Newfoundland and Labrador

Letter from Edward Grey to Theodore Roosevelt

British Foreign Secretary Grey informs President Roosevelt that Ambassador H. Mortimer Durand will be replaced, and while he understands Roosevelt’s desire to have Arthur Lee in his place, that is politically impossible. Temporarily, Esmé Howard will be sent to Washington as Councillor to the Embassy. Grey appreciated Roosevelt’s explanation of his telegram to German Emperor William after the Portsmouth Peace. Grey explains that his foreign policy is not anti-German, but to be independent he feels it necessary to strengthen the entente with France and come to an agreement with Russia. Grey believes that his generation has had enough of war, and the British people feel a special bond with the United States. Grey hopes the dispute between Canada and the United States over Newfoundland will soon be settled. He also adds that many in Great Britain are upset over reports of slavery and plunder in the Belgian Congo.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-04

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid reports to President Roosevelt about the people being considered for the position of British Ambassador to the United States after H. Mortimer Durand’s dismissal. It is widely believed that Durand was dismissed due to being too firm in Newfoundland negotiations, and Reid believes the government will allow the public to believe that was the reason. Reid sends Roosevelt articles from the Daily Telegraph about Durand’s dismissal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-27

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid will send President Roosevelt a pamphlet report of his formal address as well as newspaper clippings about a few less formal speeches he recently made. Reid notes that the English newspapers have taken a great interest in the campaign and seem to understand its significance. Reid further provides updates about the internal affairs of the British Foreign Office.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-06

Letter from Arthur Hamilton Lee to Theodore Roosevelt

Arthur Hamilton Lee recently returned from Canada where he was on a mission to gather opinions related to the Alaskan Arbitration land dispute. Locals seems to be glad the matter is over, although there is resentment towards Newfoundland’s “modus vivendi.” Self-described “King of Newfoundland” Robert Gillespie Reid thinks only the basest politicians are against it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-30

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Whitelaw Reid updates President Roosevelt on the newspapers’ reaction to the measures taken in a shipping and fishing dispute in Newfoundland. Reid details his negotiations with Sir Edward Gray and Sir Charles Hardinge regarding the United States’ right to ship Newfoundland fisherman. Reid also discusses several books with Roosevelt, including one about Alexander Hamilton and a biography of Winston Churchill’s father, Randolph Churchill. Reid comments on Roosevelt’s offer to let the Cubans try self-government again, noting that it silences those who would paint Roosevelt as an imperialist. Reid does not think that the Cubans are ready for self-government, and he believes the United States should make Cuba one of its states. Reid updates Roosevelt on the political conflict between the Labor and Liberal parties in the United Kingdom. Reid notes that due to “bad blood” between the German and English press, it is difficult to trust English newspapers for accurate views of German positions. Reid also offers his opinion on domestic political issues, writing that those who vote for Hearst will be written off as from “the ignorant or dangerous classes.” Reid believes William Jennings Bryan has fallen out of favor, but he does not think they have seen the last of him. Finally, Reid has enclosed several books and clippings for Roosevelt to peruse.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-08

Letter from Alvey A. Adee to Theodore Roosevelt

Acting Secretary of State Adee sends Theodore Roosevelt a dispatch from Ambassador Reid that proposes a modus vivendi for the Newfoundland Fisheries for 1906.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-19

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid has forwarded President Roosevelt’s letter to the people of Salisbury, and he is sure it will promote kindly feeling. Reid hopes that they may be able to bring the “slow-moving” Colonial Office to an early agreement, as the only currently contentious issue between the parties is that of purse-nets. Reports of William Jennings Bryan’s speech in Madison Square Garden produced instant revulsion in Great Britain, as the public thought he “dished” himself by proposing government ownership of the railways. Reid has not yet had a chance to discuss Roosevelt’s letter to Andrew Carnegie with Sir Edward Grey, but plans to bring it up at first chance. Frederick Scott Oliver, author of the new book about Hamilton, does not seem to be a prominent literary figure among the Englishmen Reid has asked. Reid has been watching the Cuban situation with great anxiety, as he has always believed the United States made foolish decisions about Cuba at the beginning of the Spanish-American War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-14

Telegram from Alvey A. Adee to Robert Bacon

Assistant Secretary of State Adee informs Acting Secretary of State Bacon that the Board of Trade leaves to Bacon the decision whether to allow purse-seining this season. This relates to a dispute between Newfoundland and U.S. interests over fishing rights on the North Atlantic Coast. The Board of Trade’s position frees Bacon to negotiate with the British government on the matter. Adee asks that a copy of this communication be given to President Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-17

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Elihu Root

Ambassador Reid confirms his telegram from the day before summarizing the modus vivendi in the Newfoundland Fisheries for this year offered by the British government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-07

Letter from Francis Alexander Campbell to Whitelaw Reid

On behalf of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Edward Grey, Assistant Under-Secretary of State Francis Alexander Campbell sends a series of proposals for a provisional agreement for the forthcoming herring fishery off the coast of Newfoundland to U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Whitelaw Reid.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-03

Letter from Eldon Gorst to Whitelaw Reid

The British government is carefully considering the letter from Secretary of State Root regarding the rights of American fishing vessels along the Newfoundland coast. Eldon Gorst, acting in the absence of the British Secretary of State, informs Ambassador Reid that the government is willing to accept the suggestions laid out in Root’s letter as a modus vivendi for the current season.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-14

Letter from Eldon Gorst to Whitelaw Reid

Writing on behalf of the British Foreign Secretary, Eldon Gorst informs Ambassador Reid that the British government is reviewing the dispute over the rights of fishing vessels along the Newfoundland coast. As the divergence of views makes an immediate settlement impossible, the British government is willing to agree to Secretary of State Root’s suggestion regarding the forthcoming fishery.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-14

Letter from Redfield Proctor to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Proctor suggests that President Roosevelt bring his sons to Vermont where they might take a yacht up the East Coast. Proctor describes the troubles his son Fletcher D. Proctor has encountered in the Vermont gubernatorial race, but also suggests that it would be best if Roosevelt did not intervene.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-15

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Theodore Roosevelt

Ambassador Reid reports to President Roosevelt about affairs in Europe. Reid’s impression is that neither Great Britain nor Germany want tensions to escalate to a war, and he is still trying to get more details about their negotiations. Reid informs Roosevelt that the King seems to be in ill health. He is also worried that Roosevelt’s friend, Silas McBee, is stirring up trouble by seeming to interfere in debates about the Education Bill. Reid referred the Grocers’ Federation to Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson and Secretary of Commerce and Labor Victor Howard Metcalf so that they might receive more information about complying with America’s meat inspection laws, and he enclosed a copy of a speech he gave at Cambridge on the American Revolution. Reid concludes by saying that he hopes the British government will help the United States settle disputes with Canada.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-16

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Shiras

George Shiras is glad that President Roosevelt has taken an interest in his wildlife photography, and he describes the circumstances under which a large number of his recent prints were acquired by National Geographic Magazine. Shiras tells Roosevelt that his previous appeal did not “fall on deaf ears,” and he will decline to be nominated for Congress this year. Shiras hopes that Roosevelt will “keep within reasonable distance of the eight hour law.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-28

Letter from Elihu Root to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of State Root updates President Roosevelt on several topics, including the Chinese boycott of American products, the change from legation to embassy in Turkey, the customs administration bill’s effect in Germany, issues between Great Britain and Canada, problems with Newfoundland fisheries harassing American fishermen, and issues in Central America.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-03

Letter from Elihu Root to H. Mortimer Durand

Secretary of State Root received Ambassador Durand’s letter and is agreeable to him sharing his previous note’s contents with the Newfoundland government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-31

Letter from Elihu Root to H. Mortimer Durand

Secretary of State Root encloses a letter he sent to the Treasury regarding the Newfoundland fishery.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-01

Letter from Elihu Root to H. Mortimer Durand

Secretary of State Root has learned that Newfoundland officials are making distinctions between licensed and registered vessels, and asks British Ambassador Durand to advise the Newfoundland government that they can not do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-20

Letter from Whitelaw Reid to Elihu Root

Ambassador Reid relays his conversation with Baron Sanderson and Lord Lansdowne with regard to the American fishermen and the treaty off the coast of Newfoundland.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-10-21