Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Yogoro Matsumoto
Subject(s): Bushido, Etiquette, Gifts, International relations, Japan, Rōnin, Swords, Thank-you notes
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President Roosevelt heartily thanks Yogoro Matsumoto for gifting him a sword by the famous sword-maker Munemitsu of Jakushu. He accepts it under the “Bushido” philosophy wherein, “the sword must never be drawn save with justice and never sheathed save with honor.” Roosevelt expresses his interest in the history of Japan, and feels that “the great civilized nations of the world can each teach and each can learn from the others.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-01-16
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
2
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 Yogoro Matsumoto. [January 16, 1905]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o190822. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Yogoro Matsumoto. [16 Jan. 1905]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 16, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o190822.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1905, January 16]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Yogoro Matsumoto.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o190822.
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. January 16, 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.
