Mormon Church | - Theodore Roosevelt Center

Letter from Lyman Abbott to Theodore Roosevelt

Lyman Abbott is not sure what the United States government can do in the cases of the Armenians or the Congo Free State, but believes there is “a real power” in international public opinion. Abbott believes that giving the Japanese suffrage now would put the control of Hawaii in their hands and doubts the wisdom of it for the same reason he doubts the wisdom of giving political control of the Philippines to the Filipinos. Abbott also gives his opinion that Reed Smoot’s religious beliefs as a Mormon should not exclude him from the Senate, unless his allegiance to the Church is “above” his allegiance to the Constitution.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-08

Letter from Daniel Sylvester Tuttle to Theodore Roosevelt

Bishop Tuttle, a missionary for the Episcopal Church in Utah, writes to President Roosevelt about recognizing Mormons’ civil rights.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-06

Letter from Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt to H. C. Lawrence

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary informs H. C. Lawrence that a full statement of Roosevelt’s views on the Mormon “controversy” may be found in the April 15 issue of Collier’s Weekly. The article should supply Lawrence with the information he desires.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Daniel Sylvester Tuttle

President Roosevelt agrees with Bishop Tuttle’s thoughts on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The president believes the government has no right to discriminate against a Mormon due to his religious belief if he does not practice polygamy and has not performed any illegal act. Roosevelt believes a law-abiding Mormon citizen should be treated just like the government treats individuals of other religious beliefs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-09

Letter from Horace G. Whitney to Theodore Roosevelt

Horace G. Whitney sends Theodore Roosevelt an editorial from the Desert News responding to Roosevelt’s letter to I. K. Russell. Whitney assures Roosevelt that “plural marriages are absolutely things of the past in the Mormon Church.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-25

Letter from I. K. Russell to Theodore Roosevelt

I. K. Russell recalls Theodore Roosevelt mentioning his willingness to remark upon the Mormon situation, and a letter Roosevelt wrote that could give Russell the opportunity to make Roosevelt’s opinions public. Russell has enclosed an amended version of Roosevelt’s letter, omitting several personal names upon Roosevelt’s request. If Roosevelt does not object, Russell plans to send the letter to B. H. Roberts, a historian of the Mormon Church who frequently writes in defense of the church.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-14

Letter from Clarence E. Deal and Solomon W. Seeman to James Rudolph Garfield

Solomon W. Seeman and Clarence E. Deal of the local Minister’s Union ask Secretary of the Interior Garfield not to nominate Frank C. Bramwell for the position of register of the land office at La Grande, Oregon, because of his ties to Mormonism.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-19

Letter from James D. Gillilan to James Rudolph Garfield

Methodist minister James D. Gillilan believes that political appointments have been influenced by a powerful official in the Mormon Church. He informs Secretary of the Interior Garfield that the appointee for the La Grande, Oregon land office, Franklin C. Bramwell, is the son of the president of the Mormon Church “‘state,'” and therefore a “stick in the nostrils of the law abiding element.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-12

Letter from William H. Taft to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of War Taft updates President Roosevelt on his progress through Idaho, where he has been speaking on behalf of Republican candidates. The longer he is in Idaho, the more he believes that the Western Federation of Miners has been working to defeat Senator Frank Robert Gooding. He describes Gooding’s involvement related to the lawsuit against Charles Moyer and William Dudley “Big Bill” Haywood. Taft feels somewhat doubtful about Gooding’s election. Another issue of note in Idaho relates to the Mormons and their stance regarding polygamy. He also comments on elections in other areas of the country, and reiterates what he has previously said regarding the importance of Roosevelt’s influence in this election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-04

Page from McClure’s Magazine

Page from McClure’s Magazine showing the pictures and names of seven members of the Mormon Church’s apostle’s quorum. These members performed plural marriages following the manifesto forbidding it in 1890, and began taking steps to restore polygamy in the Mormon Church, which has not excommunicated them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02

Letter from I. K. Russell to Theodore Roosevelt

I. K. Russell writes to Theodore Roosevelt to ask if he would be willing to write a letter commenting on the charges that, while president, he was part of a “corrupt alliance” with the Mormon church in Utah. Russell hopes to publicize Roosevelt’s response to show once and for all that there was no such alliance, as well as to help improve the public perception of the Mormon church, which has been slandered by a number of sources.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-14

Roosevelt—That’s bully! No race suicide there!

President Roosevelt reads a newspaper with the headline: “Testimony in Smoot Case.” The newspaper text reads, “President Smith admits being the father of 42 children! 38 children in the Merrill family! “I have over 100 nephews and nieces,” said Young Merrill.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-10

Query—”Shall I send President Smith a letter of thanks and commendation?”

President Roosevelt sweats as he holds a book—”Roosevelt on race suicide”—and a newspaper with the headline, “President Smith, of the Mormon Church, has forty children and says he is proud of it.” Caption: Query—”Shall I send President Smith a letter of thanks and commendation?”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-10