Brown, John, 1800-1859

Theodore Roosevelt makes the case for a “New Nationalism” in a speech at Osawatomie, Kansas, on August 31, 1910. Roosevelt invokes and quotes Abraham Lincoln frequently in his speech which is peppered with references to the Civil War and the veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic. Roosevelt calls for greater federal government supervision of corporations, and he repeatedly rails against the power of special interests which he argues should be subordinated to the national interest. Roosevelt argues in favor of wealth and inheritance taxes, and he admits that his stances will get him labeled as a Communist or revolutionary. He briefly addresses the topics of international relations, conservation, and policies to help farmers. Roosevelt concludes his address by asserting that good laws and good administration of the laws will be of little value if people do not cultivate traits of character. 

 

William N. Tilchin provides an introduction to Roosevelt’s speech, and a poster promoting the speech, a photograph of Roosevelt giving his address, and a political cartoon supplement the text.

Theodore Roosevelt discusses Charles Dwight Willard’s editorial and asks Tracy C. Becker to bring Willard to meet Roosevelt on the train in Los Angeles, California.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-13

Former President Roosevelt voices his opinions of John Brown to Dr. Lyman Draper, feeling that Brown was a martyr for the north and although his invasion of Virginia was an act of criminal folly, it ended up having a very high value to humanity.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1910-12-28

President Roosevelt thanks Outlook publisher Lawrence F. Abbott for the letter, and reiterates that in working to produce reform and reduce the size of the largest fortunes, he wants to set out explicit steps and avoid vague language. He also wants to make sure that it is clear that he does not encourage “what is wicked among the labor people,” referencing “the hundreds of murders perpetrated under the foulest and most infamous circumstances by the members of the Western Federation of Miners,” which he considers Big Bill Haywood and Charles H. Moyer guilty of. While it is possible to go too far in the enforcement of order, Roosevelt considers it worse to encourage crime.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-28

Luke F. Parsons passes along a plea for assistance to Theodore Roosevelt from Lizzie Leeman Brandt. Brandt is the sister of William H. Leeman–one of the men who died at Harpers Landing with John Brown, prior to the Civil War–and has no way to support herself in her old age. A recent speech that Roosevelt delivered gave her hope that he may be able to provide her with assistance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-07-06

Chronology of the daily life of Theodore Roosevelt from October 1858 to December 1870. Notable events include the Roosevelt family’s involvement in the American Civil War, Theodore Roosevelt meeting John Hay as a child, and the Roosevelt family’s first European trip.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association

Creation Date

1985

Theodore Roosevelt makes the case for a “New Nationalism” in a speech at Osawatomie, Kansas, on August 31, 1910. Roosevelt invokes and quotes Abraham Lincoln frequently in his speech which is peppered with references to the Civil War and the veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic. Roosevelt calls for greater federal government supervision of corporations, and he repeatedly rails against the power of special interests which he argues should be subordinated to the national interest. Roosevelt argues in favor of wealth and inheritance taxes, and he admits that his stances will get him labeled as a Communist or revolutionary. He briefly addresses the topics of international relations, conservation, and policies to help farmers. Roosevelt concludes his address by asserting that good laws and good administration of the laws will be of little value if people do not cultivate traits of character. 

 

William N. Tilchin introduces Roosevelt’s speech with an editor’s note indicating that President Barack Obama gave a speech at Osawatomie in December 2011 in which he compared his policies with those of Roosevelt. 

 

Using Biblical parallels, George U. Young discusses the experiment of democratic government as a progressive expression of the minorities’ desires. He especially highlights the importance of having leaders who endeavor to stay on paths of “virtue and manliness.” He believes the Arizona Constitution is the most prominent expression of this experiment.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-14

Celia Baldwin Whitehead critiques a recent speech by Theodore Roosevelt dedicating a park to the memory of John Brown. Roosevelt’s speech, while dedicating a park to Brown, does not mention him much, which Whitehead reflects on. She further compares Roosevelt’s handling of trusts and special interests to be similar to that of Abraham Lincoln handling the problem of slavery, and muses that, just as Lincoln ultimately came to the conclusion that the only way to control slavery was to kill it, whether Roosevelt will come to the conclusion that the only way to control trusts will be for the government to own them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-24

Sheet music for “Three More John Browns” written by William Cosgrove. The lyrics compare the activities of labor movements with John Brown’s actions against slavery. A portion of the proceeds will go to support the wives of Big Bill Haywood, George A. Pettibone, and Charles H. Moyer.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907

This article discusses the case of Admiral Winfield Scott Schley, which is troubling many Americans, and which the author believes President Roosevelt will see is righted.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-18

James Sullivan Clarkson encourages and advises President Roosevelt on the treatment of African Americans in the South. He describes his experiences with the Underground Railroad and his efforts in the Post Office Department to further the cause of African Americans.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-11-15