Supreme Court of the United States
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1991
Present: Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice White, Justice Blackmun, Justice Stevens, Justice O Connor, Justice Scalia, Justice Kennedy, and Justice Souter.
The Chief Justice said:
This special sitting of the Court is held today to receive the commission of the newly appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Clarence Thomas. The Court now recognizes the Acting Attorney General of the United States, William Barr.
The Acting Attorney General said:
Mr. Chief Justice and may it please the Court, I have the commission which has been issued to the Honorable Clarence Thomas as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The commission has been duly signed by the President of the United States and attested by me as the Acting Attorney General of the United States. I move that the Clerk read the commission and that it be made a part of the permanent records of this Court.
The Chief Justice said:
Thank you Mr. Barr. Your motion is granted. Mr. Clerk, will you please read the Commission?
The Clerk then read the commission as follows:
George Bush,
president of the united states of america,
To all who shall see these Presents, Greeting:
Know Ye; That reposing special trust and confidence in the Wisdom, Uprightness, and Learning of Clarence Thomas, of Georgia, I have nominated, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint him an Associate Justice of the United States and do authorize and empower him to execute and fulfill the duties of that Office according to the Constitution and Laws of the said United States, and to have and to hold the said Office, with all the powers, privileges, and emoluments to the same of right appertaining, unto Him, the said Clarence Thomas, during his good behavior.
In testimony whereof, I have caused these Letters to be made patent and the seal of the Department of Justice to be hereunto affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and ninety-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and sixteenth.
[seal] George Bush
By the President:
William P. Barr,
Acting Attorney General
The Chief Justice said:
I now ask the Chief Deputy Clerk of the Court to escort
Justice Thomas to the bench.
The Chief Justice said:
Justice Thomas, are you prepared to take the oath?
Justice Thomas said:
I am.
The oath of office was then administered by The Chief Justice and Justice Thomas repeated the oath after him as follows:
I, Clarence Thomas, do solemnly swear that I will administer justice without respect to person, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States under the Constitution and laws of the United States.
So help me God.
Clarence Thomas
Subscribed and sworn to before me this first day of November, 1991.
William H. Rehnquist
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice said:
Justice Thomas, on behalf of all the members of the Court, it is a pleasure to extend to you a very warm welcome as an Associate Justice of this Court and to wish for you a long and happy career in our common calling.
Last modified: January 11, 2006