Speech of the President at Asheville, North Carolina
Subject(s): American Civil War (1861-1865), American Revolution (1775-1783), Arnold, Benedict, 1741-1801, Battlefield monuments, Boynton, Henry V. (Henry Van), 1835-1905, Citizenship--Moral and ethical aspects, Common sense, Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis, Marquis, 1738-1805, Courage, Georgia--Chickamauga Battlefield, Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885, Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786, Gudger, J. M. (James Madison), 1855-1920, Honesty, Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870, Marion, Francis, 1732-1795, McDowell, Samuel, 1735-1817, North Carolina--Asheville, Presidents--Travel, Regionalism, Rifles, Roosevelt, Martha Bulloch, 1835-1884, South Carolina--Cowpens National Battlefield, South Carolina--Kings Mountain National Military Park, Staffs (Sticks, canes, etc.), Tarleton, Lieutenant-General (Banastre), 1754-1833, Tennessee--Chattanooga, United States--Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, United States. National Guard Bureau, Vance, Zebulon Baird, 1830-1894, Washington, George, 1732-1799, Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796, Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906
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President Roosevelt reminds the crowd in Asheville, North Carolina, of the state’s connection to American history. He mentions his recent visits to the battlegrounds at Chickamauga and Chattanooga and says no citizen can visit them without becoming a better American. He discusses his multi-state journey, saying it is a good thing for a president to travel so he can see that sectional and class differences are trivial. He notes how military arms and tactics may change but the necessary spirit of the good soldier remains the same; so too may laws and constitutions change, but Americans must always possess the qualities of good citizens: honesty, courage, and common sense. He concludes by reminding the crowd that all Americans are part of the government.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1902-09-09
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 1st Term (September 1901-February 1905)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
6
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:
Speech of the President at Asheville, North Carolina. [September 9, 1902]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288816. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Speech of the President at Asheville, North Carolina. [9 Sep. 1902]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 15, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288816.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1902, September 9]. Speech of the President at Asheville, North Carolina.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o288816.
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 15, 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.
