Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to David Decamp Thompson
Subject(s): African Americans--Government policy, Letters, McDowell, Mary, 1854-1936, Scandals--Political aspects, Storer, B. (Bellamy), 1847-1922, Storer, Maria Longworth, 1849-1932, Thirkield, W. P. (Wilbur Patterson), 1854-1936, Women social reformers
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President Roosevelt sends David Decamp Thompson an autographed copy of his recent message, noting that it was partly plagiarized from a letter between the two men. Roosevelt notes his high opinion of Chicago-based social reformer Mary McDowell, and that he is hoping help her with the bill currently before Congress. The president says he was initially “hot with indignation” that the Storers published his private letters, but later recognized that he “put the proper position of our Government in reference to various religious denominations about as clearly as I well could” and is no longer embarrassed about the matter. Roosevelt asks Thompson and Dr. W. P. Thirkield to come to lunch soon so they can discuss “the Negro question.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1906-12-15
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Thompson, David Decamp, 1852-1908
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
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 David Decamp Thompson. [December 15, 1906]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o197589. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to David Decamp Thompson. [15 Dec. 1906]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. July 31, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o197589.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1906, December 15]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to David Decamp Thompson.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o197589.
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. July 31, 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.
