Merry del Val, Raphael, 1865-1930

T. R. in Europe

Manuscript about Theodore Roosevelt’s travels in Europe in 1910, submitted to The Reader’s Digest by his personal secretary, Frank Harper. The article describes how Harper came to work for Theodore Roosevelt, his first meeting with him at Sagamore Hill before his departure on his African safari in 1909, and meeting him again next in Rome a year later. Harper then details the controversy over whether Roosevelt would be able to meet the pope (which meeting Harper describes as being blocked by Cardinal Merry del Val), Roosevelt’s meeting with the King of Italy, his visit to Porto Maurizio to see his wife’s sister Emily Carow, his address at the Sorbonne in Paris (which was translated for him into French by Jules Jusserand), an offer from Count Zeppelin to visit Germany in one of his Zeppelins, the hospitality of the German Kaiser in Berlin, and Roosevelt’s service as the special ambassador representing the United States at the funeral of Edward VII.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

Unknown

Creator(s)

Harper, Frank, 1882-1971

Letter from John St. Loe Strachey to Theodore Roosevelt

John St. Loe Strachey relays to President Roosevelt an account of his trip to France and Germany. He and his wife visited Ambassador Charlemagne Tower and his wife in Berlin as well as Ambassador Robert Sanderson McCormick and his wife in Paris. Strachey believes that Chancellor Bernard Fürst von Bülow will be defeated in his reelection bid and that the Emperor was also held in disfavor by the German people. Strachey is concerned about the warlike nature of the Germans. He relays his thoughts on some of the French politicians and theologians whom he met; he found the French people and politicians generally to be pacifistic.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-11

Creator(s)

Strachey, John St. Loe, 1860-1927

Extracts from letters to Maria Longworth Storer

Archbishop Keane tells Maria Longworth Storer that he sent Bishop Richard Scannell to talk with Cardinal Raphael Merry del Val, and Scannell reported that the Cardinal’s sympathies are not with them. Princess Alexandrine Windisch-Graetz informs Storer that she met with Pope Pius X about Archbishop John Ireland, and Ireland will be made Cardinal at the next Consistory.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-14

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to J. J. O’Connor

Theodore Roosevelt thanks J. J. O’Connor for the letter and appreciates his friendly words regarding Roosevelt’s article on the Mexican situation. However, Roosevelt takes issue with O’Connor’s statement that Roosevelt made a political blunder by not visiting Pope Pius X. After his African safari, Roosevelt visited Rome, Italy, and intended to pay his respects to the Pope. Cardinal Merry del Val, the Cardinal Secretary of State, made a stipulation for meeting with the Pope that Roosevelt could not visit the Methodist church and school at Rome. Roosevelt could not agree to these terms and was not received. He believes his decision was proper.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John St. Loe Strachey

President Roosevelt was impressed with what John St. Loe Strachey had to say about Berlin and Paris and discusses his thoughts on the war scare between England and Germany two years prior.  He tells Strachey that there are those who object to “keeping up the Navy” while also persuading him to come to terms with Japan, which he sees as “inviting trouble” and refusing to prepare if conflict with Japan became a reality. Roosevelt believes that the United States will have to adopt a similar policy on Japanese immigration as Australia but is confused as to why a country with a much smaller population and birth-rate adopted such a policy so soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Robert Bacon

President Roosevelt has received portraits of Pope Pius X and Merry del Val, and would like to send them pictures of himself in return. He asks Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon whether it would be possible to have Ambassador Henry White deliver the pictures. He concedes it may be wise to ask Secretary of State Elihu Root before making a final decision.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frances M. Wolcott

President Roosevelt encloses the book that Frances M. Wolcott requested. He thinks that her conversation with Cardinal Raphael Merry del Val must have been interesting.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02-14

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Maria Longworth Storer

President Roosevelt rebukes Maria Longworth Storer for her repeated attempts at “ecclesiastical intrigue” while trying to get Archbishop John Ireland made Cardinal. Roosevelt has repeatedly told Storer and her husband, Ambassador Bellamy Storer, that both they and he cannot officially get involved in matters regarding the Catholic Church. However, the Storers seem to have ignored these directives and continued to improperly write letters on Ireland’s behalf and to improperly quote portions of Roosevelt’s letters about the matter. If such actions do not stop, Roosevelt will have to remove Bellamy from his position as Ambassador. He asks Maria to return his letters on the subject.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Bellamy Storer to Theodore Roosevelt

Bellamy Storer writes to President Roosevelt asking him to consider the facts, which Storer has enclosed as a statement of points, regarding his dismissal from diplomatic service. The dismissal was based on the grounds that both Storer’s conduct, in his capacity as an American ambassador, and his wife Maria Longworth Storer’s conduct in Rome, blurred the lines of public office and personal opinion regarding the promotion of Archbishop John Ireland to Cardinal. Storer defends his actions, including full and partial correspondence between those chiefly involved, to prove that he was acting in his public capacity at the request of President Roosevelt, which Roosevelt now denies. Storer is aggrieved that he was dismissed before his letter of resignation could have reached Washington since he was on leave in Egypt at the time he received Roosevelt’s request for his resignation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-18

Creator(s)

Storer, B. (Bellamy), 1847-1922

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 Henry White to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador White informs President Roosevelt about American relations with the Vatican, including a controversial dinner White had with four cardinals in honor of Archbishop John Ireland. He says that some in the Vatican, including Pope Pius X, approved of the meeting, while others did not, given that the United States and the Vatican did not officially have relations at that time. White makes a number of other short remarks on various diplomats and the relationship between the Italian Government and the Vatican. White tells Roosevelt that Cardinal Merry del Val and the Pope both appreciated the signed photographs Roosevelt sent them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-27

Creator(s)

White, Henry, 1850-1927

Letter from Frances M. Wolcott to Theodore Roosevelt

Frances M. Wolcott, who is traveling in Italy, asks President Roosevelt to send a copy of Emory Upton’s The Military Policy of the United States for a literary friend who needs it. She also reports her recent meeting with Cardinal Raphael Merry del Val, who spoke warmly of Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-02-14

Creator(s)

Wolcott, Frances M. (Frances Metcalfe), 1851-1933

Innocent Mr. Roosevelt

An article in the California Christian Advocate has published an article discussing Maria Longworth Storer’s attempt to secure President Roosevelt’s endorsement in a “scheme” to convince Pope Pius X to appoint Archbishop John Ireland a cardinal. Roosevelt did not give his endorsement because it would be improper to interfere in the official business of the Catholic church. Nonetheless, Storer “caused the impression to be conveyed to the pope that the President desired Ireland” for the cardinal position, although Pope Pius X denies this. The writer of the article believes Roosevelt to be “so open-minded, so sincere, so frank, that the Roman church has found him an easy mark for its schemes.” The writer goes on to accuse Rome of “defying” the President by trying to prevent the recall of Ambassador Storer.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-22

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft reports to President Roosevelt on his campaign activities, asks Roosevelt to review an article for The Churchman, and forwards a report on the progress of the Panama Canal. In preparation for a speech, Taft requests a meeting with the head of the Treasury Department to review government expenditures and also expresses his desire to review Judge Parker’s Democratic nomination acceptance letter. Finally, Taft forwards a letter from Cardinal Merry del Val and asks Roosevelt’s opinion on whether he should respond.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-20

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft informs President Roosevelt about a variety of correspondence he has attended to including letters from Cardinal Raphael Merry del Val, a recommendation to appoint Campbell to a judgeship in Panama, and a letter from Judge Smith. Taft also discusses reports from the Democratic Convention in St. Louis that indicate Judge Alton B. Parker will receive the nomination. Taft hopes that Roosevelt is having a good time in Oyster Bay and tells Roosevelt about his own Fourth of July.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-11

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Letter from Maria Longworth Storer to William H. Taft

Maria Longworth Storer shares with Secretary of War Taft a portion of a letter from Cardinal Merry del Val. Since Merry del Val will not write to Taft first, Storer asks that Taft send him a letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-18

Creator(s)

Storer, Maria Longworth, 1849-1932

Letter from Maria Longworth Storer to Theodore Roosevelt

Maria Longworth Storer has heard that Pope Pius X declined to promote Archbishop John Ireland to Cardinal after interference from Cardinal Raphael Merry del Val, who asserted that President Roosevelt had also advocated for the promotion of Archbishop John M. Farley. As Farley represents a “foreign and reactionary spirit,” Storer does not believe that Roosevelt would have asked for his advancement. If the assertions she heard are untrue, she asks Roosevelt to write the Pope to say so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-20

Creator(s)

Storer, Maria Longworth, 1849-1932

Their only hope is rain

Pope Pius X and Cardinal Merry del Val attempt to put out a fire labeled “Revolt Against the Vatican throughout Southern Europe” with bellows labeled “Intolerance” and “Infallibility.” Rain clouds labeled “The Diplomacy of Leo” approach from the right, beneath the spirit of Pope Leo XIII. Caption: They can’t put out a fire with things that won’t put a fire out.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1910-09-21

Creator(s)

Unknown

Letter from William E. Mantius to Theodore Roosevelt

William E. Mantius spoke to his friend, Thomas W. Cridler, regarding Cardinal Merry del Val. Cridler can transfer the information to Secretary of State John Hay who can then speak with President McKinley. Mantius does not want the “ostrich game” to be played in Washington, D.C., while the Vatican is preparing for action.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-09-04

Creator(s)

Mantius, William E., 1847-1914