Mississippi

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt thanks Dr. Abbott for making clear his point of view. As is often the case when people share a common end while differing over the means, their differences seem to be in terminology more than substance. Roosevelt agrees with Abbott’s policy and is responding to revelations of peonage in Mississippi, working through a district attorney and marshal who are “decent democrats.” Roosevelt has no idea how the election results will turn out, and though he believes he and his principles will triumph, he would not be ungrateful to the American public if he were to lose.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt comments on recent press coverage by Lyman Abbott in The Outlook. Roosevelt acknowledges the article captures his “mental attitude” exactly regarding racial discrimination, black suffrage and equality before the law. He names John Sharp Williams of Mississippi as a prime example of how “whites have suppressed this colored vote so absolutely by force, by fraud, by every species of iniquity.” Roosevelt explains that although the race question was not part of his acceptance speech, if the issue is forced upon him in the upcoming campaign “I shall certainly not hesitate to meet it.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Miliken Parker

President Roosevelt has received the letter and will be delighted if Mississippi takes such an action.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Carl Schurz

President Roosevelt describes his policy for making federal appointments in the South and believes he has been fair.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles A. Gardiner

President Roosevelt believes that educating African Americans is only one part of the problem and has not yet looked into the violations of the fourteenth amendment. Roosevelt will not speak publicly on the topic and doubts that scholastic education would help a community that would elect James Vardaman, they would need “lessons of decency and honor” before seeing to the education of the illiterate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-11-18

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lawrence F. Abbott

President Roosevelt is pleased with the settlement of the Alaska boundary. Roosevelt encloses a newspaper article, which he would like republished, from a Democratic paper in Mississippi that supports James Kimble Vardaman for Governor.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-10-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edgar S. Wilson

President Roosevelt expresses limited support for Wilson’s suggestion that a weekly newspaper in Mississippi would be the best educational instrument for the upbuilding of that state. Roosevelt does not believe that such a paper could benefit him as Mississippi will be against him anyhow.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-10-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt calls Lyman Abbott’s attention to the “foulness and violence” of James Kimble Vardaman, the recently elected Governor of Mississippi. Roosevelt has a low opinion of Vardaman and considers him even lower than John Edward Addicks of Delaware.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-10-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Albert Shaw

President Roosevelt feels that acquiring the land for an Isthmian canal cannot be done by treaty and public opinion is not prepared to accept the land’s seizure by force. Roosevelt was disappointed that the Review of Reviews displayed a positive view of James Vardaman, recently elected Governor of Mississippi, who Roosevelt considers worse than John Edward Addicks of Delaware.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-10-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to J. M. Dickinson

President Roosevelt will read Mississippi and the Mississippians with great pleasure.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-08-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Albert Shaw

President Roosevelt defends his appointments and treatment of the South.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to D. M. Taylor

President Roosevelt believes his appointments in Mississippi have been fair; he has appointed many Democrats and “but one or two colored men.” Roosevelt is trying his best to do what is “square and right” regarding the Indianola post office matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Philip Battell Stewart

President Roosevelt thanks Philip Battell Stewart for his efforts in the recent elections. Roosevelt goes on to recount his unsuccessful bear hunt in Mississippi, from which he has just returned; no bears were killed and the press caused all sorts of problems during and after the hunt. The experience casts doubt on whether the planned hunt with Stewart should go forward. President Roosevelt wants several questions about the proposed hunt answered before he makes up his mind.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-11-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Theodore Roosevelt

President Roosevelt jokes with Ted about Ted’s hunting and gives him permission to “play on the third Eleven.” However, he requests that Ted not break his neck unless it is “really necessary.” President Roosevelt is still having troubles walking and has upcoming hunts scheduled for turkey and bear.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-10-31

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Avery McIlhenny

Stuyvesant Fish has arranged for a November bear hunt in Arkansas or Mississippi and President Roosevelt invites John Avery McIlhenny.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-10-21

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Philander C. Knox

President Roosevelt would like a position for Mollison in Mississippi. Booker T. Washington vouches for him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-06-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Philander C. Knox

President Roosevelt requests Attorney General Knox’s personal consideration on the case of District Attorney Lee and Marshal Wilson.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-03-26

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Booker T. Washington

President Roosevelt thanks Booker T. Washington and will follow his advice in Mississippi matters.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-12-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Booker T. Washington

President Roosevelt assures Booker T. Washington that comments made about their dinner will not affect the stand he has taken or his policies in the American South. Roosevelt also requests Washington’s opinion of various political figures in Missouri and Mississippi.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-11-02

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Sylvester Chamberlain

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt thanks Sylvester Chamberlain for his kind words. He is uncertain if the Weather Bureau has published the map of the overflowed districts in Mississippi and Tennessee but will look into the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-04-19