well, the warm daily contacts in Conference and on the Bench. It goes without saying that we shall expect you to share our table as usual, for you remain Senior Justice Emeritus. Sincerely, WARREN E. BURGER POTTER STEWART BYRON R. WHITE THURGOOD MARSHALL HARRY A. BLACKMUN MR. JUSTICE DOUGLAS SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, MY DEAR BRETHREN: Your message, written on my retirement from the Court, filled my heart with overflowing emotion. You were kind and generous and made every hour, including the last one on our arduous journey, happy and relaxed. I am reminded of many canoe trips I have taken in my lifetime. Those who start down a water course may be strangers at the beginning but almost invariably are close friends at the end. There were strong headwinds to overcome and there were rainy as well as sun drenched days to travel. The portages were long and many and some were very strenuous. But there were always a pleasant camp in a stand of white bark birch and water concerts held at night to the music of the loons; and inevitably there came the last camp fire, the last breakfast cooked over last night's fire, and the parting was always sad. And yet, in fact, there was no parting because each happy memory of the choice parts of the journey-and of the whole journey-was of a harmonious united effort filled with fulfilling and beautiful hours as well as dull and dreary ones. The greatest such journey I've made has been with you, my Brethren, who were strangers at the start but warm and fast friends at the end. The value of our achievements will be for others to appraise. Other like journeys will be made by those who follow us, and we trust that they will leave these wilderness water courses as pure and unpolluted as we left those which we traversed. Yours faithfully, WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS THE CHIEF JUSTICE AND ASSOCIATE JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES THE CHIEF JUSTICE said: In accordance with tradition and practice, these letters will be made part of the permanent records of the Court and will be recorded in the Court's journal. APPOINTMENT OF MR. JUSTICE STEVENS SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1975 Present: MR. CHIEF JUSTICE BURGER, MR. JUSTICE BRENNAN, MR. JUSTICE STEWART, MR. JUSTICE WHITE, MR. JUSTICE BLACKMUN, and MR. JUSTICE REHNQUIST. THE CHIEF JUSTICE said: This special sitting of the Court is held to receive the commission of the newly appointed Associate Justice, Circuit Judge Stevens. At this time it is a great pleasure to recognize the President of the United States. Mr. President. The President said: I appear here this morning as a member of the Bar of this Court to inform the Court officially that the nomination of Circuit Judge John Paul Stevens to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States has been consented to by the United States Senate. The commission appointing him as Associate Justice has been signed by me and attested by the Attorney General. Judge Stevens is present in the Courtroom ready to take his oath. I request that the Attorney General be recognized to present the commission to the Court. THE CHIEF JUSTICE said: Thank you, Mr. President. The Court now recognizes the Attorney General of the United States. ΧΙ Mr. Attorney General Levi said: MR. CHIEF JUSTICE, may it please the Court: I bear with me the commission issued to Circuit Judge John Paul Stevens as an Associate Justice of this Court. It has been duly signed by the President and attested by me as Attorney General. I move that the Clerk read this commission and that it be made part of the permanent record of the Court. THE CHIEF JUSTICE said: Your motion is granted, Mr. Attorney General. If you will hand the commission to the attendant so that it may be delivered to the Clerk, I will request that the Clerk read the commission. The Clerk then read the commission as follows: GERALD R. FORD, 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 John Paul Stevens, of Illinois, I have nominated and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint him an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court 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 John Paul Stevens, 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 seventeenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and seventy-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundredth. [SEAL] By the President: EDWARD H. LEVI, GERALD R. FORD. The oath of office was then administered by THE CHIEF JUSTICE, and MR. JUSTICE STEVENS was escorted by the Clerk to the bench. The oaths taken by MR. JUSTICE STEVENS are in the following words, viz.: I, John Paul Stevens, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. JOHN PAUL STEVENS. Subscribed and sworn to before me this nineteenth day of December 1975. WARREN E. BURGER, I, John Paul Stevens, 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 faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, according to the best of my |