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President Roosevelt sends Secretary Cortelyou information about John A. Merritt, who is causing trouble for Representative Peter A. Porter in his district. Roosevelt asks Cortelyou to contact Merritt about the matter. In a postscript, Roosevelt asks Cortelyou to contact Archie Dovell Sanders as well, to convince him to stop causing trouble in the election.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-11
President Roosevelt shares his thoughts regarding the upcoming presidential election and the land fraud case against Idaho Senator William Edgar Borah with William Allen White. Roosevelt outlines his personal reasons for supporting Secretary of War William H. Taft for president as well as the political considerations necessary to secure his nomination. In the case of Borah, Roosevelt would like White to come to Oyster Bay to discuss the matter with him and Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte; Roosevelt thinks it would look bad for Borah to come himself, and asks White to bring Borah’s lawyers on August 9.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-30
Nicholas Murray Butler replies to President Roosevelt about Roosevelt’s difficulties in working out tariffs with Congress. Butler offers Roosevelt some advice on how to get Roosevelt’s tariff plans through without making the act seem like Roosevelt’s personal agenda.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-12
Theodore Roosevelt is a strong believer in being practical and compromising. However, there can be a time when it is impossible to compromise and still do your duty to your country. Roosevelt views the war as a “great world crisis” and has sought to tell the truth about Germany, pacifism, and President Wilson without regard to the effect on himself. He understands that this course likely makes him unsuitable for any political office. Roosevelt hopes his efforts will help prevent Wilson’s reelection and that the Republican Party will nominate someone he can support.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-01-29
Theodore Roosevelt is glad Father Zahm liked his article on Mexico. Roosevelt can not believe how poorly Woodrow Wilson and William Jennings Bryan are as heads of the United States. Roosevelt thanks Zahm for the book for Mrs. Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-12-29
With a series of excerpts from relevant letters, President Roosevelt strongly refutes allegations from anonymous sources quoted by William Dudley Foulke. These sources allege that Roosevelt had planned to nominate John K. Beach to succeed William K. Townsend on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, but then withdrew his promise to appoint Beach in favor of Walter Chadwick Noyes, in order to secure a delegation favorable to William H. Taft to the Republican National Convention.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-06
President Roosevelt describes the very bitter communication he has received both for and against the re-nomination of Charles Evans Hughes for Governor of New York to Herbert W. Collingwood. Apparently, many in the New York Republican Party machine feel Hughes has been rude to them, but Roosevelt has also had a letter from a state representative from Western New York, from a rural district made up mostly of farmers, that also says it would be too much of a risk to re-nominate Hughes, and Roosevelt finds this very puzzling. Roosevelt feels it is not advisable for him to become involved.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-05
President Roosevelt congratulates William H. Taft for his reception in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he made his speech accepting the Republican nomination for President. Roosevelt is pleased that Secretary of State Elihu Root will address the Republican State Convention in New York, but is troubled at the state of the nomination for governor there. Roosevelt discusses election strategy in several states.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-03
President Roosevelt tells Secretary of State Root that the second page of his last letter is missing, and gathers from context that the second page contained unpleasant remarks about leaders of the Central American Republics and their citizens. Roosevelt has requested campaign literature and party platforms be sent to Root in preparation for his speech to the Republican State Convention, and he knows that Root will do well. Roosevelt is troubled by the animosity surrounding the nomination for Governor of New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-03
President Roosevelt addresses several items with Secretary of War Taft. Roosevelt approves a payment to the family of the late General Carlos Roloff-Mialofsky and advises Taft regarding Senator Joseph Benson Foraker’s attack on him regarding the Brownsville Affair. The president also wants to look into the inefficiency of the Quartermaster General’s department and has spoken with Secretary of State Elihu Root about the matter.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-04
Henry G. Craft was disheartened to learn that Theodore Roosevelt would not consider running for President again, and says that he speaks for many when he says that the people would celebrate having a man of Roosevelt’s character in the Presidential chair again. Craft then continues by sharing his regret that President Taft had to appeal to Democrat congressmen to pass his agenda. He isn’t sure if Taft would be the best pick for the next presidential election, and asks if Roosevelt would reconsider his prior sentiments.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-02
Ernest Harvier agrees with Theodore Roosevelt’s article on the “Charter,” and is disturbed by the Republican Party in New York County’s lack of action despite the potential of benefiting greatly from it. Harvier hints that such neglect is one of many reasons why the party has remained a minority there since the days of Abraham Lincoln.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-01
William H. Taft humbly thanks William Nelson Cromwell for his generous donation to Taft’s election campaign, but cannot accept it. Taft reminds Cromwell that while he has no doubt of Cromwell’s disinterested support, such a large donation would be a liability to the campaign, and would limit the two to only friendly, non-official relations in the future due to the appearance, however unfounded, of impropriety.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-06
Secretary of War Taft relays some remarks to William Loeb made by Arthur I. Vorys about Assistant Postmaster General Frank H. Hitchcock. In a letter, Vorys tells Taft that he had thought Hitchcock was being insincere about certain postmaster appointments in Ohio, but recent information has led him to believe otherwise.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-20
James Wolcott Wadsworth sends his opinion to President Roosevelt regarding the political situation in Western New York State. Wadsworth reports that in order to avoid bitterness there in the wake of the incident with Archie Dovell Sanders, Assemblyman Jesse S. Phillips should be appointed in Sanders’ place rather than Harvey J. Burkhart.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-29
In an article from 1894 that advances themes that he will later make famous in his “Citizenship in a Republic” speech of 1910, Theodore Roosevelt argues that people need to engage in politics and not merely criticize the actions of those who are. Roosevelt argues that people also need to associate with those who disagree with them, and he says that those engaged in politics will make mistakes for which they will be criticized. Roosevelt admits that criticism of politicians is necessary, but he reminds the reader that “progress is accomplished by the man who does the things, and not by the man who talks about they ought or ought not to be done.”
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
1894
President Roosevelt looks at a raided “U. S. Post Office Department” as he holds “bear skins” and “deer skins” with “Hanna’s scalp” attached to his belt and holding two revolvers, “presidential power” and “personal popularity.” There are various items strewn across the floor with the label of “practical politics.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-05-30
Text of an address by Herbert Knox Smith regarding Theodore Roosevelt’s leadership qualities and ability. The speech was delivered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 26, 1924.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
1925
Florence Bayard Lockwood La Farge knows that President Roosevelt is disappointed that his nominee for the District Attorney of Delaware, William Michael Byrne, was not confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. However, La Farge thinks the failed confirmation can become a positive for Roosevelt’s 1904 presidential campaign. By nominating La Farge’s suggestion John P. Nields, someone who is backed by the Delaware state bar, Roosevelt can strike back at John Edward Addicks and his supporters while not antagonizing Senator Hanna. La Farge believes such a strategy would paint Roosevelt as someone in control of the party and still true to himself.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-02-04
Robert Bridges reviews the details for several translations of President Roosevelt’s works into French.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-11-07