Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to McKenzie Cleland
Subject(s): Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925, Corporal punishment, Criminals--Rehabilitation, State rights, States' rights (American politics), United States. Congress
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President Roosevelt appreciates Judge Cleland’s letter and the enclosed paper, but as he has already strongly called it to the attention of Congress, he is not sure what he can do about the matter. Roosevelt notes that in a discussion of criminal reform, procedure does not currently take into account the offender’s family. Roosevelt would support physical punishment for certain types of crime, such as physical abuse. He agrees with Cleland that the matters he discussed could be reached through the Federal government, but that people in favor of states’ rights object.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-10-21
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
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 McKenzie Cleland. [October 21, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o204646. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to McKenzie Cleland. [21 Oct. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 27, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o204646.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, October 21]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to McKenzie Cleland.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o204646.
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 27, 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.
