International Peace Conference

Telegram from Rudolph Forster to William Loeb

Rudolph Forster forwards a telegram from Mexican President Porfirio Díaz. A group of Central American republics have agreed to hold their proposed conference in Washington in early November. Díaz approves of the telegrams President Roosevelt has sent him thus far and hopes they will both send their messages to the Central American presidents tomorrow. William Loeb adds a handwritten note at the bottom that the State Department is being asked to send these messages.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-21

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid quickly replies to President Roosevelt before going grouse-shooting in Scotland. Reid closed the modus vivendi regarding Newfoundland fisheries, but is waiting to formally execute it based on Premier of Newfoundland Robert Bond’s response. Regarding Joseph Hodges Choate and the immunity of private property at sea, Reid sees no reason for follow-up as Choate was likely misled by poor information. He briefly mentions France’s “hornet’s nest” in Morocco.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-11

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid sends an addition to “the bundle of gossip” he recently sent to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, noting that this dispatch is a bit more serious and more likely to interest President Roosevelt with his description of a number of political events, in addition to more social fare.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-01

Letter from Andrew Carnegie to Theodore Roosevelt

Andrew Carnegie updates President Roosevelt on matters in Great Britain. Carnegie says Roosevelt’s handling of the “Japanese flurry” was masterful, and says Japan will not make any more trouble due to her financial status. Carnegie notes that many countries are restricting entry to Japanese citizens, and that Roosevelt has solved the problem. Carnegie comments on the stances of Great Britain and Germany at the International Peace Conference at The Hague.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-31

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid updates President Roosevelt on the activities of the American Embassy in London. Reid has attended and given some short speeches at the dedication of memorials related to Harvard or Yale alumni, noting that relationships forged though the universities strengthens ties between Great Britain and the United States. Reid has made a proposal for the arbitration between the United States and Great Britain regarding fisheries off of Newfoundland. Arthur F. Winnington Ingram, the Bishop of London, is looking forward to visiting the United States and will be present when Roosevelt dedicates a lecturn to Bruton Parish Church. King Edward VII and Parliament are still at work until August, but the current Parliament has not yet achieved much in the way of legislation. Reid describes the King and British people’s reactions to the International Peace Conference at The Hague, and the prevailing attitude about the immunity of private property at sea. Finally, Reid describes some press coverage at the recent 4th of July events at the Embassy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-19

Letter from James Roosevelt Roosevelt to Theodore Roosevelt

James Roosevelt Roosevelt sends President Roosevelt an article from the London Times about American relations with Venezuela, which he finds interesting because it is slightly sarcastic towards the United States. James hopes the Korean Mission to the peace conference at The Hague will not go to the United States, as newspaper coverage of such a visit would antagonize Japan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-18

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

Telegram from Joseph Hodges Choate to Elihu Root

As part of the Second Hague Conference, the British Admiralty wants to discuss banning the use of mines in warfare. Barring that, they want their use significantly limited in both duration of use and geographical area.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-06

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 Paul-Henri-Benjamin Balluet to Theodore Roosevelt

Baron Estournelles de Constant informs President Roosevelt of his upcoming visit to America to speak at the Carnegie Institute.  He hopes his speech, entitled “American youth and American faith regenerating European old age and skepticism”, will spawn “great confidence” upon the younger generation of Americans.  He will arrive in Washington on the eighth, avoiding any speaking engagements until he receives Roosevelt’s advice on how do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-05

Letter from Andrew Carnegie to Theodore Roosevelt

Andrew Carnegie tells President Roosevelt that he believes the priority at the next Hague Peace Conference must be the establishment of an international police force.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-14

Letter from Edward Grey to Theodore Roosevelt

British Foreign Secretary Grey updates President Roosevelt about James Bryce’s plans regarding his upcoming trip to Canada and the ongoing conversations about the best position to take at the International Peace Conference. Grey hopes the diplomatic debacle following Jamaican Governor James Alexander Swettenham’s refusal of American help after the Kingston Earthquake is blowing over, as well as the conflict between the Japanese Government and America regarding California. Grey thinks that King Léopold II of Belgium should relinquish control of the Congo, which he believes should pass to the Belgian Government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-12

Letter from Nicholas Murray Butler to Theodore Roosevelt

Nicholas Murray Butler updates President Roosevelt on the progress being made to establish the Association for International Conciliation, with funding from Andrew Carnegie. The peace work of the association is to be done as quietly as possible and in accordance with the wishes of Roosevelt and Secretary of State Elihu Root. In addition, Butler offers Roosevelt his support in regard to the Brownsville affair and encourages Roosevelt to keep up a “stiff front” to the “Senate oligarchy.” Butler also shares his observations regarding how railroad officials are trying to make the new railroad rate law unpopular, but concludes that, despite challenges, the law will succeed in the end.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-21

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid updates President Roosevelt about his diplomatic activities and assures him that he has been keeping Secretary of State Elihu Root in the loop. Reid suspects that the Russians and Germans are trying to get an American diplomat to make a statement regarding disarmament, so they can better position themselves at the upcoming Peace Conference.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-18

Letter from Edward Grey to Theodore Roosevelt

British Foreign Secretary Grey informs President Roosevelt that Ambassador H. Mortimer Durand will be replaced, and while he understands Roosevelt’s desire to have Arthur Lee in his place, that is politically impossible. Temporarily, Esmé Howard will be sent to Washington as Councillor to the Embassy. Grey appreciated Roosevelt’s explanation of his telegram to German Emperor William after the Portsmouth Peace. Grey explains that his foreign policy is not anti-German, but to be independent he feels it necessary to strengthen the entente with France and come to an agreement with Russia. Grey believes that his generation has had enough of war, and the British people feel a special bond with the United States. Grey hopes the dispute between Canada and the United States over Newfoundland will soon be settled. He also adds that many in Great Britain are upset over reports of slavery and plunder in the Belgian Congo.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-04

Letter from Paul-Henri-Benjamin Balluet, the baron d’Estournelles de Constant to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Estournelles de Constant of France thanks President Theodore Roosevelt for his letter which encouraged him “as the signal of a lighthouse above the fog.” Estournelles de Constant talks of the relationship between France and Germany and, in a postscript, reflects on the impact that the International Peace Conference at the Hague may have on arms limitation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-18

Letter from Paul-Henri-Benjamin Balluet to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Estournelles de Constant of France finds a letter from President Roosevelt to be “like the signal of a light-house above the fog” when compared to his communications with most European governments. He eagerly anticipates his meeting with Roosevelt in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, next spring. Estournelles de Constant notes the challenges of getting Germany and France to reconcile and predicts “brilliant failure” for the next conference of The Hague if arms limitation cannot be agreed upon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-18

Letter from James E. Dunning to Robert Bacon

United States Consul Dunning describes receiving a coded cablegram on September 13, 1906, that contained President Roosevelt’s speech for the Fifteenth Peace Conference to Assistant Secretary of State Bacon. After the opening of the Conference in Milan, Italy, Dunning read Roosevelt’s speech, which was received appropriately. The mayor of Milan asked Dunning to present his respects to Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-19

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 Elihu Root to Theodore Roosevelt

Brazil and Mexico have agreed to go on with the Rio Conference and are to hold the South Americans in insisting upon a delay of The Hague.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-06