Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Ford Rhodes
Subject(s): Adams, Charles Francis, 1835-1915, American Civil War (1861-1865), Books and reading, Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925, Caesar, Julius, Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873, Fessenden, William Pitt, 1806-1869, Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879, Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885, Hampden, John, 1594-1643, Hay, John, 1838-1905, Hill, David B. (David Bennett), 1843-1910, Jones, Thomas Goode, 1844-1914, Knox, Philander C. (Philander Chase), 1853-1921, Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870, Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865, Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron, 1800-1859, Michigan--Vicksburg, Missouri, Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821, Ogden, Rollo, 1856-1937, Panama--Panama Canal, Parker, Alton B. (Alton Brooks), 1852-1926, Phillips, Wendell, 1811-1884, Presidents--Caricatures and cartoons, Presidents--Election, Reconstruction (United States : 1865-1877), Root, Elihu, 1845-1937, Schurz, Carl, 1829-1906, Seward, William H. (William Henry), 1801-1872, Slavery, Southern States, Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869, Stevens, Thaddeus, 1792-1868, Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874, Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930, Tariff, Timoleon, approximately 411 B.C.-337 B.C., Trumbull, Jonathan, 1710-1785, United States. Navy, Villard, Oswald Garrison, 1872-1949, Virginia--Appomattox
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President Roosevelt tells James Ford Rhodes he has just finished reading his fifth volume, which has tied in well with Roosevelt’s other readings of Thomas Babington Macaulay’s History and Abraham Lincoln’s letters and speeches. Although the president agrees with Rhodes that the right is not all on one side and the wrong is not all on the other in quarrels, Roosevelt thinks the American Civil War is the exception, as he believes “the right was exclusively with the Union people.” Roosevelt talks about his plans to build up the Navy to avoid war, believing the Panama Canal will help. Finally, he discusses problems he has been having with the tariff and Southern states. He disagrees with Rhodes that the South is not trying to reinstate slavery, as there is peonage in three states right now. Roosevelt closes by mentioning how his opponents helped him during the election campaign.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-11-29
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 1st Term (September 1901-February 1905)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
6
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Ford Rhodes. [November 29, 1904]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o190235. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Ford Rhodes. [29 Nov. 1904]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 6, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o190235.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1904, November 29]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Ford Rhodes.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o190235.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 6, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
