Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Watson Gilder
Subject(s): Books and reading, Brown, William Garrott, 1868-1913, Etiquette, Howe, Julia Ward, 1819-1910, Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron, 1800-1859, National songs, Trevelyan, George Otto, 1838-1928
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President Roosevelt tells Richard Watson Gilder that he is welcome to show his letter to William Garrott Brown. Roosevelt was “genuinely shocked” to see what Brown wrote. Roosevelt believes that a comment in George Otto Trevelyan’s The Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay applies to people who are trying to “write a national anthem to order.” Roosevelt feels that Julia Ward Howe’s “Battle Hymn of the Republic” would be a fine national anthem. In a handwritten postscript, Roosevelt thanks Gilder for the volume of poems, which arrived as he was signing this letter.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-11-19
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Gilder, Richard Watson, 1844-1909
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 Richard Watson Gilder. [November 19, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o205277. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Watson Gilder. [19 Nov. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 6, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o205277.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, November 19]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Watson Gilder.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o205277.
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 6, 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.
