Latin America

Letter from John Barrett to Edward Charles O’Brien

John Barrett responds to a note that Edward Charles O’Brien sent to Secretary of State Elihu Root about an article on the trip of Professor William R. Shepherd to South America. Barrett asks O’Brien to explain the situation to the University of Montevideo, because newspaper reports often do not give a full picture. He seeks to clarify Shepherd’s objectives in Latin and South America. Barrett also congratulates O’Brien for his work as Minister to Uruguay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Jacob Gould Schurman

President Roosevelt would prefer to have outright control of the canal route and does not believe that Colombia has the right to permanently “block one of the world’s great highways.” However, Roosevelt cannot express his feelings publicly as this would be taken as an effort to incite an insurrection in Panama. Item includes typewritten and shorthand copy.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-09-10

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to Tomás Estrada Palma

President Roosevelt reciprocates Cuban President Tomás Estrada Palma’s good wishes. The welfare of the Cuban Republic is “very dear” to the government and people of the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-06

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frank M. Chapman

Theodore Roosevelt writes to Frank M. Chapman about the Popular Science article and a criticism of Roosevelt’s “Appendix E” by Thayer, in a letter to the Tribune. He also finds Chapman’s Trinidad article very interesting and disagrees on several points about the birds of Trinidad, although he concedes that Chapman’s experience and training is greater than his own. Roosevelt further discusses his arguments about the coloration, cover, behavior, and habit of birds in the United States, Africa, and Latin America. He thanks Chapman for the interest in his article, thoroughly enjoyed his visit the other day, and will take his notes on the galley sheets into advisement. He returns The Awk and Osborn’s copy of Nature. In the addendum, Roosevelt answers Thayer’s criticism in the Popular Science magazine.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry L. Stimson

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Secretary of War Stimson for sending the fine speech by Judge Emile Henry Lacombe and encloses it with the letter. He asks that Stimson convey his compliments to Lacombe when he sees him and comments on how nice it was to see Stimson and his family yesterday. He encourages Stimson to take Mrs. Stimson on his trip to South America as he did with Mrs. Roosevelt on his trips to Panama and Elihu Root did with his wife when he went to South America.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederic Harrison

President Roosevelt is pleased to receive Frederic Harrison’s letter and has often considered the topic himself. As the end of his presidency nears, Roosevelt must square his desire to serve with the people’s fear of long running service leading to dictatorship. Ultimately, Roosevelt feels that he can retain the people’s belief in his sincerity by taking their fears into account, demonstrating that his actions have not been driven by a desire for power but by a “devotion to a high ideal” and the greater goal of putting an end to greed. He hopes Harrison will read Jeremiah Curtin’s recent book on the Mongols.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-18

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to David E. Thompson

President Roosevelt assures David E. Thompson, United States Ambassador to Mexico, that he “took exactly the right course.” Roosevelt’s message to President of Mexico Porfirio Díaz was unofficial and informal. Roosevelt does want Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina working together “to secure the peaceful and orderly development of the less fortunate tropical American countries,” but this is not ready for formal negotiation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt asks that Cecil Spring Rice give his regards to Lord Henry Charles Keith Petty-FitzMaurice Lansdowne. Roosevelt writes at length about the current state of international affairs and of relationships between different nations. He feels that it is not in Japan’s interest to extend the Russo-Japanese War for another year and explains his actions in pressing for peace negotiations between the two powers. Roosevelt also discusses his efforts urging the United States to interpret the Monroe Doctrine in an active way and remarks upon the recent death of Secretary of State John Hay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-24

Letter from Herbert G. Squiers to Elihu Root

Minister to Panama Squiers transmits a report to Secretary of State Root which responds to the criticisms made by the Liberal Party in Panama. Squiers writes that the Liberal Party is made up of a mixed population forming the lower classes, and the party is against “Church, State and Aristocracy in the oppressive forms which they have always taken in Latin America.” Squiers believes the conservatives are as much behind the times as the liberals, which is why President Manuel Amador Guerrero formed a new party, called the Constitutional Party, made up of the most progressive members from both parties.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-23

Letter from Charles Hial Darling to William Loeb

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Darling informs William Loeb about the placement and availability of naval ships in Latin America.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-28

Those little fellows want to look out when I toss the ball

First Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Loomis tosses a “‘new diplomacy’ medicine ball” to President Roosevelt as “little American republics” look on.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-20

Letter from John Barrett to Theodore Roosevelt

John Barrett, United States Minister to Panama, agrees with President Roosevelt combining the positions of governor and minister in Panama, and approves of his choice of Charles E. Magoon to fill the position. However, Barrett wants the appointment to be delayed until he can write to Roosevelt or Secretary of War William H. Taft about diplomatic developments in other countries in the region.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-03-28

Address to the Third Conference of American Republics

Secretary of State Root speaks to the Third Conference of the American Republics about popular self government and democracy, praising especially the progress that Latin American countries have made. Root emphasizes that this progress has come and must continue to come as a result of international interaction and assistance between the various nations, and that the conference he is now speaking at has further cooperation as its goal. He affirms the United States’s commitment to peace and independence of the various nations, and presents a wish for all the nations of the Americas to work together.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-01

Major uses letter of Roosevelt

William H. H. Llewellyn used a letter from Theodore Roosevelt in support of General Wood’s presidential campaign while speaking in Indiana. Llewellyn believes that Wood’s intimate knowledge of Latin Americans makes him especially suited for the presidency.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1920-05-13

Speech at the dinner of the Nobel Peace Committee

Theodore Roosevelt discusses the United States’s involvement in the Spanish-American War and its ongoing commitment to the new republic of Cuba in his 1910 speech at the Nobel Peace Committee Dinner. Roosevelt also describes other incidents of U.S. intervention.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1910-05-05

Letter from Frederic Emory to Theodore Roosevelt

Frederic Emory asks to be considered for Director of the Bureau of American Republics.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-06

Telegram from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Governor Taft begins with questions about what should be done in a libel case between Francis B. Loomis and Herbert W. Bowen. He then delves into foreign policy, particularly a dispute between President Castro of Venezuela and an American asphalt company. Taft believes a war with Venezuela can and should be avoided, at least until Congressional approval. Taft would like to send William W. Russell to Venezuela, presumably in a diplomatic capacity. (Description from deciphered transcript.)

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-27

Telegram from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Transcript of a telegram that was received in code. Governor Taft begins with questions about what should be done in a libel case between Francis B. Loomis and Herbert W. Bowen. He then delves into foreign policy, particularly a dispute between President Castro of Venezuela and an American asphalt company. Taft believes a war with Venezuela can and should be avoided, at least until Congressional approval. Taft would like to send William W. Russell to Venezuela, presumably in a diplomatic capacity.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-27