Letter from Chief Justice William Howard Taft to President Herbert Hoover Regarding the Oath of Office,
3/1/1929
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On March 1, 1929, three days before the inauguration, Chief Justice of the United States William Howard Taft wrote to President Herbert Hoover detailing how he would administer the oath of office, “I thought it would be wise to put in written form the details . . . of taking the oath.” Ironically, it was Taft who erred in the oath and said “to preserve, maintain, and defend” rather than “preserve, protect, and defend” as the oath prescribed.
This primary source comes from the Collection HH-HOOVH: Herbert Hoover Papers.
National Archives Identifier: 7722952
Full Citation: Letter from Chief Justice William Howard Taft to President Herbert Hoover Regarding the Oath of Office, ; 3/1/1929; Collection HH-HOOVH: Herbert Hoover Papers. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/letter-from-chief-justice-william-howard-taft-to-president-herbert-hoover-regarding-the-oath-of-office, April 21, 2025]Rights: No Known Copyright Learn more on our privacy and legal page.