, NNC (EJ: 07372); DS, DNA: PCC, item 59, 1: 225. Endorsed. Printed: DHSC description begins Maeva Marcus et al. eds., The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789–1800 (8 vols.; New York, 1985–2007) description ends , 1, pt. 1: 12–13, from DS (DNA: PCC, item 59), with minor textual variations from DS, NNC. For the Original Fine Minutes kept by John Tucker for this period, see DNA: RG 267, General Records; DHSC description begins Maeva Marcus et al. eds., The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789–1800 (8 vols.; New York, 1985–2007) description ends , 1, Pt. 1: 335–40.

1. JJ’s taking of his oath is also recorded in the OFA Journal description begins Daily Journals, Office of Foreign Affairs, 1784–1790, 2 vols., Papers of the Continental Congress, RG 360, item 127, National Archives (M247). Accessed Fold3.com description ends , 19 Oct. 1789, above. For another record of JJ’s oath to support the U.S. Constitution, see D, N: Sec. of State office, Misc. (EJ: 00969); DHSC description begins Maeva Marcus et al. eds., The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789–1800 (8 vols.; New York, 1985–2007) description ends , 1, Pt. 1: 12.

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Source Project: Jay Papers
Title: Record of John Jay’s Oath as Chief Justice of the United States of America, 19 October 1789
Author: Jay, John
Date: 19 October 1789

Reference

Cite as: “Record of John Jay’s Oath as Chief Justice of the United States of America, 19 October 1789,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-05-02-0108. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 5, 1788–1794, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2017, pp. 159–160.]