Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to United States Department of State
Subject(s): China, Cixi, Empress dowager of China, 1835-1908, Death and burial of a person, Government etiquette, Guangxu, Emperor of China, 1871-1908, International relations, Sin, Speeches, addresses, etc.
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President Roosevelt chastises the United States Department of State about several matters that he wishes them to pay more careful attention to in the future. Roosevelt firmly believes that the president should only be addressed as “Mr. President” or “The President,” and that titles such as “Excellency” are foolish and should not be used. He would like an explanation of the steps being taken to prevent this title’s future use by foreign ambassadors. Roosevelt also criticizes the speech and telegram that had been written for him to deliver to China on the occasion of the deaths of Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi. Normal diplomatic letters frequently strike Roosevelt as fatuous, but in circumstances such as these an effort should be made to craft a sincere message.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-12-02
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
United States. Department of State.
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
4
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 United States Department of State. [December 2, 1908]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o205512. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to United States Department of State. [2 Dec. 1908]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 9, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o205512.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, December 2]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to United States Department of State.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o205512.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. 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. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 9, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
