Your TR Source
President Roosevelt shares with Lyman Abbott how frustrated he is with the Democratic senators who are holding up the treaties, especially Senator Augustus Octavius Bacon.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-28
President Roosevelt tells Lyman Abbott he found Bishop Robert Strange’s letter interesting, albeit in a melancholic way. He takes issue with Strange’s comment that ‘the Republicans take the negro and hammer us back into a solid mass,’ and wants to know which of his actions could be interpreted as establishing “Negro domination,” “miscegenation,” or “social equality of the races.” Roosevelt states people in the South typically have no issues with his policies in their area, but only speak vaguely of issues in other districts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-06
President Roosevelt tells Lyman Abbott that his editorial was beneficial, showing him newspaper clippings from Mississippi as evidence. Additionally, Roosevelt wishes that Abbott could have heard some Missourians discuss the Missouri senatorial situation, as it would have helped him understand why Roosevelt did not interfere in Delaware. Roosevelt asks Abbott to tell the “gentleman whose letter you showed me” to visit him Washington, D.C., and says he will be happy to explain the entire situation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-21
President Roosevelt thanks The Outlook for three years of support during his presidency and hopes that he will continue to have the support of the American people during his second term. He intends to continue the policies and attitudes he held during his first term. Roosevelt hopes that Lyman Abbott and his son can visit the following week.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-10
President Roosevelt has sent George B. Cortelyou a letter that he would like Lyman Abbott to see and advise him about. He asks if Abbott will be able to see Cortelyou soon, and says that he should use this telegram to show that Abbott has permission to read the letter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-11-03
President Roosevelt writes to Lyman Abbott, editor of The Outlook, to tell him how much he appreciated some commentary on his presidential campaign that had recently been published. The article accurately stated Roosevelt’s views on a number of positions, and described Roosevelt’s motivations better than he could have done himself. If Roosevelt is victorious in the election, he wants Abbott to come spend a night at the White House.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-29
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Lyman Abbott for the editorial on some of the campaign lies. Roosevelt also writes about his decision to take on the tobacco trust. After much consideration, he came to the decision that he must support the “independent tobacco men.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-10-07
President Roosevelt insists that the southerners who have attacked him cannot deny that he has “elevated the public standard” through his appointments, and that he has appointed fewer colored men than his predecessor.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-26
President Roosevelt informs Dr. Abbott that Edith Roosevelt thoroughly enjoyed seeing the holiday vacation home and feels that it is a worthy charity. She was especially pleased with the dining-room window and told him about it that morning.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-09-01
President Roosevelt will add the phrase that Lyman Abbott has suggested, but is afraid that he will have to put “opponents” in his letter as well to make his points. Roosevelt thanks Abbott for his support and “proper” attitude regarding the Outlook‘s position. Roosevelt believes that William Jennings Bryan would be a more dangerous president than Alton B. Parker, although his campaigns were more honest than Parker’s “trickery.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-23
President Roosevelt tells Dr. Abbott that he might not mention the Fourteenth Amendment. He wants to highlight Alton B. Parker’s hypocritical attitude towards the Fourteenth Amendment and gives southern Democrat Luke E. Wright’s stance as an example of how “colored people should be treated here.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-18
President Roosevelt thanks Dr. Abbott for making clear his point of view. As is often the case when people share a common end while differing over the means, their differences seem to be in terminology more than substance. Roosevelt agrees with Abbott’s policy and is responding to revelations of peonage in Mississippi, working through a district attorney and marshal who are “decent democrats.” Roosevelt has no idea how the election results will turn out, and though he believes he and his principles will triumph, he would not be ungrateful to the American public if he were to lose.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-08
President Roosevelt asks Lyman Abbott what he knows about Thomas Taggart, chosen to run the campaign for Democratic Presidential candidate Alton B. Parker. Roosevelt insists he appointed George B. Cortelyou to run his own campaign to be “handled on a high plane.” Conversely, Roosevelt is critical of Taggart who he believes has “succeeded in politics by his finished ability in purchasing votes” and has questionable ethics when dealing with reporters.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-01
President Roosevelt comments on recent press coverage by Lyman Abbott in The Outlook. Roosevelt acknowledges the article captures his “mental attitude” exactly regarding racial discrimination, black suffrage and equality before the law. He names John Sharp Williams of Mississippi as a prime example of how “whites have suppressed this colored vote so absolutely by force, by fraud, by every species of iniquity.” Roosevelt explains that although the race question was not part of his acceptance speech, if the issue is forced upon him in the upcoming campaign “I shall certainly not hesitate to meet it.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-26
President Roosevelt responds to a recent letter from Lyman Abbott and addresses a number of Abbott’s inquiries. Roosevelt references a book he sent to Abbott, most likely Presidential Addresses and State Papers, and provides specific page numbers regarding tariffs, the Philippines, Panama Canal, and labor. Roosevelt reiterates that his administration is “neither against corporations or labor unions” and concludes that his record is one of fulfilled promises.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-06-23
The post office report was released in condensed form because the Associated Press refused to carry more than ten thousand words. The full report has been printed and will be released when the Chairman of the House Committee authorizes. The release of some testimony has been delayed due to pending prosecutions. Overall, President Roosevelt thanks Lyman Abbott for his treatment of the post office frauds.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12-12
President Roosevelt believes that the enclosed gives a good idea of the best type of officer in the Philippines. Lyman Abbott may publish it if he would like.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-11-18
President Roosevelt wants to keep Senator Hanna and his forces in line with the party but Hanna’s Southern policy and racial views are at odds with Roosevelt’s. With Tammany Hall’s victory in New York, Roosevelt believes that the logical candidate for the Democrats is Grover Cleveland. Roosevelt respects Cleveland but views him as an unconscious ally of Wall Street who can only understand the corporation attitude.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-11-05
President Roosevelt describes to Lyman Abbott a recent meeting with Episcopal bishops and clergy, including two African Americans. The two men were received without incident, and Roosevelt finds it odd that he could have these men in the White House without a problem but inspires controversy for dining with Booker T. Washington or appointing an African American in the South. While President, Roosevelt does not recall ever scolding the South, but he feels it would be worse to “let them think that they were blameless.” He also notes that Senator Arthur P. Gorman of Maryland is campaigning “largely on the race issue,” even distributing a campaign button depicting Roosevelt dining with Washington. Gorman has also denounced Roosevelt as “against the business interests,” which leads Roosevelt to believe that the Rockefellers back Gorman as they do mayoral candidate George B. McClellan in New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-29
President Roosevelt will have Lyman Abbott’s son, Lawrence F. Abbott, meet with Joseph L. Bristow after Bristow’s report is ready.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-14