Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Juwan Usang Ly for the book he sent. Roosevelt also expresses his desire to help the Chinese people.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-12-24
President Roosevelt thanks Nathan Haskell Dole for his letter and calls President of Bowdoin College William De Witt Hyde “a trump.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-28
President Roosevelt wishes that he were not too busy to do as Clarence H. Robertson, who works with the Young Men’s Christian Association in China, suggests. He believes “deeply” in the work Robertson and his colleagues are doing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-05
President Roosevelt advises Judge Wilfley, of the United States Court for China, that it is impossible to rescind his accusations against the public official in question or have his memorandum on the subject returned. He should not have made charges in the “interest of the public service” that he did not wish to be taken seriously. The investigation Roosevelt has opened will proceed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-01
President Roosevelt disagrees with several statements Secretary of State John Hay wrote. While Hay was one of the most “delightful characters” Roosevelt had ever met, he found Hay lacking leadership qualities as a Secretary of State. Roosevelt provides Senator Lodge with his view of the Alaska Boundary dispute in 1903. He includes copies of the letters Roosevelt wrote to Judge Oliver Wendell Holmes and Henry White to show to British Secretary of State for the Colonies James Chamberlain and Prime Minister James Arthur Balfour. Roosevelt explains why certain appointments were made following the death of President William McKinley and details for why Hay was not consulted on matters concerning the Russo-Japanese War and the acquisition of Panama.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-28
President Roosevelt thanks German Emperor William II for the letter and book, which were presented to him by the new German ambassador Johann Heinrich von Bernstorff. Roosevelt praises the previous German ambassador, Hermann Speck von Sternburg, but says that the new ambassador appears to be a very able man. He would be pleased to accept the invitation to speak at the University of Berlin after his African safari, and hopes to meet with William II when he is there. Roosevelt additionally comments on other major events around the world, including the recent Sicilian earthquake, the progress of the Great White Fleet on its journey, and the state of affairs in China.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-02
President Roosevelt informs Senator Cullom that both he and President-Elect William H. Taft feel that the legation in China should be expanded into an embassy. He asks if Cullom can act on this suggestion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-26
President Roosevelt informs Senator Perkins that President-Elect William H. Taft feels that the legation in China should be expanded into an Embassy, and that Roosevelt agrees with this. He asks if Perkins can act on this suggestion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-26
President Roosevelt forwards Secretary of the Interior Garfield a copy of a letter from Secretary of State Elihu Root related to the education of Chinese students in the United States. Roosevelt directs Garfield to transmit the papers to Commissioner of Education Elmer Ellsworth Brown, and instruct him to give aid in all appropriate ways.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-29
President Roosevelt informs President-elect Taft that he has met with Chinese Special Envoy Shaoyi Tang, who informed him that China would like the United States to send an ambassador to China. Roosevelt would like to do this, but Secretary of State Elihu Root had already promised Hale that no extra ambassador would be made. Roosevelt believes that if Taft writes a letter expressing his wish that the matter be arranged, Roosevelt would be able to write to Congress and at least begin the process.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-22
President Roosevelt sends Secretary of the Treasury Cortelyou a copy of an executive order he has signed to carry out a resolution of Congress titled, “To provide for the remission of a portion of the Chinese Indemnity.” Roosevelt directs Cortelyou to bring the order to the notice of officers concerned.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-28
President Roosevelt was glad to receive Commander Long’s interesting letter, and was pleased to read about the Great White Fleet’s visits to Japan and China. Roosevelt says it “is simply extraordinary that there should not have been one instance of trouble with so many thousands of our men ashore.” He promises to bring up the subject of granting sailors leave to visit their homes soon after their return with the Navy Department.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-07
President Roosevelt chastises the United States Department of State about several matters that he wishes them to pay more careful attention to in the future. Roosevelt firmly believes that the president should only be addressed as “Mr. President” or “The President,” and that titles such as “Excellency” are foolish and should not be used. He would like an explanation of the steps being taken to prevent this title’s future use by foreign ambassadors. Roosevelt also criticizes the speech and telegram that had been written for him to deliver to China on the occasion of the deaths of Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi. Normal diplomatic letters frequently strike Roosevelt as fatuous, but in circumstances such as these an effort should be made to craft a sincere message.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-02
President Roosevelt is concerned about Judge Wilfley’s letter. He will discus the matter with Secretary of War Root and Representative Edwin Denby. However, Roosevelt is not in a position to say anything about the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-10-23
President Roosevelt congratulates William Woodville Rockhill on the “extraordinary experience” of meeting the Dalai Lama. Roosevelt asks what sort of gift he should send the Dalai Lama in return for the Buddha and silk katag. He sent Pope Pius X a copy of his books, but thinks the Dalai Lama might not have use for such a gift.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-01
President Roosevelt thanks German Emperor William II for his work in fostering friendship between Germany and the United States. He regrets that the situation regarding his nomination of David Jayne Hill as the new Ambassador to Germany was made public, and explains that if he had been told privately that the Emperor wanted a different man, he would have nominated someone else. Roosevelt also provides an update on the progress of the American fleet’s tour of South America, and says that its target practice off the Mexican coast went well.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-04
President Roosevelt thanks Cheng Liang for the letter and returns his compliments to Cixi, Empress Dowager of China. Roosevelt wishes that he could speak to Liang in person about China, but now understands the reasons he is not returning to the United States. However, he is encouraged by Liang’s letter, especially regarding schools and the lessening of opium traffic.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-06
President Roosevelt explains to Lucius B. Swift that the government had proposed what Swift suggested in a previous letter, but it was not approved. Roosevelt says he will take the question up with Secretary of State Elihu Root again.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-26
President Roosevelt concurs with Elihu Root that the attacks against Judge Lebbeus R. Wilfley are insubstantial and have come about because of the effectiveness of Wilfley in attacking vice and crime in Shanghai. Roosevelt encloses a letter from Robert E. Lewis, who has recently returned from Shanghai after living there for ten years, and who reflects positively on Wilfley’s character. If attacks on Wilfley go forward, the beneficiaries will be those people who traffic in vice and corruption.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-03-02
President Roosevelt forwards Secretary of State Root a memorandum from German Ambassador Hermann Speck von Sternburg and comments on Japanese military preparations. These preparations do not seem to suggest war with the United States, but rather that Japan anticipates some sort of action involving China.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-02-17