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Human rights

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Letter from William J. Tilghman to Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from William J. Tilghman to Theodore Roosevelt

Willam J. Tilghman has been waiting for Theodore Roosevelt to publish his thoughts on the conservation of human life, a topic Tilghman previously sent Roosevelt clippings about. Tilghman believes Roosevelt is the right man to speak on this subject, because he can “stir the consciousness of the nation.” He relates Roosevelt to Jonathon from the book of Samuel in the Bible. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Curtis Guild

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Curtis Guild

President Roosevelt chides Governor Guild for being involved with a petition that recently came to Roosevelt’s desk on behalf of Africans in the Congo Free State. Roosevelt receives hundreds of such petitions on a variety of topics based on whatever the current social cause is. If he had absolute power, and the United States were “prepared to embark on a long career of disinterested violence on behalf of all sufferers outside its limits,” then Roosevelt would gladly intervene, but as it stands he does not have any authority to intervene in any of the cases presented to him. Moreover, as the United States would not actually go to war in any of the cases, Roosevelt feels that the government should not “put itself into the ridiculous position of making a fuss which it does not intend to back up.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jacob H. Schiff

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jacob H. Schiff

President Roosevelt quotes a portion of a letter from George von Lengerke Meyer for Jacob H. Schiff’s information, in which Meyer discusses the Russian refusal to discuss the Bialystok massacre. Roosevelt appreciates the horror such massacres provokes, including that of the Armenian people in Turkey, but believes that sending warships to allow the persecuted people to escape would be “a spectacular bit of folly,” as warships are unfit for the purpose. He comments that “if the object was to take away the fugitives and not to do something theatrical,” it would be better to hire ordinary steamships for the purpose.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jacob H. Schiff

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jacob H. Schiff

President Roosevelt tells Jacob H. Schiff that he had already begun to discuss the matter with Secretary of State Elihu Root before receiving Schiff’s telegram. Roosevelt does not wish to say exactly what has been done about the matter and on behalf of the Jews in Russia, as “the efficacy of anything that is done depends largely on there being no symptom of offense to the Russian authorities.” He explains the difficulty there is in trying to influence policy in Russia on behalf of the Jewish population there, and says that while the government is doing everything it can do, it “would not only be utterly futile, but would put this nation in an undignified position, and would be a harm instead of a help” for the government to attempt any direct action.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-22

Translation of an interview had with Col. Ernesto Asbert, and taken from “La Discussión” dated August 29, 1906

Translation of an interview had with Col. Ernesto Asbert, and taken from “La Discussión” dated August 29, 1906

Colonel Ernesto Asbert states that the revolutionaries are not in arms for the purpose of waging capricious warfare, but that the attitude of the Cuban government, which is using the most reprehensible means to keep itself in power, has forced them to take this position. Asbert values efforts to establish peace that have arisen without further bloodshed. The revolutionists will maintain their position while parties attempt to find a solution, accepting with resignation the consequences this may bring. They prefer a new American intervention that will guarantee future legal elections.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-29