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St. Clair McKelway cautions against American officials engaging in any negotiations with the Catholic Church. He does not believe that the Vatican should be recognized as a governmental or diplomatic entity.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1902-03-29
This article reports that the adjutant-general at Manila has recognized diplomatic representatives from the Vatican and Roman Catholic Church in Manila without having the proper authority to do so. The article discusses this action with relation to the United States’ policy of separation of church and state. There is also an editorial note on Francis E. Leupp’s The Man Roosevelt: A Portrait Sketch.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-20
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-08-01
Theodore Roosevelt declines to contribute to the symposium and corrects the published text of a speech he delivered to the Knights of Columbus in New York. The published text left out a paragraph about the separation of church and state. Roosevelt requests that D. P. Toomey publish a correction.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-11-08
President Roosevelt has received Provisional Governor Magoon’s letter about the church property matter in Cuba and clarifies that he did not mean to hurry “in that sense.” He merely wants to have the facts “clearly before” him, so that the matter can be “in such shape that I can answer bores and critics.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-13
President Roosevelt asks Provisional Governor Magoon to speak with Andrew J. Dougherty to secure his cooperation in settling the Santiago church matters. Roosevelt believes that Dougherty would secure the necessary information quickly if Magoon showed interest in the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-05-01
President Roosevelt thanks Eugene A. Philbin for his letter, and is pleased to know that many people in the Catholic hierarchy understand the situation with Maria Longworth Storer. Roosevelt agrees with Philbin’s comment that the situation shows why church and state need to be kept apart, and comments that Storer “could not get rid of the idea that there ought to be church politicians as well as state politicians and that they should enter into reciprocal obligations with one another.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-10
President Roosevelt informs Cardinal Gibbons that the only thing that can be done at present about the Apostolic Delegates’s letter is to try to get Congress to appropriate the amount that was rewarded, and to include language that will not stop the United States from requesting further appropriations later.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-03-03
President Roosevelt informs Bishop McCabe that he intends to appoint James Francis Smith Governor General of the Philippines in spite of the religious objects of McCabe and others. Smith, who is Catholic, has received opposition from both Catholics and Protestants, but Roosevelt assures McCabe that Smith treats all Americans alike, regardless of their religion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-29
President Roosevelt informs J. B. Colon that although he holds Bishop James Herbert Blenk in high regard and would like to see him receive any honor, as President he cannot interfere in “matters of ecclesiastical preferment.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-16
President Roosevelt tells Reverend Moerdyke that he does not generally believe in taking men’s denominations into account when he is appointing them. Although in certain circumstances it is sound governmental policy to take them into account, he does not think it is appropriate to do so under ordinary circumstances.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-05
President Roosevelt believes Commissioner of Indian Affairs Leupp’s regulations for the disposal of moneys for Native American schools does not carry out “in one or two particulars” the intent of his February letter to Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock. In that letter, Roosevelt asserted that certain moneys could be used to support Native American schools that were affiliated with Catholic or Protestant schools. The law against using public moneys for such schools applies only to public funds, and not funds controlled by Native Americans themselves. Roosevelt notes that while funds are held in trust for use of this purpose, some treaty funds may have been improperly used to pay for these schools, and instructs Leupp to cease payment to the schools from these funds at the end of the fiscal year.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-23
President Roosevelt rebukes Maria Longworth Storer for her repeated attempts at “ecclesiastical intrigue” while trying to get Archbishop John Ireland made Cardinal. Roosevelt has repeatedly told Storer and her husband, Ambassador Bellamy Storer, that both they and he cannot officially get involved in matters regarding the Catholic Church. However, the Storers seem to have ignored these directives and continued to improperly write letters on Ireland’s behalf and to improperly quote portions of Roosevelt’s letters about the matter. If such actions do not stop, Roosevelt will have to remove Bellamy from his position as Ambassador. He asks Maria to return his letters on the subject.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-11
President Roosevelt will not accept the resignation of James Francis Smith as Secretary of Public Instruction for the Philippine Commission. Roosevelt believes Smith is contributing the greatest possible service in the Philippines. Smith’s attitudes toward Protestants and Catholics makes Roosevelt feel proud of him as an American, as Smith is treating everyone equally without regard to religion.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-07-11
William Roscoe Thayer tells Theodore Roosevelt that he is trying to be nonsectarian and not criticize any individual religion. However, he objects to giving money to causes that will benefit one particular sect, which he thinks goes against the religious principles of the country.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-02-05
Silas McBee asks that President Roosevelt look over an article in McBee’s magazine The Churchman discussing a recent controversy over Roosevelt’s order that “In God We Trust” be removed from coinage. McBee acknowledges that there had been negative reactions among the Christian community to this change, but that he had “given a few blows,” and the general consensus was now that Roosevelt’s changes were correct. McBee closes by praising Roosevelt’s “fine greatness.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-19
Postmaster General Cortelyou wishes to set the record straight regarding any supposed endorsements President McKinley made of religious officials. Cortelyou informs President Roosevelt that the statements made by Bellamy Storer in a recent pamphlet are distortions of the truth, as McKinley was careful never to influence a religious organization.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-01
Brigadier General Smith, serving as Secretary of Public Instruction in the American-controlled Philippines, writes to Edward P. Sheehan, a teacher at the Bureau of Education in the municipality of Manaoag in the province of Pangasinan, regarding a claim made by Reverend Father Mariano Paris that Sheehan and Manuel Garcia, Presidente of Manaoag, prevented children from freely attending parochial school in the municipalities of Manaoag and San Jacinto. Smith reminds Sheehan that the American government’s policy is to encourage private and parochial schools, and asks Sheehan to encourage Garcia to do so also. The record contains a series of letters and endorsements following and related to this claim, which includes discussion of the Insular Government of the Philippines’ attitude towards truancy and their policy of reclaiming schoolbooks from students who cease attending school. The letters range in date from December 29, 1905 to February 5, 1906.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-29
Secretary of War Taft is surprised that the tone in Bishop Thomas Augustine Hendrick’s letter lacks the patience which is necessary to accomplish things in the Philippines. However, Taft informs President Roosevelt that Hendrick’s letter comes only after a stay of one week on the islands. Taft cannot answer some of Hendrick’s charges of how political appointees were chosen, and states his views on how to navigate between the state and the Catholic church in the Philippines.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-05-04
Chronology of the daily life of Theodore Roosevelt between January 1879 to December 1883. Notable events include Theodore Roosevelt’s engagement and marriage to Alice Hathaway Lee, his appointment to the New York State Legislature, and his first visit and buffalo hunt in North Dakota.
Theodore Roosevelt Association
1985