Your TR Source
With 50 of the Oklahoma precincts reporting, Theodore Roosevelt has won 283 delegates to President Taft’s 70 delegates.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-03-03
Theodore Roosevelt addresses the “negro question,” concerning African American delegates to the National Progressive Convention. Roosevelt deliberately brought into the Progressive Party African American delegates of good character from the Northern states, which was accomplished by encouraging men in the North to act fairly toward their neighbors, giving African Americans the opportunity to earn respect instead of “paying obligation to them” as the Republican Party did in the South. Roosevelt argues that following the course of action taken by the Republican Party, while politically expedient, would ultimately be detrimental to both black men and white men in the South, as well as the Progressive Party itself.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-06
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary has been overwhelmed with correspondence. President Taft never encouraged Theodore Roosevelt to withdraw from the contest for the Republican presidential nomination in favor of Governor Hadley. Taft refused to release the delegates pledged to him and Roosevelt would not support any candidate selected at the convention unless the rolls were purged of fraudulently seated delegates.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-11-11
There is a difference of opinion on whether Theodore Roosevelt’s supporters bolted the Republican National Convention. Taft partisans support this accusation. However, from the viewpoint of a Roosevelt supporter, the convention was illegally constituted and Roosevelt’s delegates left to hold a convention of legally elected delegates. With this in mind, his secretary suggests that Dickerson McAfee and his friends call their bet off.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-10-03
Theodore Roosevelt denies a rumor that he agreed to run on the Republican platform adopted at the Chicago convention and to be nominated with the help of fraudulently seated delegates. Roosevelt announced at the convention that he would not recognize anyone’s nomination unless the delegate roll was purged.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-10-04
Frank Harper thanks John Milliken Parker for his letter, which he will send on to Theodore Roosevelt. Harper will contact O. K. Davis, Secretary of the Progressive Committee, to arrange for Roosevelt to visit New Orleans.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-09-16
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary thanks Lewis T. Thayer for sending souvenirs of Roosevelt’s visit to Vermont and for his role in helping Roosevelt obtain support in Vermont.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-09-07
Theodore Roosevelt thought the meeting went well and asks if Meyer Lissner would be suitable for the Progressive Executive Committee.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08
Theodore Roosevelt explains to Floyd Reading Du Bois that the unseating of “colored” delegates from the South had nothing to do with their race, but that they were not legally entitled to their seats. In Florida, both the white and the colored delegates were unseated. In Mississippi, Benjamin F. Fridge had called for a “white” convention based on a misunderstanding, and rather than waiting for an adjustment from the National Committee, the unseated delegates held their own illegal state convention. Richard Washburn Child agrees with Roosevelt that the Mississippi decision was legally, not racially, based. Finally, the unseated delegates in Cincinnati were judged to be associated with the Republican Party machine.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-26
In order for Floyd R. Du Bois to understand Theodore Roosevelt’s position, Roosevelt’s secretary encloses a copy of Roosevelt’s letter to Julian LaRose Harris and a copy of the remarks Roosevelt made at the National Progressive Convention on the subject of Southern African American delegates.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-22
Theodore Roosevelt is pleased to hear that Chauncey Dewey was appointed an executive member of the National Progressive Committee.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-17
The reason a previous letter was marked “private” was because the matter was finished, most likely referring to the controversy over delegates at the Republic National Convention. Theodore Roosevelt states that it is not possible to grant permission to print the letter, as it was intended for Charles McCormick’s personal information.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-19
Theodore Roosevelt tells F. C. Somerville that a quotation is correct, and was made to him by some West Virginians. Roosevelt suggests Somerville ignore the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-15
Theodore Roosevelt explains the meaning of his statement in a speech at Orchestra Hall that he would “bodily take” the Republican Party. In all states but Colorado, the Progressive Party took the Republican electors into their party. Meanwhile in Colorado, if Philip Battell Stewart wins a nomination, he will go on a ticket with the electors pledged to President Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-15
Theodore Roosevelt is dealing with concerns about the U. S. Territories of Hawaii and Alaska in the Progressive Party, linked to the use of Territorial delegates to “smash” the Republican Party, referring to the Republican National Convention’s nomination of President Taft. However, Roosevelt believes that sentiments will be fixed for the Territories.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-12
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary encloses a corrected version of Roosevelt’s remarks at the National Progressive Convention on the “negro question,” referring to the controversy over African American delegates from Southern states. This is the copy that Roosevelt wants Oscar K. Davis to use in the pamphlet he is preparing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-13
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Ryerson W. Jennings for his letter and for trying to place Booker T. Washington in contact with Roosevelt. Jennings will see what Roosevelt has to say on the “colored question” in the morning papers, most likely referencing the letter Roosevelt wrote to Julian LaRose Harris on the question of black Southern delegates at the National Progressive Convention, released 1912-08-03 to newspapers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-03
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary writes for Charles McCormick’s private information that a majority of Southern delegates sent representatives to Roosevelt stating that they would vote for Roosevelt’s nomination if he would allow his name to go before the Republican National Convention. Roosevelt stated that he would not allow his name to be included until all the fraudulent delegates had been removed from the roll. If that happened, Roosevelt would have accepted either his nomination or that of someone else.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-09
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary does not think that Louis Edelman read what Roosevelt had to say on the “race question,” referring to the issue of Southern states sending African American delegates to the National Progressive Convention, so he encloses a copy. The secretary states that all African Americans associated with the Progressive Party endorsed Roosevelt’s position, and that if Edelman reads all Roosevelt has said on the subject, he will also agree.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-10
Theodore Roosevelt describes in detail the challenging issue of race in the Progressive Party, as well as the Republican and Democratic Parties. He says, “We have made the Progressive issue a moral, not a racial issue.” Roosevelt concludes that the Progressive Party, as well as Southern black men, will be best served by appealing to Southern white men who support civil rights.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-08-01