Diplomatic and consular service, American

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Byron S. Hurlbut

President Roosevelt tells Dean Byron S. Hurlbut that his son, Theodore Roosevelt, is very pleased about receiving the honorary scholarship and finishing his courses in three years because Roosevelt had previously had to speak with him about reports he was not doing well. Roosevelt will gladly speak with Ferdinand V. Blair, but does not think he can be of much assistance, as he thinks that the diplomatic service is often a poor career choice. Robert Harry Munro Ferguson and Isabella Ferguson appreciated having Roosevelt’s son Kermit visit them recently.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-13

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles Hitchcock Sherrill

President Roosevelt explains that the position Charles H. Sherrill asks about has been pledged to Huntington Wilson. Any vacancy that opens in the next four months is likely to be in Central or South America. Roosevelt has written to William H. Taft about the matter and will do so again after the election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Nicholas Murray Butler

President Roosevelt is glad to hear Nicholas Murray Butler’s thoughts on Maurice Francis Egan and David Jayne Hill. Roosevelt would prefer men like them over any other type of American representative.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Arthur Hamilton Lee

President Roosevelt thanks Arthur Hamilton Lee for the painting, saying he is overwhelmed by Lee’s kindness and generosity, and the way in which he has read Roosevelt’s thoughts about the painting. Roosevelt mentions that Admiral William S. Cowles, Anna Roosevelt Cowles, and Vice-President Charles W. Fairbanks recently attended the tricentennial celebrations in Québec, emphasizing the “hearty friendship” between the United States and England. Roosevelt thinks the British fleet should be kept up to the highest standards for the “peace of the world,” though he would like to limit the size of ships. Roosevelt’s African safari is coming up, and he hopes he can travel as a private person, but will pay his respects to various important personages along the way if need be.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edwin Emerson

President Roosevelt has asked George B. Cortelyou about a donation to his 1904 presidential campaign from the President of Guatemala, who said he had never heard of such a contribution but would ask Cornelius Newton Bliss about it. Roosevelt seems to remember a man named Hunter in the diplomatic service in Central America who resigned or was removed from office, but does not have any more details about him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Diplomatic and Consular Representatives of the United States

President Roosevelt introduces Edward Hubert Butler to the Diplomatic and Consular Representatives of the United States, and asks them to show him all courtesies consistent with their official duties.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charlemagne Tower

President Roosevelt asks Ambassador Tower to thank German Emperor William II for the message. Roosevelt was already aware of the presence of Japanese in Mexico, and comments that many Japanese do not remain in Mexico, but attempt to enter the United States. Roosevelt comments about Japanese seeking to enter the United States from Canada as well, and suggests that the reason that many of these immigrants are soldiers is not due to plans by the Japanese emperor, but because they have trouble readjusting to life in Japan after having served in Manchuria. Roosevelt is pleased by William II’s approval of what he did with the fleet in the Pacific.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry White

President Roosevelt’s friend, avid explorer Caspar Whitney, would like to join a French military caravan on a journey across the Sahara Desert. Roosevelt hopes Ambassador to France Henry White will be able to secure this for him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

President Roosevelt asks German Ambassador Hermann Speck von Sternburg if it would be agreeable to have dinner with Columbia University’s Kaiser Wilhelm Professor Rudolf Leonhard and his wife, when Sternburg is well. Roosevelt also asks, personally and confidentially, what Sternburg knows about Minister to the Netherlands David Jayne Hill and his wife, Juliet Lewis Packer Hill.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-30

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charlemagne Tower

President Roosevelt thanks Ambassador Tower for his handling of the situation with Edwin Lefevre, a journalist that German Emperor William II did not want to receive. Roosevelt agrees that it is time for Tower to leave Germany and praises his record in the diplomatic service.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Maurice Francis Egan

President Roosevelt thoroughly enjoyed Minister Egan’s report from Copenhagen. He hopes that Egan is enjoying his posting.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas J. O’Brien

President Roosevelt does not need to see diplomat Thomas J. O’Brien ahead of his appointment as ambassador to Japan. Frederik VII, King of Denmark, speaks well of O’Brien.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to the diplomatic and consular representatives of the United States abroad

President Roosevelt informs the United States Diplomatic Corps that his military aide, Charles S. Bromwell, will be attending military maneuvers in Greece and should be accorded all courtesies.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reed

President Roosevelt approves of the response sent to the Smart Set magazine in response to a request for his endorsement. He says reports of Ambassador Reid’s “ostentation” and other unflattering news reports about official embassy conduct are harmless; he appreciates all the speeches Reid has made in an effort to unite the “right classes” of Americans and English people. Roosevelt agrees with Reid regarding pursuing arbitration in a treaty dispute with Great Britain over fisheries in Newfoundland. He also comments briefly on the result of the trial of Big Bill Hayward, calling it a “gross miscarriage of justice.” Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt appreciates the silver bowl Elisabeth Mills Reid sent as a gift.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to A. S. Crowninshield

President Roosevelt assures his old friend A. S. Crowninshield that his son, Casper S. Crowninshield, was appointed to the American diplomatic and consular service on his own merit, and is quite pleased the younger Crowninshield has done such a good job in the position.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Watson Gilder

President Roosevelt praises Richard Watson Gilder for writing a positive article in the New York Times about Minister to Denmark Maurice Francis Egan. Roosevelt will discuss Robert Abbe’s work in treating cancer with radium with German Ambassador Hermann Speck von Sternburg. Roosevelt hopes Gilder’s sons, George Coleman deKay Gilder and Rodman Gilder, will have a good trip.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Thomas J. O’Brien

President Roosevelt chides newly appointed Ambassador to Japan Thomas J. O’Brien for failing to attend a meeting of the Japan Society. This meeting afforded the opportunity to meet important Japanese representatives before taking up his duties. O’Brien is instructed to meet with Secretary of State Elihu Root to discuss his future responsibilities.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt shares his thoughts on various topics with Cecil Spring Rice. Roosevelt is planning to swap foreign assignments between John B. Jackson and Richmond Pearson, mentioning that Pearson had trouble with missionaries in Persia. While Jackson has done well as Minister to Greece, Roosevelt does not approve of his strong pro-Russia feelings. Roosevelt thinks the Russian people are good, and feels badly that they oscillate between despotism and anarchy. Roosevelt is interested in what Spring Rice says about the movement of Islam in Persia toward more tolerance, and gives his opinion about progress in Islamic countries in relation to Buddhism and Shinto. The violent incidents in San Francisco towards Japanese immigrants concerns Roosevelt. Roosevelt thinks everyone should be in favor of peace and temperance, but he feels professional advocates of both talk a lot without ever getting anything done. At home, Roosevelt is trying to keep a balance between plutocrats and labor unions. Roosevelt hopes to see Spring Rice and his wife soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-01

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry White

President Roosevelt would like to know what Ambassador to France Henry White thought about the visit from Haakon VII, King of Norway. Roosevelt is extremely concerned with the race riots in San Francisco. He expects that there will be more trouble, and has arranged troops to be nearby, but he needs to make sure the situation warrants troops. He blames some of the problems on Japanese extremists, but states Japanese are right to want Japanese treated better here. Roosevelt says “every nation has, of course, the right to limit immigration and naturalization according to its own view of public policy.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-15

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt asks Whitelaw Reid if he will be able to present Charlotte Berkeley Coles at court. Roosevelt understands that Reid has many people to present so it may be impossible for him to do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-23