Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Oscar Hallam
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Judge Hallam for his letter and assures him that he is “entirely right” in what he said.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-05-02
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Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frank Basil Tracy
Theodore Roosevelt tells Frank Basil Tracy that he has read Tracy’s history, The Tercentenary History of Canada from Champlain to Laurier, 1608-1908, and liked it. Roosevelt also thought the piece in the Courier-Citizen about Henry Cabot Lodge was “first-class.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1911-01-05
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles O. Hunter
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Charles O. Hunter for his kind letter. Roosevelt thinks Hunter’s suggestion is “a history well worth writing,” but he does not feel qualified to do so.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1915-02-06
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Morley
President Roosevelt was recently reading a volume of John Morley’s work Critical Miscellanies, and wished to write to him about a number of the issues he raises, and critiques several other historians and works of history. Roosevelt pivots to talking about the recent election in the United States as he identifies it as having taken place under circumstances similar to those identified by Baron Thomas Babington Macaulay–with a recent financial panic and a demagogue opposing William H. Taft–but because of the moral superiority of the Republican party, Taft became president-elect. Roosevelt believes that foolish optimism can get in the way of sane optimism, but also believes that there is cause to hope in the future. He would like to see Morley when he visits England in 1910.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-12-01
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Otto Trevelyan
President Roosevelt sends George Otto Trevelyan a copy of his message to Congress, and speaks of some of the accomplishments of his administration in improving the financial situation of the United States government. Roosevelt would be pleased to visit Trevelyan when he comes to England. He heartily approves of Trevelyan’s speech, and has shared it with Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and Anna Cabot Mills Lodge. Roosevelt discusses his preferences for translations of classical works, and finds himself in agreement with Trevelyan in many respects. He relates a story of a recent encounter he had with Simon Bolivar Buckner at the White House, and closes by mentioning a number of other men who were named after famous historical personages.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-12-01
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Haven Putnam
President Roosevelt invites George Haven Putnam to a lunch meeting, but warns him that he will be unable to do any more historical writing for some time to come, and will be unable to finish The Winning of the West with another volume next year.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-07-21
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Haven Putnam
President Roosevelt feels the same way as George Haven Putnam, and thinks that he would like to continue writing his history of The Winning of the West unless he began work on another, larger, history. In either case, he will discuss it with Putnam before deciding.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-07-14
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Louis Madelin
President Roosevelt thanks Louis Madelin for Le Rome de Napoleon, his book on Roman history.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-04-29
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward S. Curtis
President Roosevelt has read what Edward S. Curtis sent, and has never heard that three Crow scouts were with George A. Custer. Roosevelt notes that Curtis seems inclined to believe an unflattering theory about Custer’s actions, and cautions him that in writing about an event thirty years after it happened, memories can be faulty. He notes that it is not his or Curtis’s affair if irresponsible men publish the things he wrote about.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-04-08
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Arthur James Balfour
President Roosevelt has recently received a copy of Arthur James Balfour’s book Decadence through Viscount Arthur Hamilton Lee, and he writes to thank Balfour for it and offer his thoughts. Roosevelt believes that Balfour is essentially right about there being something that can lead to the downfall of nations, races, and so forth, and also that it is difficult to properly explain it. He discusses many examples, including that of Spain, the Roman Empire, and South America, and how he sees them fitting in to Balfour’s theories.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-03-05
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lebbeus R. Wilfley
President Roosevelt assures Judge Wilfley that his letter and explanation are entirely satisfactory, and agrees that knowing the history of the period that William Blackstone was writing in would make the quotation that Wilfley used clear.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-02-29
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Committee on Department Methods
President Roosevelt suggests that the Committee on Department Methods consider forming a subcommittee to deal with the issue of documentary historical publications of the United States government. Roosevelt suggests several names for the Committee to consider for service on this subcommittee.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1908-02-11
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edmond S. Meany
President Roosevelt praises Edmond S. Meany’s history, probably Vancouver’s Discovery of Puget Sound which was published in early 1907. Roosevelt believes it is a great contribution to American scholarship.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1907-07-01
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kentarō Kaneko
President Roosevelt thanks Baron Kaneko for his concern about Archibald B. Roosevelt’s illness. He explains why the United States wishes to restrict members of the Japanese working class from migrating to the United States. Roosevelt believes that this will ease tensions between both countries. The new commission on immigration might also consider restricting immigration from Europe.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1907-05-23
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt
President Roosevelt updates his son Kermit about his mother’s and siblings’ lives, as well as the legislative progress he has made recently. Roosevelt has had difficulties with California, Japan, and Panama. He agrees with Kermit about the merits of Mark Twain and Robert Browning and their use of history as a narrative tool.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1906-02-16
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Scott Oliver
President Roosevelt enjoyed reading Frederick Scott Oliver’s book on Alexander Hamilton, and sends him some of his related thoughts. Roosevelt greatly prefers Hamilton to Thomas Jefferson, and feels that Jefferson largely did harm to the United States, although he acknowledges that there were several points on which Jefferson was better than Hamilton. Roosevelt remarks on Oliver’s statement that he lacks direct familiarity with American politics, and invites him to visit the United States and come to the White House.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1906-08-09
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Otto Trevelyan
President Roosevelt tells George Otto Trevelyan how much he liked his letter and book. Roosevelt is especially keen about Trevelyan’s description of a “Greek War” in modern terms, and even agrees with his “carefully guarded statement” about wanting to live in Ancient Greece. Roosevelt also discusses the Civil War connections on his personal staff.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-10-07
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry L. Redfield
President Roosevelt thanks Henry L. Redfield for the picture and was touched by the story connected to it. He wishes the picture and story could be sent to every masonic lodge in the country.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-10-26
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John St. Loe Strachey
President Roosevelt will see E. D. Morel, but will not be able to do anything about the Congo when it is six weeks before a national election. Roosevelt has been rereading Thomas Babington Macaulay’s histories and is struck by the importance of moderation in bringing about progress. Roosevelt discusses his position on race relations and labor issues as being moderate compared to extremists on either side.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1904-09-16
Creator(s)
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Clay Frick
On behalf of the Government of the United States, President Roosevelt accepts the painting by Theobald Chartran showing the signing of the peace protocol between the United States and Spain on August 12, 1898.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1903-11-10