Your TR Source

Oliver, Frederick Scott, 1864-1934

9 Results

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

Theodore Roosevelt has heard that Frederick Scott Oliver is the real author of one of the plans for reforming the House of Lords. He would like Oliver to send a copy and information of the proposed plan to The Outlook. Roosevelt is currently trying to get “a proper mixture” of Alexander Hamitlon’s and Thomas Jefferson’s principles into the modern political movement, but progressives are resistant to it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-08

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

Theodore Roosevelt has not received copies of Frederick Scott Oliver’s book yet, but he believes he will be in agreement with it. He bemoans the inaction of President Woodrow Wilson in response to Germany’s invasion of Belgium. He comments on the movement for universal disarmament and a League of Peace, which he believes wrong-headed and ineffective.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-06-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

Theodore Roosevelt compliments Frederick Scott Oliver’s book, Alexander Hamilton. If the United States enters the war, Roosevelt hopes to raise a cavalry regiment similar to the Rough Riders and serve with his four sons. He argues that Great Britain would probably not have entered the war if Germany had respected Belgian neutrality and is distressed at his own country’s failures to defend international rights. Roosevelt has been annoyed at the activity of pacifists. English pacifists should be concerned about defeating Germany and American pacifists should be demanding that the United States follow through on the country’s international obligations. Pacifists are “playing Germany’s game” by demanding peace without regard to the terms of peace. Roosevelt believes a nation must be strong to preserve friendships and respect. He would like the United States and Great Britain to have a “peculiarly close degree of friendship.” Roosevelt is currently out of sympathy with the American public and commands little support.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-07-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

It is difficult to “chasten” your own side during a crisis as it will lead to accusations of assisting the enemy. Theodore Roosevelt has had to speak unpleasantly about his countrymen and much of what Frederick Scott Oliver has been writing about the British also applies to Americans. Roosevelt has been distressed by the reaction of American intellectuals and disgusted by the pacifists calling for international leagues but not standing up for Belgium. He wants the United States to keep its promises and international obligations. Roosevelt wishes there was a better candidate to run against President Wilson. There has been a movement to nominate him but as a pioneer against Wilson his current reputation is too “battered and splattered.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-04-07

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver

President Roosevelt enjoyed reading Frederick Scott Oliver’s book on Alexander Hamilton, and sends him some of his related thoughts. Roosevelt greatly prefers Hamilton to Thomas Jefferson, and feels that Jefferson largely did harm to the United States, although he acknowledges that there were several points on which Jefferson was better than Hamilton. Roosevelt remarks on Oliver’s statement that he lacks direct familiarity with American politics, and invites him to visit the United States and come to the White House.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-09

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919