Grey of Fallodon, Edward Grey, Viscount, 1862-1933

Letter from Elihu Root to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of State Root understands President Roosevelt’s selection of James Buchanan Aleshire for appointment as Quartermaster General. Root has returned Henry Cabot Lodge’s letter about Harvard’s commencement. Regarding the work of the Hague, Root reports that the armament question will be shelved. The United States delegates to the Hague have asked for instruction on two matters: the form of the contract debt provisions and voting on a declaration of war.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-08

Telegram from Whitelaw Reid to Elihu Root

United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom Whitelaw Reid states points of disagreement between the governments of the United Kingdom and of the United States on the fishing rights of Americans in Newfoundland waters, and conveys a possible temporary agreement.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-22

Telegram from Joseph Hodges Choate to Elihu Root

Joseph Hodges Choate writes that he had a long conversation with the United Kingdom’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Edward Grey. In preparation for the Second Hague Conference, Grey has shared some of his country’s beliefs going into the conference, namely that merchant vessels used to carry weapons or soldiers will be considered war vessels in a time of conflict, and will be treated as such. He wants to abolish the concept of contraband, or barring that make the list of items not considered contraband as large as possible. He wants the British delegates to work closely with the American delegates at the conference.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-05

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador to Great Britain Reid has received photographs of President Roosevelt show jumping a horse, and will present them to King Edward VII when there are fewer dignitaries in town. Reid is amused by Roosevelt’s remark that he was not sure if his “encounter” with labor leaders and socialists was covered in the English papers – Reid describes the coverage as mostly in Roosevelt’s favor, adding his thoughts on the danger of anarchist ideas infiltrating labor movements in the United States and abroad. Reid discusses the similarity between the conflict between California and Japan and Newfoundland and the United States. Finally, Reid comments on the ongoing talks at the International Peace Conference at the Hague.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-07

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid provides President Roosevelt with a variety of pieces of information regarding the status of English politics. Douglas Robinson and Corinne Roosevelt Robinson met with many different members of the royal family. Reid recounts a scandal regarding Prime Minister Campbell-Bannerman, who nine months after his wife died, was engaged to her caretaker. Regardless, Campbell-Bannerman has surprised most in Parliament at his effectiveness as a leader. Reid is disappointed that Robert Bond and the Liberal Party agreed to govern the colony of Newfoundland. The U. S. government is not pleased with this agreement, and many of the other premiers disagree with the Liberal Party’s policy. In particular, Alfred Deakin, the premier of Australia, is an outspoken opponent to this policy. Additionally, many of the colonies want preference in the British markets, and may sacrifice free trade agreements to achieve this status. Next, H. H. Asquith proposed an income tax for Great Britain that will introduce a new, objectionable system of old age pensions. R. B. Haldane proposed a permanent standing army in the British colonies. Augustine Burrill’s proposed Irish Council Bill is becoming unpopular and he does not have many successes as a politician. Overall, the Liberal Party is disappointed by Campbell-Bannerman’s performance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-24

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid reports to President Roosevelt about the people being considered for the position of British Ambassador to the United States after H. Mortimer Durand’s dismissal. It is widely believed that Durand was dismissed due to being too firm in Newfoundland negotiations, and Reid believes the government will allow the public to believe that was the reason. Reid sends Roosevelt articles from the Daily Telegraph about Durand’s dismissal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-27

Letter from Arthur Hamilton Lee to Theodore Roosevelt

Arthur Hamilton Lee updates President Roosevelt on the work he is doing to tell the story of the Russo-Japanese negotiations. Those in England had a different idea of what exactly happened, and Lee has enjoyed painting Roosevelt in a positive light. The English people have responded positively.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-28

To-day

The “To-day” section of The Daily telegraph details several goings on in world news, with the largest section focused on the upcoming British diplomatic vacancy in Washington, D. C. Many prominent British politicians and noblemen are named as possibilities for the vacancy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-23

Letter from Arthur Hamilton Lee to Theodore Roosevelt

Arthur Hamilton Lee recently returned from Canada where he was on a mission to gather opinions related to the Alaskan Arbitration land dispute. Locals seems to be glad the matter is over, although there is resentment towards Newfoundland’s “modus vivendi.” Self-described “King of Newfoundland” Robert Gillespie Reid thinks only the basest politicians are against it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-30

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid updates President Roosevelt on several diplomatic matters in England. The most pertinent issue is the English government’s desire to retire Ambassador H. Mortimer Durand and to find a suitable replacement for him. Many people have been discussed. Roosevelt’s choice, Cecil Spring Rice, could not be promoted to an Embassy without creating a lot of “ill will.” Reid also sends Roosevelt a news clipping telling of the “fall” that Winston Churchill took out of playwright George Bernard Shaw. Finally, Reid updates Roosevelt on a matter involving Democratic Senator Francis Marion Cockrell’s son.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-24

Letter from Arthur Hamilton Lee to Theodore Roosevelt

Arthur Hamilton Lee thanks President Roosevelt for the prompt and generous response to his request for a letter of credentials. Lee has written to Sir Edward Grey and hopes to get a response within the next few weeks. Lee plans to return to Washington, D.C., to see Roosevelt before he leaves for Panama and proposes lunching with Elihu Root, William H. Taft, and Robert Bacon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-16

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Whitelaw Reid updates President Roosevelt on the newspapers’ reaction to the measures taken in a shipping and fishing dispute in Newfoundland. Reid details his negotiations with Sir Edward Gray and Sir Charles Hardinge regarding the United States’ right to ship Newfoundland fisherman. Reid also discusses several books with Roosevelt, including one about Alexander Hamilton and a biography of Winston Churchill’s father, Randolph Churchill. Reid comments on Roosevelt’s offer to let the Cubans try self-government again, noting that it silences those who would paint Roosevelt as an imperialist. Reid does not think that the Cubans are ready for self-government, and he believes the United States should make Cuba one of its states. Reid updates Roosevelt on the political conflict between the Labor and Liberal parties in the United Kingdom. Reid notes that due to “bad blood” between the German and English press, it is difficult to trust English newspapers for accurate views of German positions. Reid also offers his opinion on domestic political issues, writing that those who vote for Hearst will be written off as from “the ignorant or dangerous classes.” Reid believes William Jennings Bryan has fallen out of favor, but he does not think they have seen the last of him. Finally, Reid has enclosed several books and clippings for Roosevelt to peruse.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-08

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid has forwarded President Roosevelt’s letter to the people of Salisbury, and he is sure it will promote kindly feeling. Reid hopes that they may be able to bring the “slow-moving” Colonial Office to an early agreement, as the only currently contentious issue between the parties is that of purse-nets. Reports of William Jennings Bryan’s speech in Madison Square Garden produced instant revulsion in Great Britain, as the public thought he “dished” himself by proposing government ownership of the railways. Reid has not yet had a chance to discuss Roosevelt’s letter to Andrew Carnegie with Sir Edward Grey, but plans to bring it up at first chance. Frederick Scott Oliver, author of the new book about Hamilton, does not seem to be a prominent literary figure among the Englishmen Reid has asked. Reid has been watching the Cuban situation with great anxiety, as he has always believed the United States made foolish decisions about Cuba at the beginning of the Spanish-American War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-14

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Elihu Root

Ambassador Reid confirms his telegram from the day before summarizing the modus vivendi in the Newfoundland Fisheries for this year offered by the British government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-07

Letter from Francis Alexander Campbell to Whitelaw Reid

On behalf of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Edward Grey, Assistant Under-Secretary of State Francis Alexander Campbell sends a series of proposals for a provisional agreement for the forthcoming herring fishery off the coast of Newfoundland to U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Whitelaw Reid.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-03

Letter from Andrew Carnegie to Theodore Roosevelt

Andrew Carnegie agrees with President Roosevelt on disarmament, although he recognizes that it will be difficult to formulate a satisfactory plan. Carnegie says Roosevelt’s declaration that the United States does not seek to increase the present Navy but only to maintain it will be the great force making for agreement. Carnegie criticizes the practice of failing to give previous notice of war before attacking, and presents the “League of Peace” idea as the easiest and best solution. He encourages Roosevelt to be the one to formally propose it, as the United States is the only great power “free from international jealousies.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-27

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid reports to President Roosevelt about affairs in Europe. Reid’s impression is that neither Great Britain nor Germany want tensions to escalate to a war, and he is still trying to get more details about their negotiations. Reid informs Roosevelt that the King seems to be in ill health. He is also worried that Roosevelt’s friend, Silas McBee, is stirring up trouble by seeming to interfere in debates about the Education Bill. Reid referred the Grocers’ Federation to Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson and Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor Howard Metcalf so that they might receive more information about complying with America’s meat inspection laws, and he enclosed a copy of a speech he gave at Cambridge on the American Revolution. Reid concludes by saying that he hopes the British government will help the United States settle disputes with Canada.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-16

Letter from Andrew Carnegie to Theodore Roosevelt

Andrew Carnegie has enclosed Prime Minister Bannerman’s speech from the recent conference. Carnegie had showed President Roosevelt’s most recent letter to both Bannerman as well as John Morley and other Cabinet members. Morley referenced Roosevelt’s note again in a letter and was influenced by it in his decision making process about the Cabinet. Carnegie thinks Roosevelt’s policy will be welcomed and followed elsewhere. Elihu Root has sent Carnegie a confidential report on the Russians. Carnegie sends well wishes to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt and notes that his wife Louise Whitfield Carnegie places the Roosevelts high on their book.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-27

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid tells President Roosevelt about a recent meeting between William Jennings Bryan and King Edward VII, as well as the general attitude toward Bryan among Englishmen after a series of speeches he gave in London. Reid also mentions that he will be sending a report on a conversation he had with Sir Edward Grey about a notice sent to Russia of England’s desire to have “a reduction of armaments made a subject for the next Hague Conference.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-27

Letter from Henry White to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador White is returning to Italy after having visited England, where President Roosevelt was unanimously praised. White thinks King Edward VII of Great Britain may be somewhat jealous of Roosevelt supplanting him as “the great peacemaker of the world.” White had a substantial conversation with British Secretary of War R. B. Haldane wherein Haldane stated his belief that Roosevelt and the United States may be able to influence the world to accept a global reduction of armaments. White will go shooting with King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy soon, and will try to get a sense of his views on the matter of disarmament as well. White has so far avoided making any sort of comment about Roosevelt’s views on the matter, but asks what his thoughts are.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-30