Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt advises that if outside counsel becomes necessary in New York, Attorney General Philander C. Knox should consider Thomas F. Conway.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-09-28
President Roosevelt wants every effort to be made to secure convictions in the Post Office cases. He considers these cases second only to the Northern Securities case in terms of legal work. Roosevelt would like Attorney General Knox’s personal oversight of these cases, or at least some supervisory care.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-07
Charles J. Bonaparte and Holmes Conrad feel that the District Attorney should have laid the case before the Grand Jury. President Roosevelt would like to discuss the matter with Attorney General Knox and asks that Morgan Beach and Charles Henry Robb be invited to attend if possible.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-10-10
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Bristow, with the assistance of the District Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia, is currently investigating charges connected to the Post Office Department. Due to their other important public duties, his office is finding it difficult to find the time necessary to prosecute these cases. President Roosevelt suggests detailing additional staff from the Department of Justice or hiring special assistants for the Post Office cases.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-06-22
George B. Cortelyou informs Attorney General Knox that, unless there are serious reasons to the contrary, President Roosevelt will accept Senator Matthew Stanley Quay’s recommendation of Judge Joseph Buffington.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-10-13
George B. Cortelyou forwards to Philander C. Knox a letter from Robert Lloyd Smith regarding his desire to be appointed as Chief Clerk of the Marshal’s office in Texas. When a marshal is appointed, President Roosevelt would like the letter brought to his attention.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-03-22
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Secretary of State Knox for seconding the invitation to attend the celebration of Franklin and Marshall College. However, he cannot accept any further engagements.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-20
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Secretary of State Knox for sending his speech. While Knox strongly states the case, Roosevelt thinks it is a mistake to bind the president, senate, or American people by “the decision of any three men.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-11-10
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Philander C. Knox for his touching telegram, and reflects positively on his relationship with Knox and his wife during Roosevelt’s presidency and after. He also updates Knox on Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt’s health after her recent fall.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-06
Theodore Roosevelt introduces Knox C. Philander to Gerrit Forbes, cousin of W. Cameron Forbes, governor of the Philippines. Gerrit Forbes is planning to travel to Africa to conduct ethnological research, with letters of support from Harvard University and the Peabody Museum. Roosevelt hopes Philander can secure a letter from the State Department to help Forbes when he encounters French, Belgian, and English officials.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-29
Theodore Roosevelt introduces Philander C. Knox to Colby Mitchell Chester Jr., the son of Rear Admiral Chester. Chester wishes to speak with Knox about the Galapagos Islands, which Roosevelt hopes will one day be an American colony.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-26
Theodore Roosevelt writes to Philander C. Knox and thanks him for the pistol presented by James Forsham of Ringwood, Victoria, Australia.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-11
Theodore Roosevelt would greatly prefer the park in the Azores not be named after him. However, he will do what Secretary of State Knox thinks is polite and proper.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1910-12-09
Theodore Roosevelt requests a copy of the statement Philander C. Knox made after a decision was made in the case of the Government versus the United States Steel Company. Roosevelt has been unable to acquire the speech through newspapers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-07-08
Theodore Roosevelt suggests Philander C. Knox and his wife visit Oyster Bay in the spring and join them for lunch.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-01-15
Theodore Roosevelt is annoyed that Philander C. Knox was given the trouble of coming to the office because of Richard R. Quay’s telegram. Roosevelt cannot imagine how Quay could have misunderstood him, as Roosevelt told Quay that he planned to motor out to Oyster Bay. Roosevelt invites Knox and his wife to lunch with himself and Mrs. Roosevelt when they are in New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-10-02
President Roosevelt advises Senator Knox, who will be president-elect William H. Taft’s secretary of state, on the importance and fragility of the relationship between the United States and Japan. Roosevelt explains why he believes that there is a real possibility that Japan will declare war on the United States, although this is by no means certain. Currently, many Americans are pursuing ineffectual and offensive strategies in an effort to prevent Japanese immigration to the United States. Roosevelt supports their goal but not their means. In Hawaii, meanwhile, Roosevelt disapproves of sugar planters encouraging large numbers of settlers from China and Japan to come work on their plantations. Roosevelt feels that the settlement of Hawaii by individuals from Southern Europe should be encouraged. His more general policy is threefold. He wants the government to prevent Japanese citizens from settling in America, while treating Japan “so courteously that she will not be offended more than necessary,” and building up the navy as a preventative measure. Although the value of this policy should be self-evident, Americans “are shortsighted and have short memories.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-08
President Roosevelt tells Senator Knox that he waited as long as possible in the case of John Dunbar Pringle, but believes that the nomination should be made.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-05
President Roosevelt asks Senator Knox if he can submit John Dunbar Pringle’s name as a candidate for appraiser of merchandise at Pittsburgh, as he thinks it would be a good thing to do.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-17
President Roosevelt asks Senator Knox whether it would be worth stopping the lies of Joseph Pulitzer about the purchase of the Panama Canal once and for all. Roosevelt has received a full list of the stockholders of the Panama Canal Corporation from William Nelson Cromwell, as well as papers regarding what those companies did in connection to the purchase of the canal. While the scandal has not touched the government, Roosevelt thinks it may be good to make these documents public and explains how Cromwell obtained them.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-10