Michigan

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Watson Gilder

President Roosevelt writes Richard Watson Gilder a lengthy refutation of an article in the Evening Post in which William Garrott Brown misconstrues his actions in the Republican Party. Namely, Brown accuses Roosevelt of neglecting Republicans in the South and of doing a poor job of making nominations to local offices and positions. Roosevelt asserts that where the Republican party is not strong in the South, he has had to appoint Democrats who were quality men, rather than incapable men who are Republicans. Where he believes the party has a chance to compete with Democrats, he does all he can to support it. Roosevelt also writes that he did not use his influence on officers to get William H. Taft the nomination, but rather Taft was nominated because Roosevelt’s policies were popular, and Taft is the man who will continue those policies. Roosevelt believes that Brown is either ignorant or willfully ignorant of a number of facts.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick M. Alger

President Roosevelt tells Frederick M. Alger that he has heard good things about David Meginnity, collector of internal revenue in Detroit, Michigan. Two Senators have recommended another person for his position, but Roosevelt is not yet sure what he will do.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Burrill Angell

President Roosevelt wishes that he could accept the invitation from James Burrill Angell to visit Michigan. He visited the state last year, and does not feel that he could visit again without first visiting some other states even if he was able to make speeches. Regardless, he is unable to make any speeches at this time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-08

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to William Alden Smith

If Senator Smith wishes to make a nomination for the Michigan Court of Claims he needs to tell President Roosevelt immediately, and preferably would have contacted him much earlier.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to C. Hart Merriam

Theodore Roosevelt believes he was correct about the passenger pigeons he saw. He includes evidence in the form of a letter written by Joseph Wilmer, whose place Plain Dealing is near Roosevelt’s Pine Knot. Roosevelt also includes an excerpt from George Shiras discussing various topics, including the timber wolf and how lynx hunt, and disagreeing with William J. Long’s texts on the subjects.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Philander C. Knox

President Roosevelt explains to Senator Knox that he cannot appoint Knox to the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission because he has already discussed appointing someone from Illinois with Senators Shelby M. Cullom and Albert J. Hopkins.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Mark Sullivan

President Roosevelt describes to Mark Sullivan the considerations that have gone into his selections for federal judgeships. Roosevelt reviews his appointments in detail, noting that some were made at the request of the local organization and some against their wishes. The goal in each case was to appoint someone “of the high character, the good sense, the trained legal ability, and the necessary broad-mindedness of spirit…essential to a good judge.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-13

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Gerrit J. Diekema

President Roosevelt accepts Gerrit J. Diekema’s resignation from the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission and congratulates Diekema on his election to the United States Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Philander C. Knox

President Roosevelt would like to appoint Pennsylvanian Henry K. Daugherty to a commission, but the senators from Michigan and Illinois have already approached him about that position. Roosevelt is torn between his desire to do as Attorney General Philander C. Knox wishes and the risk of offending the men who spoke to him first.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Emlen Roosevelt

President Roosevelt invites his cousin, William Emlen Roosevelt, to accompany him on a three day speaking tour in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-29

Telegram from Theodore Roosevelt to Gilbert W. Dickson

President Roosevelt congratulates Gilbert W. Dickson, President of the Detroit Federation of Labor, on the opening of the labor carnival. Roosevelt hopes that the conditions of labor in both Michigan and the rest of the country will continue to improve for all citizens.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Julius C. Burrows

President Roosevelt asks Senator Burrows if he agrees that Arthur C. Denison, a judge in Michigan, would be a good candidate for the position. Roosevelt believes he cannot provide endorsements for judgeships as freely as he can with other appointments, as the “man best fitted” should have the position regardless of political backing. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Taft

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Taft that he may want to appoint Commissioner of Corporations James Rudolph Garfield as a judge in spite of Taft’s reservations, as he thinks he would be a good judge, but that he will talk with Taft in person about it. Responding to what Taft had said about Senator Julius C. Burrows objecting to his talking about the Michigan judiciary, Roosevelt writes “let him object until he is black in the face,” and contemplates driving the conflict to a head by appointing Arthur C. Denison over Burrows’s objections and emphasizing the president’s power to make appointments.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to R. A. Alger

President Roosevelt tells Senator Alger he is delighted Michigan has done well and looks forward to seeing Alger soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Chase S. Osborn

President Roosevelt appreciates the courtesy but he will be unable to travel to Michigan this year.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-09

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Alden Smith

President Roosevelt regrets that he will be unable to visit Michigan on July 6. The announcement that he was simply considering a visit led to so many requests that there would be “serious trouble” if he did not visit other areas.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt has written to the Michigan senators and asked them to submit another name in place of George Y. Wisner.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-07-25

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick M. Alger

President Roosevelt regrets not being able to meet the members of the Michigan Club.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-03-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick M. Alger

President Roosevelt appreciates the invitation but will be unable to attend the Michigan Club banquet.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-05-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Walter Hughson

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt explains to Walter Hughson that no portion of the Navy Department’s annual appropriation for furnishing the naval militia can be used until the state authorities recognize and mustered it in. He suggests that Hughson contact the Adjutant General of Michigan E. M. Irish and with Lieutenant-Commander Gilbert Wilkes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-10-11