Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to W. Frank James

Theodore Roosevelt thanks W. Frank James for the speeches and tells him that he is in agreement with his positions. Roosevelt expresses his support for obligatory military service and also for those who wish to volunteer for military service to fill in the gaps before enacting a draft. He compares President Woodrow Wilson leading the country in war to fighting the Civil War under James Buchanan

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1917-06-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Moody

President Roosevelt has been reading the works of former President Thomas Jefferson and concludes that the Constitution is meant to adapt to the country through the decisions of the Supreme Court. As he spends more time with the wealthy, he is convinced of their “entire unfitness” for government. Despite their good intentions, Roosevelt believes that these elites are out of touch with the common people. Roosevelt has a low opinion of Jefferson’s presidency, but notes that he was popular in his time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Gifford Pinchot

Theodore Roosevelt will follow Gifford Pinchot’s suggestion on the letter from Max W. Ball. Roosevelt takes umbrage with Henry Cantwell Wallace’s recommendations on discussing military preparedness in Des Moines, Iowa. He says he will stand behind President Woodrow Wilson “precisely to the degree in which Abraham Lincoln stood behind Polk in the Mexican War…” He will stand behind every public servant to the degree in which they serve the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1918-02-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James D. Phelan

Theodore Roosevelt remembers James D. Phelan and is glad to hear from him. He comments on the “molly-coddling” about peace. Roosevelt thinks true Americans are those like George Washington, Andrew Jackson, and Ulysses S. Grant. He does not want to be a candidate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles Amidon

Theodore Roosevelt writes about the polar extremes in politics using Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, and others as examples.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-12-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hartford Beaumont

Theodore Roosevelt responds to a letter from Hartford Beaumont, an attorney in Manila, expressing his disenchantment with the Wilson administration and its approach to international affairs with the Philippines and Japan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-10-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles McCarthy

Theodore Roosevelt tells Charles McCarthy that he does not believe they can give up the Progressive Party, and joining the Republicans under William Barnes would be folly. Roosevelt believes Woodrow Wilson is the worst president since James Buchanan. He thinks the Progressives of Wisconsin are wrong to find fault with candidate George W. Perkins, whose work on the Palisades Interstate Park Commission was “the best practical experiment on the socialization of government…”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-08-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Clive Phillipps-Wolley

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Clive Phillipps-Wolley for the letter and poem. Roosevelt believes President Woodrow Wilson should have taken action after the invasion of Belgium. If there is war, Roosevelt intends to raise a division and serve with his four sons. Roosevelt praises Canadians for the way “they rallied in the defense of the Empire.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-08-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Allen White

Theodore Roosevelt expects William Allen White, as a newspaper man, not to be deceived by false stories about Roosevelt and his opinions. Roosevelt defends his opinion that President Wilson is similar to James Buchanan. He compares Buchanan’s views towards succession to Wilson’s views on military readiness. Roosevelt believes the world war is of much greater significance then the American Civil War even though the United States is not a combatant. The war can “at any moment prove to be fraught with almost as much consequence” even to Americans. Roosevelt agrees with other leading Progressives that there is little political hope for the near future.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-08-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Julian Street

Theodore Roosevelt approves of Julian Street’s article and agrees that the nation’s shortcomings need to be brought to the attention of the public. Roosevelt believes that George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, and Ulysses S. Grant had the correct policy regarding American duty in foreign affairs. Thomas Jefferson, James Buchanan, and President Wilson have the wrong position.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-06-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Gifford Pinchot

Theodore Roosevelt thinks it is ridiculous that William Jennings Bryan has resigned as Secretary of State, and President Wilson is the worst President since James Buchanan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-06-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Owen Wister

Theodore Roosevelt fully approves of Owen Wister’s poem about Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt opposed Hicks at the election, but he has forwarded the letters to his half-brother, Billy Cocks, to see if Hicks can do anything for Skirdin.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-04-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles Mann

Theodore Roosevelt asks if Charles Mann could read the enclosed piece by Charles Bonaparte with special attention to Bonaparte’s thoughts on Woodrow Wilson’s ideas toward preparedness.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-03-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Sutherland

Theodore Roosevelt has been discouraged by the Republican and Democratic parties. The foreign policy of President Wilson and Secretary of State Bryan has been the worst since James Buchanan was president. Roosevelt discussed stopping war in his recent book, America and the World War. To stop “international wickedness,” decent men must be “able and ready to use force in support of righteousness.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Oscar S. Straus

Theodore Roosevelt agrees that all they can do is “remain in cold storage for a year” and see what happens. They may need to support a third candidate, and Roosevelt does not expect many of their former associates to support them. Roosevelt also feels that Woodrow Wilson and William Jennings Bryan have behaved dreadfully.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Roscoe Thayer

Theodore Roosevelt is doing all he can against the Ship Purchase Bill, and he believes President Wilson is the worst president since President Buchanan, not excepting President Andrew Johnson. Roosevelt says William Roscoe Thayer can use anything he has said about John Hay, as long as he is allowed to look it over first. Roosevelt is looking forward to Thayer’s visit and also enjoyed his article in Harper’s.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-01-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Drury Hatfield

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Governor Hatfield for his letter. Roosevelt states that they have been “too mealy-mouthed” regarding President Wilson who he claims is “as bad a President … as Buchanan.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Waldo Coe

Theodore Roosevelt asks Dr. Coe to not make any of the letters Roosevelt has written to him made public. Coe speaks favorably of President Wilson, and Roosevelt believes he is the worst president since President Buchanan. Wilson’s attitude on foreign affairs and regard over national defense is scandalous.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Joseph Benson Foraker

President Roosevelt discusses his thoughts about the situation in Cuba with Senator Foraker.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John St. Loe Strachey

President Roosevelt informs John St. Loe Strachey that he has also been reading Sydney Smith’s essays as well as Thomas Babington Macaulay’s Critical and Historical Essays. Roosevelt agrees with Strachey that parties are important in politics but party adherence cannot become servility. Roosevelt feels good about his reelection chances and disparages his Democratic rivals, Alton B. Parker and Henry Gassaway Davis by calling them Blifil and Black George, a hypocrite and a charity case, respectively, a reference from Henry Fielding’s The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. Roosevelt is worried about the similarities with both James K. Polk and James Buchanan’s successful Democratic campaigns for president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-10-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919