MacNutt, Francis Augustus, 1863-1927

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Dudley Foulke

President Roosevelt tells William Dudley Foulke that when Maria Longworth Storer wrote to him saying that Francis Augustus MacNutt must be received at the White House in order to be reinstated in the Papal Service, Roosevelt “strongly objected to being used in such a manner,” and refused to do so. He does not see why this conversation should require him to investigate MacNutt’s removal, which happened more than twelve years ago. Besides which, he now distrusts any information that came from Mrs. Storer. Roosevelt has also been reading Life of Morton, and is impressed. He compares the work of various authors of history.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Dudley Foulke

President Roosevelt explains to William Dudley Foulke that he cannot “be drawn into any discussion” into the situation of Francis Augustus MacNutt. He did not give Ambassador B. Storer or Maria Longworth Storer any information “which was not generally known.” He encloses Mrs. Storer’s letter, which asks for information that would exclude MacNutt from Papal service.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from William Dudley Foulke to Theodore Roosevelt

William Dudley Foulke calls President Roosevelt’s attention to a paper he encloses which was “published ostensibly by negroes” and distributed widely in Indianapolis. Foulke also comments on the situation of Francis Augustus MacNutt, who had been in the service of the United States as a diplomat until certain charges were raised against him. MacNutt was acquitted at Rome, but subsequent statements attributed to Roosevelt led to his not being received at the Vatican. MacNutt begs the privilege of answering any definite charge against him. He is still abroad, but would return to the United States to have the opportunity to prove his innocence.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-28

Creator(s)

Foulke, William Dudley, 1848-1935

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to David B. Ogden

President Roosevelt informs David B. Ogden the only first-hand knowledge he has about the Francis Augustus MacNutt case is that before the Department of State and says he cannot express an opinion about it. The president encloses copies of two letters regarding the situation but tells Ogden they are not to be published.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry White

President Roosevelt heartily congratulates Ambassador to Italy White on his ibex hunt and asks him to thank King of Italy Victor Emmanuel for the report volumes. He shares his frustration over the situation in Cuba.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry White

President Roosevelt sends Ambassador White a self-explanatory letter for him to read and return relating to some of the recent furor surrounding former Secretary of Legation Francis Augustus MacNutt. Former diplomat Archibald Loudon Snowden accused MacNutt of showing official correspondence with foreign representatives. Snowden agreed to retract his statement, but has subsequently refused to do so. Roosevelt largely knows about MacNutt from reports of Bellamy Storer and Maria Longworth Storer, and while he relies on them less, still comments that his personal impression of MacNutt is unfavorable.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Eugene A. Philbin

President Roosevelt does not wish to take action on the case of Francis Augustus MacNutt in the absence of Secretary of State Elihu Root, and believes the only thing he can say is that the State Department has transmitted the records dealing with MacNutt to him, which contain all official information on the matter. Roosevelt cannot do what David B. Ogden requests and make an inquiry into Archibald Loudon Snowden, as it is thirteen years after the event. Apart from any actions warranted by the official record, Roosevelt will not act on the matter. He is sure that on reflection Eugene A. Philbin will see that it would be unwise for Roosevelt to involve himself in the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to David B. Ogden

President Roosevelt appreciates David B. Ogden’s wish to advocate on behalf of Francis Augustus MacNutt. He has not taken any official position or action relative to MacNutt, and does not think it would be proper to send anyone to speak with Archibald Loudon Snowden at this time. He has already received a copy of all official information on the matter from Secretary of State Root.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Dudley Foulke

President Roosevelt confirms receipt of the letter from William Dudley Foulke, but is not sure why he should look further into the matter of Francis Augustus MacNutt. Secretary of State Elihu Root has given him a memorandum containing everything the records show on the matter, and Roosevelt does not feel that he has any reason to “take up a case that was decided ten years ago and with which I have nothing whatever to do.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Dudley Foulke

President Roosevelt encloses a letter for William Dudley Foulke introducing him to Ambassador Henry White. Roosevelt does not feel that he can write to white about Francis Augustus MacNutt any more, and would prefer to let the matter rest with the note and memorandum by Secretary of State Elihu Root.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry White

President Roosevelt thanks Ambassador White for the letter, and asks if reports that he dined with Francis Augustus MacNutt, a private chamberlain to the pope, are true.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from David B. Ogden to Theodore Roosevelt

David B. Ogden thanks President Roosevelt for his letter and its enclosures. Ogden says Francis Augustus MacNutt did not earn his admiration until after the situation arose. Ogden promises to adhere to Roosevelt’s instructions about the letters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-15

Creator(s)

Ogden, David B., 1849-1923

Letter from William Dudley Foulke to Theodore Roosevelt

On behalf of his former classmate, David B. Ogden, William Dudley Foulke asks President Roosevelt to reconsider the charges of disloyalty brought against Francis Augustus MacNutt when he was in Spain. Foulke says that minister Archibald Loudon Snowden has made contradictory statements about the matter. Foulke also notes that attacks on Roosevelt in the press are becoming milder, perhaps because they seem to be ineffectual.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-12

Creator(s)

Foulke, William Dudley, 1848-1935

Letter from David B. Ogden to Archibald Loudon Snowden

David B. Ogden forwards a letter from Francis A. MacNutt to Archibald Loudon Snowden, in which MacNutt asks Snowden whether he made charges to the Department of State against MacNutt. Ogden appeals to Snowden to make a public statement about the truth in the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-29

Creator(s)

Ogden, David B., 1849-1923

Letter from Henry White to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Henry White reports to President Roosevelt on a week he spent with King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy. White and Emmanuel discussed international disarmament, about which both were skeptical. They talked about Vatican relations with many nations, especially Italy and France, and of how the Jesuits were involved. White also describes hunting ibex and shares that the king offered to send Roosevelt some ibex heads.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-29

Creator(s)

White, Henry, 1850-1927

Letter from Henry White to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Henry White updates President Roosevelt on the allegations against Francis Augustus MacNutt, that he was leaking secret, official Vatican documents. Although MacNutt has been cleared by the Court of Appeals at Rome, and White concurs that there was no truth in the matter, it will be better if MacNutt does not present himself at the Embassy, and it is hoped that he will not do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-25

Creator(s)

White, Henry, 1850-1927

Letter from David B. Ogden to Theodore Roosevelt

David B. Ogden writes to President Roosevelt regarding charges made against American diplomat Francis Augustus MacNutt. Ogden, who is cousin to MacNutt’s wife, Margaret van Cortlandt Ogden MacNutt, believes MacNutt to be innocent of any charges brought against him. He implores that Roosevelt conduct a sincere investigation regarding the charges against MacNutt and he accuses Colonel Archibald Louden Snowden of making false statements on the matter. Ogden particularly hopes that Roosevelt will send someone he trusts with Ogden’s lawyer John Hampton Barnes to procure a sworn statement from Snowden.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-23

Creator(s)

Ogden, David B., 1849-1923

Letter from William Dudley Foulke to Theodore Roosevelt

William Dudley Foulke writes to President Roosevelt regarding Francis Augustus MacNutt, who is accused of divulging secrets. Archibald Loudon Snowden, who had previously agreed to write a statement, now refuses to write one. Foulke believes this disqualifies Snowden to offer evidence regarding MacNutt’s guilt or innocence. Foulke suggests Roosevelt send someone trustworthy to resolve the issue.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-30

Creator(s)

Foulke, William Dudley, 1848-1935

Letter from John H. Barnes to Origen S. Seymour

John Hampton Barnes reports to Origen S. Seymour that he has spoken with Archibald Loudon Snowden, former United States Minister to Spain, regarding Snowden’s request to transfer Francis N. MacNutt, his secretary of legation, in 1893. It was alleged McNutt was transferred because he divulged secrets to priests. Snowden stated that he merely could not rely on MacNutt’s loyalty during negotiations and had no knowledge of MacNutt divulging secrets.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-29

Creator(s)

Barnes, John H. (John Hampton), 1860-1952

Letter from Henry White to Theodore Roosevelt

Henry White, ambassador to Italy, explains to President Roosevelt that he accepted an invitation to dinner with Francis MacNutt, chamberlain to the Vatican, before he knew of the charges against MacNutt. He has had no further contact with MacNutt and will continue to avoid such contact. White also discusses the importance of a bill to authorize the purchasing of embassy houses in foreign countries. Especially in Rome, where real estate is in high demand, such a purchase would allow the U.S. to stand alongside other great powers. Finally, White congratulates Roosevelt on his daughter Alice’s engagement.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-28

Creator(s)

White, Henry, 1850-1927