Civil service positions

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ernest McGaffey

President Roosevelt laments that his implementation of civil service reform principles means that he cannot grant Ernest McGaffey’s request. He encloses a copy of the regulations, which state that entry into the service must start at the lower grades. Should McGaffey want such a position, he will need no recommendation from Roosevelt, provided the Senators from his state agree to confirm him. However, Roosevelt does note that most lower level positions are in hot and unhealthy regions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Dudley Foulke

President Roosevelt praises William Dudley Foulke and Lucius B. Swift, and says that he does not have any objection to an investigation of whether he has influenced local civil service appointments, so long as the investigation is conducted honestly. He suggests that whoever does the investigation cooperate with the Department of Justice, as Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte is familiar with the topic. Roosevelt also suggests several departments where it may be profitable to begin such an investigation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-25

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edgar Aldrich

President Roosevelt tells Judge Aldrich that he is not sure if he can overcome the falsehoods like those printed by the Boston Post, but he will meet with a correspondent from the Boston Transcript to see if he can. Roosevelt confirms that the facts are exactly like Aldrich guessed in his letter, and details some of his thoughts and actions regarding government appointments he has been able to make. While he frequently takes the advice of senators and congressmen in selecting people to appoint to these positions, he is not bound to do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Henry Dana

President Roosevelt provides Richard Henry Dana with his thoughts and details on the case surrounding Archie Dovell Sanders, a New York civil servant who refuses to stop his political activity while in office.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Wolcott Wadsworth

President Roosevelt tells James Wolcott Wadsworth, Speaker of the New York State Assembly, that he hears highly of Mead, and would like to appoint him, but Roosevelt is unsure whether any such position exists. Roosevelt will discuss the matter with Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt cannot visit Plymouth as Arthur Lord has asked. He agrees with Senator Lodge about special inspectors to enforce naturalization laws not being chosen from the civil service applicants. Roosevelt understands if Lodge is attacked in the papers for his stance on the merger bill and praises him for his efforts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Emlen Roosevelt

President Roosevelt reminds his cousin Emlen Roosevelt that Fitz Gerald applied to a civil service position and that he must “enter as others enter.” Roosevelt discusses the Edward Henry Harriman matter and believes as long as Harriman and his supporters continue to run things there will always be a “upsetting of Wall Street.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Palmer

President Roosevelt tells Frederick Palmer of the difficulties of reform and how it prevents him from appointing Palmer to the position he desires.  Roosevelt encourages Palmer to apply to a lower-grade position, but doubts it “would be worth your while.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick A. Ware

President Roosevelt apologizes to Frederick A. Ware that it may not be possible to appoint him, as New York’s quota of appointments is more than full. He suggests that Ware talk with Robert Bacon about possible consular appointments, or with District Attorney Henry L. Stimson about possible openings in the Department of Justice.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Herman Henry Kohlsaat

President Roosevelt tells Herman Henry Kohlsaat that he hears very highly of Samuel L. Williams, but that he will not be able to appoint him because the Illinois Republicans are against him. Instead he will appoint William Tecumseh Vernon as Register of the United States Treasury. He will be glad if there is another position he can give to Williams later.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elijah Pennington

President Roosevelt assures former Rough Rider Elijah Pennington he likes to do anything he can for any member of the Rough Riders. However, he is currently trying to get a comrade who was wounded at San Juan a position on the Panama Canal and is unsure if he can take up any other cases until he has done so. He suggests that Pennington ask Colonel Cecil Andrew Lyon if there is a position in Texas that he could be appointed to.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Anna Roosevelt Cowles

President Roosevelt hopes that Anna Roosevelt Cowles’s son, William Sheffield Cowles, is doing a little better. Roosevelt tells Cowles about meeting with George Cabot Ward, who impressed him. Roosevelt believes he is “a man worth looking into for the particular job he seeks.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard F. Pettigrew

President Roosevelt agrees with Richard F. Pettigrew’s opinion about Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson. Roosevelt could not put Wilson in another department because he is doing such excellent work in his current department. On the other hand, while Roosevelt has a “high regard” for Marion Butler, he cannot give him the position he desires.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas Goode Jones

President Roosevelt tells Judge Jones he knows Jones approves of him acting upon “military efficiency” in the Army. With this in mind, Roosevelt is trying to see if he can get employment for Edwin F. Jones under the Department of the Interior.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Watson Gilder

President Roosevelt does not think it is advisable for Edwin Arlington Robinson to go to England, because he thinks that America’s literary men are “always hurt by going abroad.” Roosevelt asks Richard Watson Gilder to find out how Robinson is doing. He wants to give Robinson a government position.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lucius B. Swift

President Roosevelt may be asked to appoint a man named Will Wood, but has heard that Lucius B. Swift knows something that would prevent this and asks if this is true. Roosevelt is pleased with other men Swift has recommended for government jobs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-02-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Joseph Benson Foraker

President Roosevelt informs Senator Foraker he has submitted the name of John Stuart Elliott to the Senate for Commissioner of the Interior of Puerto Rico. Although Elliott is Roosevelt’s cousin, he made the nomination based on Puerto Rico Governor Beekman Winthrop and Secretary of War William H. Taft’s recommendations.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William G. Besler

President Roosevelt informs William G. Besler he has heard well of Merrill, but cannot consider personal friendship in appointing commissioners to the Isthmian Canal Commission. However, Roosevelt promises to discuss Merrill’s qualifications with Secretary of War William H. Taft.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Booker T. Washington

President Roosevelt tells Booker T. Washington about several difficulties he is having pertaining to matters in Alabama. Roosevelt is having trouble over the William Frye Tebbetts case because President Pro Tempore of the Senate William P. Frye has a “personal interest” in Tebbetts and wants him reappointed. Similarly, Roosevelt wants to trust Thompson and put Montgomery in the place of Chisolm under the Department of Justice, but the department says there is no issue with Chisolm. As Roosevelt says, “[Thompson] must not make it difficult for me by starting to turn out men who are . . . doing well.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas Collier Platt

President Roosevelt has heard many complaints about United States Marshal William Henkel and suggests to Senator Platt that Ferdinand Eidman, or another “first class Jew,” be transferred to the marshalship and Charles William Anderson be put in Eidman’s place.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-22