American Revolution (1775-1783)

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Otto Trevelyan

Theodore Roosevelt tells George Otto Trevelyan that he thought Sir Edward Grey’s speech was fine and lived up to Trevelyan’s hope that it might be worthy of Henry John Temple Palmerston with all Palmerston’s good qualities and just the sense of power Grey should convey as the English spokesman of foreign affairs.

Comments and Context

Roosevelt asks Otto Trevelyan to tell Charles Philips Trevelyan how fascinated he has been with the last Garibaldi volumes, however Otto Trevelyan’s son George Macaulay Trevelyan, is the author of the Garibaldi trilogy published around this time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Letter from D. Edwin Hawley to Theodore Roosevelt

D. Edwin Hawley shares his thoughts with Theodore Roosevelt regarding Roosevelt’s ability to be nominated for President at the Republican National Convention. Hawley has met Roosevelt before, has read everything Roosevelt has written, and has followed Roosevelt’s career from the beginning, so he feels confident in his assessment of Roosevelt’s ability to win the nomination if he remains calm and non-committal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Silas McBee

President Roosevelt shares editor of the Churchman Silas McBee’s interest in and puzzlement over the sermon of Bishop Charles Henry Brent of the Philippines, which he analytically criticizes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-27

Letter from George Otto Trevelyan to Theodore Roosevelt

George Otto Trevelyan writes to President Roosevelt about Panama and the Philippines, drawing parallels with Macaulay’s histories and Ancient Rome. Trevelyan discusses the British diplomatic service and his latest work on the American Revolution. He also describes a recent visit from Charles Francis Adams and his wife, and he muses on what it is like to be old. Trevelyan writes of their shared love of English literature, mentioning Milton, Chaucer, and W. W. Jacobs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Otto Trevelyan

President Roosevelt enjoyed the second part of George Otto Trevelyan’s History of the American Revolution and believes it to be the best account of the Revolution every written. Roosevelt would like to discuss a few points that were raised and invites Trevelyan to the White House.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Otto Trevelyan

President Roosevelt thanks George Otto Trevelyan for the two volumes of the second part of the American Revolution.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-11-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to F. V. Greene

Theodore Roosevelt writes to General F. V. Greene about The History of the Revolution and thinks it looks even better than the galley proof. He congratulates Greene and looks forward to seeing him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-07-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to F. V. Greene

Theodore Roosevelt will see F. V. Greene when he returns. He admires Greene’s enclosures but has two suggestions, which he discusses at length. First, Greene only needs to state that King of Prussia Frederick II’s approbation of George Washington seems to be a myth, as he never showed interest in Washington or the American Struggle. Roosevelt comments on Helmuth Moltke’s opinion of the Civil War and how France could have implemented similar cavalry tactics. His second suggestion is that it is incorrect to say that America’s action in the peace settlement of the Russo-Japanese War did not produce the current hostile relationships with Russia and Japan. He discusses the other factors involved.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George U. Crocker

Theodore Roosevelt responds to George U. Crocker about why he named his doctrine “recall of judicial decisions” and the problems it caused. He then explains that he does not care if the form of recall of decisions applies to voters deciding if Supreme Court interpretations of the Constitution are right or wrong or to voters deciding they want an act to become law regardless of the Constitution. Although, he thinks that deciding ad hoc changes to the Constitution is easier and safer. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-11-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nathaniel C. Reynal

President Roosevelt wishes Nathaniel C. Reynal success in his effort to secure the house in White Plains, New York, that General George Washington used as headquarters during the Revolutionary War in order to turn it over to the Historical Society.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-25

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Otto Trevelyan

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.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Otto Trevelyan

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.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Heriot Clarkson

President Roosevelt thanks Heriot Clarkson for an interesting pamphlet on Revolutionary War officer Francis Marion, and confirms that his great-great-grandfather, Daniel Stewart, served with Marion. Roosevelt directs Clarkson to Joseph Gaston Baillie Bulloch for more information on the Bulloch family.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles William Eliot

President Roosevelt informs President of Harvard Eliot of his plan to send a separate message to Congress regarding the Reed memorial and asks him to send supporting materials to raise a subscription for the widow. Regrettably, he is unable to speak at Harvard next year. In “strict privacy,” he shares of President of Cuba Tomás Estrada Palmas’ request to intervene and in connection, discusses the justification of the Revolutionary War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-13

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ray Stannard Baker

President Roosevelt responds to Ray Stannard Baker’s letter about the proposed maximum rate laws for railroad shipping. While Roosevelt agrees that a minimum rate law may benefit more people, he is unsure if such a law would be upheld by the courts. He stresses the importance of writing a law that will not be overturned in court, even if it cannot meet the demands of the people.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jacob H. Schiff

For the upcoming celebration of the 250th anniversary of the settlement of Jews in the United States, President Roosevelt praises the citizenship of American Jews, and recounts a number of their greatest contributions to the United States to Jacob H. Schiff.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Leon Szopinski

President Roosevelt regrets that he cannot attend the unveiling of the Kosciuszko monument in Chicago, Illinois. He mentions that he helped to secure monuments to Kosciuszko and Pulaski in Washington, D.C., and he believes they are historical figures worthy of great admiration and respect. Roosevelt notes the important contributions that people of different ethnicities have made to American history.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Theodore Roosevelt

President Roosevelt informs his son Ted that he recently went on a ride with his mother, Edith Roosevelt, beyond Sligo Creek where they enjoyed the beautiful scenery. On Saturday, the Roosevelts attended the wedding of Theodore Douglas Robinson and Helen Rebecca Roosevelt. On the following day, they visited Attorney General Knox at Valley Forge where the President gave an impromptu speech in support of efforts to build a memorial to George Washington.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-21

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Brander Matthews

President Roosevelt sends Brander Matthews an excerpt of a letter that Edith Wharton sent Henry Cabot Lodge. The excerpt focuses on Wharton discussing George Otto Trevelyan’s history of the American Revolution with a soldier who participated in the South African War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Rainey Harper

President Roosevelt greets the German scholars visiting the University of Chicago and acknowledges the United States’ debt to German immigrants who fought in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Roosevelt praises “German ideals and German science” for their influence on methods of research and investigation in American universities and is gratified to see the strong friendship between German and American scholars.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-18