Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt
Subject(s): Adee, Alvey A. (Alvey Augustus), 1842-1924, Authors, English, Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870, International relations, Letters, Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924, Pardo y Barreda, José, Peru, Presidents--Press coverage, Presidents--Public opinion, Root, Elihu, 1845-1937
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President Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit about the Peruvian telegram scandal. A telegram with Roosevelt’s name was written by Assistant Secretary of State Adee and included the phrase “me and my people.” Secretary of State Root did not catch it and the media deemed the phrase evidence of Roosevelt’s megalomaniac tendencies. Roosevelt decided no one was to sign his name but himself from now on. Roosevelt closes the letter with a passage from Charles Dickens that Henry Cabot Lodge gave him.
Collection
Creation Date
1908-03-04
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Harvard College Library
Page Count
2
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
Electronic copy sponsored by the Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University. For reproduction or publication permission, contact the Theodore Roosevelt Collection, Houghton Library. See the Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library Terms of Use for further copyright information.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt. [March 4, 1908]. Harvard College Library.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o281039. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt. [4 Mar. 1908]. Multi-image.
Harvard College Library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 29, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o281039.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1908, March 4]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt.
Harvard College Library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o281039.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Harvard College Library. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/harvard-college-library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Harvard College Library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 29, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/harvard-college-library.
APA:
Harvard College Library. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/harvard-college-library.
