Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt writes an account of his trip from Khartoum to London for the eyes of George Trevelyan and his family only. He discusses his interactions with various royalty and foreign diplomats.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-01
Theodore Roosevelt attempts to write Sir George Otto a “journal letter” of his European trip as Otto suggested but gives up because Roosevelt finds it difficult to relate the experiences without “continually talking about [himself].” Roosevelt is instead more interested in Otto and England.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-24
Theodore Roosevelt thanks George Otto Trevelyan for his kind words. Roosevelt does not think of himself as a hero, but rather as a decent American citizen trying to do the right thing. Roosevelt considers what happened to the battalion in Dardanelles to be a “dreadful tragedy.” He is glad Trevelyan liked his article on reading and tells him he recently lunched with his son.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-05-29
Theodore Roosevelt asks George Otto Trevelyan if he has read his book America and the World War. Roosevelt wishes there was more he could have done than express his views.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-02-06
President Roosevelt sends George Otto Trevelyan a copy of his message to Congress, and speaks of some of the accomplishments of his administration in improving the financial situation of the United States government. Roosevelt would be pleased to visit Trevelyan when he comes to England. He heartily approves of Trevelyan’s speech, and has shared it with Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and Anna Cabot Mills Lodge. Roosevelt discusses his preferences for translations of classical works, and finds himself in agreement with Trevelyan in many respects. He relates a story of a recent encounter he had with Simon Bolivar Buckner at the White House, and closes by mentioning a number of other men who were named after famous historical personages.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-01
President Roosevelt encloses a copy of a letter that he believes George Otto Trevelyan will be interested in. President-elect Taft was attacked during the campaign for being a Unitarian, and also because it was believed he was too favorable to Catholics.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-09
President Roosevelt reflects to his friend George Otto Trevelyan on the result of his election, his presidency, and his feelings on leaving office. He feels good about his accomplishments in office and is confident about leaving William H. Taft as his successor. Although he enjoyed, as always, the new edition of Trevelyan’s Life of Macaulay, he takes exception to Trevelyan including a quote from Archibald Philip Primrose Rosebery which called Macaulay’s marginalia “sublime.” Finally, Roosevelt discusses the reading habits of his sons, Ted and Kermit.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-06
President Roosevelt writes to George Otto Trevelyan, reflecting on his time as President and his decision to not seek reelection. Roosevelt admits that there are arguments for him to run for another term as president, but believes that the arguments against are stronger. Roosevelt is proud that while in the presidency he has fully used the powers available to him and acted as a strong central executive, and is gratified by the love that the population has for him. Once he leaves the presidency, Roosevelt plans to go on safari in Africa. He would like to visit England and see his friends there if he could do so as a private citizen without being forced to attend to diplomatic affairs, but if this is not possible he might just return to the United States.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-06-19
President Roosevelt is looking forward to reading George Otto Trevelyan’s next book. He is familiar with King’s Mountain, a battle Trevelyan has written about, and admires the way he wrote about it. He is also impressed with Trevelyan’s writing about Benedict Arnold, and compares his Rough Riders to fighters in the American Revolution. Roosevelt says he will refrain from writing Trevelyan about his troubles, but notes that it is difficult to “keep together men who are equally bent on reform and resolute not to go into anything vindictive or visionary.” In a handwritten postscript, he says that this morning he shook hands with 6,000 people, before going riding with his children and their cousins.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-01
President Roosevelt agrees with British author George Otto Trevelyan’s assertion that it would be “impossible” to imagine a book more interesting than Guglielmo Ferrero’s tome on the Roman Empire, and that he quoted it in a recent speech. Roosevelt tells Trevelyan to expect a gift from Secretary of State Elihu Root, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, and the president himself. Roosevelt has recently reread Trevelyan’s book, and reports that Postmaster General George von Lengerke Meyer is enjoying it as much as Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-12-09
President Roosevelt finished George Otto Trevelyan’s recent volume on the American Revolution, and sincerely praises it as “one of the few histories which can deservedly be called great.” Although biased, Roosevelt places the American Revolution among the great historical events. Trevelyan treats it well, and Roosevelt compares him to other authors of military history. He especially appreciates the justice Trevelyan gives Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, as he believes in giving men credit regardless of their allegiance. Roosevelt rejoices in interesting books like Trevelyan’s, particularly when he has much to worry about. He will send a volume of his speeches.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-11
President Roosevelt tells George Otto Trevelyan that he will read the new volume “as eagerly as any girl ever lookt forward to reading the last volume of a favorite novel” and will write again once he is done.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-26
President Roosevelt has enjoyed the book about Giuseppe Garibaldi that George Otto Trevelyan sent, especially as he was able to read it in connection with Pierre de La Gorce’s book on the history of the French Republic. Roosevelt says that since he has been at Sagamore Hill, he has been able to forget about all the stresses of office and go riding with his wife, Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt. Roosevelt invites Trevelyan or his son, author George Macaulay Trevelyan, to visit at the White House.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-20
President Roosevelt admires how George Otto Trevelyan handled matters with Jamaica Governor James A. Swettenham. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt gifted Roosevelt a volume of Rennell Rodd’s histography, with the Frankish occupation of Greece being of particular interest to him. While he admires the “American money-maker” that contributes to the betterment of all society, he cannot say the same of a wealthy man who has made that money with little to no moral compass.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-04-10
President Roosevelt confides to Sir George Otto Trevelyan the contents of several letters and reports regarding the diplomatic aftermath of the earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica. Trouble has arisen after Governor of Jamaica James Alexander Swettenham asked Rear-Admiral C. H. Davis to remove the marines he had ordered to assist with the relief effort. Roosevelt compares Swettenham to American diplomates Herbert Wolcott Bowen, B. Storer, and Maria Longworth Storer who had caused him trouble in the past.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-04
President Roosevelt describes his trip to Panama and Puerto Rico. He comments on the uniqueness of Panama and the canal project. He praises William Crawford Gorgas’s work regarding the health of the Americans working on the canal. Black workers from Jamaica have not been as healthy, and Roosevelt feels as though they may need to get Chinese laborers as Jamaican Governor James Alexander Swettenham has been disagreeable to work with. He describes the trip and some reading he has done, saying about John Milton, “What a radical republican, and what a stanch partisan, and what an intense protestant the fine old fellow was!” He plans to read more Greek and Roman literature.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-11-23
President Roosevelt sends his sympathy to George Otto Trevelyan upon the death of his sister, Viscountess Margaret Jean Trevelyan Knutsford. He thanks him for clarifying why many Englishmen distrust former Prime Minister James Arthur Balfour and discusses corruption and military armament. The foreign affairs regarding Newfoundland fishery regulations and civil unrest in Cuba prove frustrating. Roosevelt shares these frustrations with Trevelyan for “the fact that I have to blow off steam.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-09
President Roosevelt remarks that the recent sessions of the national legislatures of the United States, Great Britain, and France have all been very interesting. Roosevelt comments particularly on a speech by Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau of France. Looking at his own career, Roosevelt expects “the swinging of the pendulum” to occur soon, as he has been president for five years already. While there may be increasing resistance from Congress, however, he believes the past five years have been extremely productive and is proud of what he has accomplished. Roosevelt is interested in the proceedings of the upcoming Hague conference, and tells George Otto Trevelyan that there is a narrow path to walk between reducing armaments among European nations, and in going too far and “having the free peoples rendered helpless in the faces of the various military despotism and barbarisms of the world.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-18
President Roosevelt asks George Otto Trevelyan to send the copy of Soapy Sponge as suggested. He also discusses the literary tastes of John F. Stevens, the chief engineer of the Panama Canal. Roosevelt is currently having a “rough-and-tumble time” passing legislation through Congress, and says that being able to read is a great comfort to him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-22
President Roosevelt complains to George Otto Trevelyan about the “amount of utterly worthless written matter published in America.” He sends Trevelyan a few American books that he thinks are good which were published during the last year. Roosevelt also tells Trevelyan about his recent trip through the South, where he was received with enthusiasm.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-08