Catholic Church

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John L. Belford

President Roosevelt was distressed by Father John J. Wynne’s published letter regarding the friars in the Philippines. The letter put Roosevelt in a “warlike” mood but he would like to avoid a public fight. In terms of the friars, much has been made of them being loyal to the United States. However, their loyalty is entirely based on the fact that American authorities are the only thing stopping Filipinos from taking violent reprisals against the friars.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Crane

President Roosevelt has been surprised at the Catholic hostility to a settlement of the friars matter in the Philippines. However, Filipino Catholics and American Catholics familiar with the Philippines support the administration’s actions. Negotiations with the Holy See are ongoing to determine what will be done with the friars and their land. Roosevelt insists that fair play and religious freedom are guiding all of his actions regarding the friars and the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

There has been a great deal of Catholic opposition in the United States to William H. Taft’s negotiations with the Holy See regarding the withdrawal of the friars from the Philippines. President Roosevelt fears that the situation will be damaging politically but understands that little can currently be done. Roosevelt agrees that teachers in the Philippines should not express their religious preferences and he does not want any more clergymen appointed as teachers. Roosevelt would also like to appoint a Catholic to the Philippine Commission.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John D. Crimmins

President Roosevelt thanks John D. Crimmins for the volume on St. Patrick’s Day. Roosevelt wishes that Martin could tell others his experiences regarding the Filipino friar question.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-08-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Dunn

President Roosevelt would like to meet Major Crane’s objections on the friar issue but finds his attitude “fantastic in its injustice.” Roosevelt believes his administration is in the right on the issue and is properly responding to the wishes of the Filipino Catholics.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-08-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Henry Elder

President Roosevelt will carefully consider Archbishop Elder’s letter and the petition. The Roosevelt administration is seeking to govern the Philippines in accordance with the wishes of the Filipinos and the educational system that has been set up appears to be “working out admirably.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-08-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John H. Magruder

President Roosevelt is preparing an answer on the friar question for several Catholic religious societies and will send a copy to John H. Magruder as a response to his letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-18

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James D. Fox

President Roosevelt defends his administration’s actions towards the “Spanish friars” of the Philippines as a response to the near unanimous rejection of the friars by the Catholic Filipinos and parish priests.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-21

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Comerford

President Roosevelt explains that the administration is seeking to purchase the friars’ lands in the Philippines in response to the hostility of the Filipino Catholics and parish priests towards the friars. The friars are not required to leave the Philippines, and religious freedom will be protected just as it is in the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to W. J. B. Daly

President Roosevelt does not believe that he will be consulted about “any of the appointments of that nature” but if he was he would support Father Belford for a bishopric in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt goes over the promotion and retirement of several military officers. Roosevelt has also met with John D. Crimmins and his son, a former Rough Rider, both of whom support the administration’s efforts on the friars question in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Ireland

President Roosevelt has been annoyed at the attacks from leading Catholics and Catholic societies. Roosevelt thanks Archbishop Ireland for his “admirable interview and speech.” The attacks most likely refer to the ongoing negotiations regarding the purchase of the friar’s lands in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Eugene A. Philbin

President Roosevelt defends his administration’s attempts to settle the friar question in the Philippines. Roosevelt claims that the friars are very unpopular even among the Catholic Filipinos and that William H. Taft’s negotiations in Rome were meant to satisfy Catholic Filipinos and church authorities. The administration was unprepared for the adverse reaction of Catholics outside the Philippines and Roosevelt has been surprised at the spreading of many rumors regarding his intentions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Eugene A. Philbin

President Roosevelt intends to appoint a Catholic to the Philippine Commission when a vacancy occurs. Roosevelt also explains that the movement against the friars in the Philippines is entirely driven by Filipinos and the United States is simply attempting to meet the wishes of the Catholic population.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt encloses letters he wrote to Josephine Shaw Lowell and to William Comerford. Roosevelt has been surprised at the negative reaction towards the negotiations to remove the friars from the Philippines and sell their lands. The friars are very unpopular in the Philippines, but the administration is finding it difficult to show that the negotiations are at the request of the Filipino Catholics. Roosevelt suggests that Secretary of War Root speak with Archbishop John Ireland on the issue and that Vice General of the Philippines Luke E. Wright collect statements from leading Catholics that support expelling the friars.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-07-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Henry Hunt

President Roosevelt has received Bishop Blenk and is impressed with his thoughts on the church property question. President Roosevelt asks what he can do to help.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-06-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

Letter of introduction for Bishop Blenk of Puerto Rico who seeks a solution to the church property question in Puerto Rico. President Roosevelt approves of Blenk’s thoughts on the matter and would like to see prompt action.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-06-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Donald McDonald Dickinson

Archbishop Ryan was appointed to the Board of Indian Commissioners because a Catholic had never been on the Board and Ryan was “particularly fitted for the position.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-05-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward DeVeaux Morrell

President Roosevelt will carefully go over the papers regarding a potential shared ancestor with Representative Morrell and is pleased that Morrell is favorable to the appointment of Archbishop Ryan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-17

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Merrill Edwards Gates

President Roosevelt would like to appoint Archbishop Ryan to the Board of Indian Commissioners.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-03-28