Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Melville Weston Fuller
Subject(s): Art museums, Art--Private collections, Bigelow, William Sturgis, 1850-1926, Charitable bequests, Freer, Charles Lang, 1854-1919, La Farge, John, 1835-1910, Smithsonian Institution
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President Roosevelt encloses a letter in which Charles Lang Freer has offered to bequeath his art collections to the Smithsonian Institution or United States Government, along with $500,000 to construct or secure a building suitable to house the art. Roosevelt suggests having the collection examined by William Sturgis Bigelow or John LaFarge if there are any doubts about its value. Freer makes this offer with certain conditions which Roosevelt believes are reasonable. Roosevelt urges Chief Justice Fuller, who is also the Chancellor of the Smithsonian, to accept the gift on behalf of the nation.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-12-19
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Fuller, Melville Weston, 1833-1910
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
3
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 Melville Weston Fuller. [December 19, 1905]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o193446. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Melville Weston Fuller. [19 Dec. 1905]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 30, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o193446.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1905, December 19]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Melville Weston Fuller.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o193446.
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 30, 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.