Watson, Thomas E. (Thomas Edward), 1856-1922

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Recipient

Watson, Thomas E. (Thomas Edward), 1856-1922

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1913-01-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Recipient

Watson, Thomas E. (Thomas Edward), 1856-1922

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1917-07-25

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Recipient

Watson, Thomas E. (Thomas Edward), 1856-1922

President Roosevelt would be pleased to have Mr. Clark write an article such as the one described by Thomas E. Watson, but he cannot be officially involved in it. He would especially like the article to appear in Watson’s magazine, as he tries to “be a President who represents the South just as much as the North, the East or the West.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-12

Theodore Roosevelt invites Thomas E. Watson to Oyster Bay, New York, to discuss their shared Georgian ancestry and view some heirlooms Roosevelt has collected. Roosevelt defends the “countless good Americans who are Catholic” and supports the legality and legitimacy of marriages between people of different religious creeds. He denounces any “general assault on Catholics.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-03-16

Theodore Roosevelt enjoys hearing from Thomas E. Watson, even when they disagree. He would like to visit with him in New York.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-03

Theodore Roosevelt is disappointed that Thomas E. Watson has such “violent feeling” towards Catholics, which he does not believe is compatible with the “real and full belief in our American institutions.” He would consider himself an unworthy citizen if he failed to treat each citizen with “absolute disregard of his creed.” Roosevelt defends religious freedom and will “fight the battle of decency” without regard for a person’s religion or opposition to him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-19

Theodore Roosevelt tells Thomas E. Watson he has no regard for the Wilson administration, but there is nothing more he can do at the present moment. Roosevelt struggles with knowing how to handle himself in terms of his successor.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-10-02

President Roosevelt thanks Thomas E. Watson for the nice letter, and invites him to come visit whenever he can. Roosevelt has taken up the postmastership at Dublin, Georgia, with Postmaster General George von Lengerke Meyer, and will see what he can do.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-03

Thomas E. Watson’s recent letter touches and concerns President Roosevelt. Roosevelt writes that it is of little consequence what happens to any one man, but of very great consequence that the “plain people” are relieved from suffering, without their relief ever being equated with the lessening of our principles. He struggles the most with the currency issue, but is grateful for Watson’s good opinion. Issuing money in a limited amount could achieve the purpose Watson proposes, but it could also lead to people assuming there will be an indefinite issuance of money.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-21

President Roosevelt thanks Thomas E. Watson for the letter and assures Watson he will do everything in his power concerning the Treasury notes. He hopes Watson will visit in December and have lunch with him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-16

President Roosevelt thanks newspaper editor, Thomas E. Watson, for his letter and assures he will not surrender to or have “secret midnight conferences” with anyone. Like Samuel Gompers, J. P. Morgan will openly call at the White House, which is receptive to all for a fair hearing. Roosevelt is unsure of his response to the financial situation and will confer with Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou. He wishes to speak with Watson in-person and asks if he is visiting Washington D.C., soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-12

President Roosevelt has received Thomas E. Watson’s letter and tells him he has always admired Watson’s “championship of the humble.” He will take up the Wilson matter personally in an attempt to fix it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-29

President Roosevelt thanks Thomas E. Watson for his letter of November 30. He informs Watson that he will not be a candidate in the 1908 election, but invites him to Washington for a meeting.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-02

President Roosevelt is astounded by Thomas E. Watson’s letter. There appears to have been some misunderstanding regarding John M. Barnes’s appointment as postmaster of Thomson, Georgia. Roosevelt directed Postmaster General George B. Cortelyou to investigate the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-28

President Roosevelt tells Thomas E. Watson he is unsure what to do about Captain John M. Barnes. The president previously acted on Judge Emory Speer’s positive statements regarding Barnes, but now Roosevelt is not sure how to proceed. He hopes Watson can come and discuss some matters about Georgia with him. While Roosevelt and Watson do not agree on a number of fundamental points, Roosevelt believes Watson to be “fearless, disinterested, and incorruptible.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-30