Spring Rice, Cecil, Sir, 1859-1918 | - Theodore Roosevelt Center

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt has been thinking of Cecil Spring Rice and would like him to visit the White House.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

Theodore Roosevelt expresses his thinking about Cecil Spring Rice and “Lady Springy,” regards success and failure, striving, speaks of “essentials of happiness,” the oncoming election, and his children and wife. This is a typed carbon copy.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1912-08-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt thanks Cecil Spring Rice for his telegram and wishes he were an ambassador in the United States. Roosevelt would like to discuss the “fifty matters” that have come up with Spring Rice, predominantly about affairs in the far East.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt begins his letter to Cecil Spring Rice discussing the presidential election and how Alton B. Parker and the Democratic Party chose to campaign. Roosevelt mentions his plans to send Ambassador to Italy George von Lengerke Meyer to St. Petersburg, and spends the rest of the letter discussing Japan and Russia. The Japanese government treats Americans well, while Russia has treated the United States, England, and Japan poorly. However, Roosevelt believes the Japanese Army groups all white men together and considers such men inferior to themselves, as evidenced by the experience of American military attachés in Japan. The president opines that Russia is the main enemy of Japan, as long as it focuses on China, Korea, and Manchuria. However, if Japan desires to become a maritime power, it could threaten the United States, England, and the Netherlands. Roosevelt concludes his letter by saying, “[W]e must trust in the Lord and keep our powder dry and our eyes open.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt believes Sir Cecil Spring Rice’s informant was misguided regarding the events of the Battle of the Yellow Sea and discusses the actions of the Japanese and Russian fleets.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-02-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt reflects on the combatants and potential outcome of the Russo-Japanese War. He likes the Russians but they have shown “stupendous mendacity” regarding Manchuria and cannot take their proper place until they “gain a measure of civil liberty and self government.” Roosevelt has a higher opinion of the Japanese and is impressed with their rise in becoming a “great civilized nation.” The Japanese have told Roosevelt that their goal is to remove Russia from Manchuria and to turn the territory over to China. However, Roosevelt is also wary of continued Japanese aggression and sees the potential for this aggression to clash with American interests.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt selfishly hopes that Cecil Spring Rice will be stationed at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. If Spring Rice is sent, Roosevelt would like to show him the maps submitted in the Alaska boundary case which show that the Canadians had no case. Events at the Isthmus of Panama have come to a head. The Colombians were corrupt, incompetent, and impossible to deal with.