Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt
Subject(s): Asquith, H. H. (Herbert Henry), 1852-1928, Asquith, Margot, 1864-1945, Auguste Viktoria, Empress, consort of William II, German Emperor, 1858-1921, Birrell, Augustine, 1850-1933, Bond, Robert, 1857-1927, Botha, Louis, 1862-1919, Campbell-Bannerman, Henry, 1836-1908, Campbell-Bannerman, Sarah Charlotte, 1832-1906, Chamberlain, Joseph, 1836-1914, Deakin, Alfred, 1856-1919, Diplomacy, Edward VII, King of Great Britain, 1841-1910, Elgin, Victor Alexander Bruce, Earl of, 1849-1917, England--London, George V, King of Great Britain, 1865-1936, Great Britain. Parliament, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords, Grey of Fallodon, Edward Grey, Viscount, 1862-1933, Haldane, R. B. Haldane (Richard Burdon Haldane), Viscount, 1856-1928, Helena Augusta Victoria, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, 1846-1923, Karl Eduard, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 1884-1954, Laurier, Wilfred, Sir, 1841-1919, Liberal Party (Great Britain), Londonderry, Edith Helen Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of, 1879-1959, Mary, Queen, consort of George V, King of Great Britain, 1867-1953, Newfoundland and Labrador, Parliamentary practice, Politics and literature--British colonies, Redmond, John Edward, 1856-1918, Robinson, Corinne Roosevelt, 1861-1933, Robinson, Douglas, 1855-1918, South Africa--Transvaal, Tennant, Charles, Sir, 1823-1906, Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, Harcourt, 1st Baron Derwent, 1829-1916, Viktoria Adelheid, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 1885-1970
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Ambassador Reid provides President Roosevelt with a variety of pieces of information regarding the status of English politics. Douglas Robinson and Corinne Roosevelt Robinson met with many different members of the royal family. Reid recounts a scandal regarding Prime Minister Campbell-Bannerman, who nine months after his wife died, was engaged to her caretaker. Regardless, Campbell-Bannerman has surprised most in Parliament at his effectiveness as a leader. Reid is disappointed that Robert Bond and the Liberal Party agreed to govern the colony of Newfoundland. The U. S. government is not pleased with this agreement, and many of the other premiers disagree with the Liberal Party’s policy. In particular, Alfred Deakin, the premier of Australia, is an outspoken opponent to this policy. Additionally, many of the colonies want preference in the British markets, and may sacrifice free trade agreements to achieve this status. Next, H. H. Asquith proposed an income tax for Great Britain that will introduce a new, objectionable system of old age pensions. R. B. Haldane proposed a permanent standing army in the British colonies. Augustine Burrill’s proposed Irish Council Bill is becoming unpopular and he does not have many successes as a politician. Overall, the Liberal Party is disappointed by Campbell-Bannerman’s performance.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1907-05-24
Creator(s)
Recipient
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
8
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 Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt. [May 24, 1907]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o56153. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912. Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt. [24 May. 1907]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. February 6, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o56153.
APA:
Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912., [1907, May 24]. Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o56153.
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.
