Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Mark Sullivan

Subject(s): Abbott, Ira A. (Ira Anson), 1845-1921, Alabama, Alaska, Anderson, Albert B. (Albert Barnes), 1857-1938, Arizona, Atkinson, Geo. W. (George Wesley), 1845-1925, Baker, Francis E. (Francis Elisha), 1860-1924, Barney, Samuel S. (Samuel Stebbins), 1846-1919, Bethea, Solomon Hicks, 1852-1909, Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921, Booth, Fenton W. (Fenton Whitlock), 1869-1947, Burns, Waller Thomas, 1858-1917, California, Character, Chatfield, Thomas I. (Thomas Ives), 1871-1922, Clabaugh, Harry M. (Harry Morris), 1856-1914, Clay, Henry, 1777-1852, Cleveland, Grover, 1837-1908, Colorado, Connecticut, Cross, Joseph, 1843-1913, Day, William R. (William Rufus), 1849-1923, Dayton, Alston Gordon, 1857-1920, Democratic Party (U.S.), Dodge, Frederic, 1847-1927, Dyer, David P. (David Patterson), 1838-1924, Ewing, Nathaniel, 1848-1914, Farrington, Edward S., Finkelnburg, G. A. (Gustavus Adolphus), 1837-1908, Fox, John, Jr., 1862-1919, Hale, Clarence, 1848-1934, Harvard University, Heney, Francis J. (Francis Joseph), 1859-1937, Holland, James B. (James Buchanan), 1857-1914, Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr., 1841-1935, Holt, George C. (George Chandler), 1843-1931, Hough, Charles M. (Charles Merrill), 1858-1927, Hundley, Oscar R. (Oscar Richard), 1855-1921, Hunt, William Henry, 1857-1949, Illinois, Indiana, Jones, Thomas Goode, 1844-1914, Judges--Selection and appointment, Kansas, Kent, Edward, 1802-1877, Kent, Edward, 1862-1916, Knappen, Loyal E. (Loyal Edwin), 1854-1930, Knox, Philander C. (Philander Chase), 1853-1921, Kohlsaat, Christian C., 1844-1918, Landis, Charles B. (Charles Beary), 1858-1922, Landis, Frederick, 1872-1934, Landis, Kenesaw Mountain, 1866-1944, Lanning, William M. (William Mershon), 1849-1912, Lewis, Robert E., 1857-1941, Louisiana, Maine, Martin, James L. (James Loren), 1846-1915, Massachusetts, McCall, John E. (John Ethridge), 1859-1920, McDowell, Henry C. (Henry Clay), 1861-1933, McFie, John R., Metcalf, Victor Howard, 1853-1936, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Missouri--Pike County, Montana, Moody, William H. (William Henry), 1853-1917, Morris, Page, 1853-1924, Munger, Thomas C. (Thomas Charles), 1861-1941, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York (State), Niles, Henry C. (Henry Clay), 1850-1918, Ohio, Oregon, Party affiliation, Peelle, Stanton J. (Stanton Judkins), 1843-1928, Pennsylvania, Platt, James P. (James Perry), 1851-1913, Platt, Orville Hitchcock, 1827-1905, Pollock, John C., 1857-1937, Puerto Rico, Quarles, Joseph Very, 1843-1911, Ray, George W. (George Washington), 1844-1925, Reed, Henry T. (Henry Thomas), 1846-1924, Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ), Richards, John K. (John Kelvey), 1856-1909, Root, Elihu, 1845-1937, Sanborn, Arthur L. (Arthur Loomis), 1850-1920, Sater, John E. (John Elbert), 1854-1937, Saunders, E. D. (Eugene Davis), 1853-1914, Shepard, Seth, 1847-1917, Spooner, John C. (John Coit), 1843-1919, Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930, Tayler, Robert W. (Robert Walker), 1852-1910, Tennessee, Texas, Townsend, William K. (William Kneeland), 1849-1907, United States. Congress. Senate, United States. Court of Claims, United States. Department of Justice, United States. Dept. of Justice, United States. Supreme Court, Van Devanter, Willis, 1859-1941, Van Fleet, William C. (William Cary), 1852-1923, Vermont, Virginia, Virginia--Big Stone Gap, Washington (D.C.), Washington (State), West Virginia, White, Edward Douglass, 1845-1921, Whitson, Edward, 1852-1910, Wisconsin, Wolverton, Charles E. (Charles Edwin), 1851-1926, Wright, Francis Marion, 1844-1917

President Roosevelt describes to Mark Sullivan the considerations that have gone into his selections for federal judgeships. Roosevelt reviews his appointments in detail, noting that some were made at the request of the local organization and some against their wishes. The goal in each case was to appoint someone “of the high character, the good sense, the trained legal ability, and the necessary broad-mindedness of spirit…essential to a good judge.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Recipient

Sullivan, Mark, 1874-1952

Language

English

Period

U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)

Repository

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Page Count

8

Production Method

Mixed

Record Type

Multi-image

Resource Type

Letter

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 Mark Sullivan. [May 13, 1907]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o199363. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.

MLA:

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Mark Sullivan. [13 May. 1907]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 30, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o199363.

APA:

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1907, May 13]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Mark Sullivan.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o199363.

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.