Anti-Catholicism

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Paul F. Dehnel

Theodore Roosevelt writes a private letter to Paul F. Dehnel. He responds to allegations that members of the Catholic hierarchy prevented Roosevelt from receiving the Republican nomination by supporting either William H. Taft or Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt asserts his support for religious freedom for all American citizens, relaying positive experiences with people from all religions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-07-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Miss Stevenson

Theodore Roosevelt responds to Miss Stevenson’s letter by defending his stance on religion. Stevenson expects Roosevelt to disparage Catholicism because Pope Pius X prevented him from meeting with the Methodist church in Rome. In the second part of the letter, Roosevelt does not approve of the suffrage movement, and he has “nothing but contemptuous dislike with many of the so-called leaders of the suffrage movement.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Roscoe Thayer

Theodore Roosevelt tells William Roscoe Thayer that he looks forward to receiving the book. Roosevelt discusses ultramontane attacks on schools and fundamental liberties, the American Protective Association (A.P.A.), cowardly newspapers, and his position on the tariff.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-01-31

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John B. Worrall

President Roosevelt writes to John B. Worrall to defend his decision to meet with Cardinal Francesco Satolli at the White House, saying that as President of the United States, he does not discriminate against any religious sect.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas E. Watson

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas E. Watson

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt C. P. Connolly

Theodore Roosevelt responds to C. P. Connolly’s letter, stating that they “are more interested in religion than in theology,” and that it makes Roosevelt angry that people might be against Connolly simply because he is Catholic. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-12-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Theodore Roosevelt

President Roosevelt writes his son, Ted, about a variety of matters. He discusses the trouble that Emperor William II of Germany is in with both conservatives and socialists. Last year, he gave a damaging interview to American journalist William Bayard Hale, which Roosevelt intervened to prevent the New York Times from publishing. A portion was published in Century and suppressed by the Germans. Roosevelt reflects on the current state of the liberal and democratic movement, and believes that the situation is not as dire as in the French Revolution, or in 1840s America. He also explains his lukewarm support of women’s suffrage. Finally, Roosevelt offers his son advice on working with the people around him when it is natural, but not pursuing relationships that are merely social in nature.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt encloses a letter from the Acting Secretary of the Treasury Horace Adolphus Taylor which shows that Robert B. Armstrong was right about a decision having precedent. Roosevelt has written the Treasury Department asking them to reverse their action. Roosevelt regrets William H. Moody was not appointed Senator after John L. Bates left his seat, although Winthrop Murray Crane is also a good choice. Moody updated Roosevelt on his stump work, where Indiana feels confident and New York has seen an upturn. He describes the Democratic campaign as “pure slander.” Roosevelt hopes Lodge will be nice to Father John C. York, an Oyster Bay area Catholic priest, next time he comes to New York, as York thinks Lodge is anti-Catholic.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-15

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Marie M. Stevenson to Theodore Roosevelt

Marie M. Stevenson responds to Theodore Roosevelt’s views on Catholicism, Protestantism, and Rome. She likewise counters his claims on women’s suffrage, admitting that she had not read up on his perspective prior to his previous letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-29

Creator(s)

Stevenson, Marie M.

Letter from Michael J. Riordan to Theodore Roosevelt

Michael J. Riordan appreciates Theodore Roosevelt’s interest in “progressive Christianity,” and suggests that he use his influence to encourage the Young Men’s Christian Association to allow Catholics to hold directorships. He references Nevada senator Patrick L. Flanigan’s recent act of charity toward the organization, which he did even though as a Catholic he is unable to join.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-11

Creator(s)

Riordan, Michael J. (Michael James), 1865-1930

Letter from Samuel H. Sole to Theodore Roosevelt

Reverend Sole thanks President Roosevelt for his unexpected graciousness when Father Ketcham introduced them last October. He requests permission to repeat Roosevelt’s words from their meeting, and summarizes the points Roosevelt made about the treatment of Catholics. He was particularly heartened by Roosevelt’s antagonism towards the anti-Catholic American Protective Society. Sole assures Roosevelt that in the future, Catholics will be grateful for his policy decisions on “Catholic rights” issues.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-04

Creator(s)

Sole, Samuel H. (Samuel Heydon), 1846-1920

Letter from Melville Elijah Stone to Theodore Roosevelt

Melville Elijah Stone apologizes to President Roosevelt for the error in transmitting William Loeb’s statement and assures him that he will deal with the person responsible, Elijah Prentiss Bailey. Stone wants to correct the situation in a way that will not further damage Roosevelt’s reputation, and awaits advice from him before acting.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-04

Creator(s)

Stone, Melville Elijah, 1848-1929

Letter from J. J. Harty to Alexander Patrick Doyle

Catholic Archbishop of Manila Harty urges Father Doyle to intercede with President Roosevelt to have Father Hall appointed a chaplain for the Catholic soldiers in the Philippines. Harty explains why he has felt it necessary to write a series of articles for the Catholic press about a history of the Philippines written by David P. Barrows, superintendent of education in the islands. Harty and other bishops believe the Bureau of Education is opposed to the Catholic Church, and he wants Catholics to understand Barrows’s bias.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-01

Creator(s)

Harty, J. J. (Jeremiah James), 1853-1927

Letter from C. C. McCabe to Theodore Roosevelt

C. C. McCabe believes that Catholics are untrustworthy. McCabe thinks the President should defy the Pope and that the country will support him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-22

Creator(s)

McCabe, C. C. (Charles Cardwell), 1836-1906

Letter from A. J. S. Bourdeau to Theodore Roosevelt

A. J. S. Bourdeau, on behalf of Protestant Magazine, sends Theodore Roosevelt bound copies of Protestant Magazine. Bourdeau puts forth that the magazine aims to deal only with principles not individuals, and the work additionally aims to promote “primitive Christianity.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-20

Creator(s)

Bourdeau, A. J. S. (Augustine Saxby), 1875-1915

Record of Romanism

Daniel H. Reese criticizes the Catholic Church and the changing of its doctrine throughout history.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-31

Creator(s)

Reese, Daniel H. (Daniel Harrison), 1840-1925

Declined with thanks

Pope Leo XIII holds out his robe labeled “Catholicism” and bows to Columbia who politely returns the bow and declines the offer to shelter under his robe. Behind Leo XIII is “St. Peters” at the “Vatican” and behind Columbia are buildings labeled “Public School” and “School.” Caption: His Holiness–Dear Miss Columbia, won’t you come under my robe? – you’ll be so much more comfortable! – for further particulars, see my late encyclical. / Miss Columbia–Much obliged, Pop; but I’m doing very well as I am!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1895-02-13

Creator(s)

Pughe, J. S. (John S.), 1870-1909

Darn ye both!

Uncle Sam knocks the heads of two men together, a masked man on the left holding papers labeled “A.P.A. Un-American Intolerance” and, on the right, a member of the clergy holding papers labeled “Greed for Public School Funds.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-11-07

Creator(s)

Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956

A picture without words

A series of images starts in the upper left, with a kitten labeled “Romish Influence” drinking from a saucer labeled “Toleration,” and a young boy holding a book labeled “Public School System,” standing with Liberty. As the images progress across the top, the kitten grows into a young tiger, until on the bottom left, it becomes a frightening tiger sitting on a table. In the final vignette, it has grown to full size, wearing clerical robes labeled “Romish Influence” and now stands over both the boy and Liberty, with a paw on each of them. Caption: Reprinted from Puck of January 16th, 1884. – Puck finds no stronger comment on the renewal of Catholic agitation for a share of the Public School Funds.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-01-03

Creator(s)

Graetz, F. (Friedrich), approximately 1840-approximately 1913