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Clara Hay wrote to President Roosevelt that she would notify her husband, John Hay, of the President’s desire to speak with him when Hay arrived at their home. However, since Hay’s train generally runs late, he may not come to the White House in time to speak with the President before Roosevelt went out for dinner.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-09
Directory listing the employees at the White House and the rules for visiting.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1901-11-12
Theodore Roosevelt writes his sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles about President McKinley. He has not shown signs of being a leader yet and Roosevelt criticizes some of his choices. He asks Anna to ask her husband William where Roosevelt should send his naval manuscript and ask him to forward some letters for him. He describes some recent dinners and the controversial Bradley-Martin ball.
1897-02-14
Theodore Roosevelt writes his sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles about a speech he gave at a dinner for Naval Academy graduates. He feels it was good for his children to spend two winters in New York City and describes how Edith utilizes the city for the children’s benefit. He gives his opinion on President-elect William McKinley and does not approve of his choosing John Sherman Secretary of State.
1897-01-24
President Roosevelt writes to congratulate Kermit Roosevelt on his good marks and share a flattering article about the men in his Cabinet. Roosevelt says he and Kermit will have to read books on Africa to prepare for their trip. Roosevelt has not heard from Archie in a while and Quentin is enamored with baseball. He closes the letter with descriptions of horse riding.
1908-05-23
President Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit about his heavy workload. He says he can hardly find time to exercise and finds himself delegating a lot of duties, leaving time to develop his really big policies. Roosevelt also says he feels his Cabinet is just about ideal. He closes by mentioning a visit by Owen Wister.
1907-05-04
Owen Wister relates a deleted passage about former Secretary of State Elihu Root from his Scribners article regarding Theodore Roosevelt’s second presidential administration.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1913-1914
A note instructs staff to find out from the War Department whether Secretary of War William H. Taft is going to China, or coming straight home from Manila. A reply below reports that Taft goes from Manila to Hong Kong going directly to San Francisco.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-02
President Cleveland stands at the head of a table with his cabinet officers around the table at placemats labeled “Bayard, Manning, Garland, Whitney, Lamar, Endicott, [and] Vilas,” as Puck delivers a large turkey on a platter labeled “With Compliments of all Good Citizens.” A notice on the wall in the background states “Public Office is a Public Trust.” The centerpiece on the table is labeled “Prosperity.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1885-11-25
Jackson Tinker, Washington correspondent for the New York Press, describes the numerous visitors that President Roosevelt receives and how Roosevelt and his secretary, William Loeb, deal with them. With 100 to 150 callers per day, the president is hard pressed to have time for the business of the office. (This article appeared in System magazine in April 1905.)
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1905
Theodore Roosevelt writes his sister Anna Roosevelt Cowles about a recent family picnic and Ted learning to shoot a rifle. Bellamy Storer is visiting and Roosevelt thinks if William McKinley is elected he may put Storer in the cabinet. He talks of the Republicans chances in the next election and his feelings on William Jennings Bryan.
1896-08-02
Theodore Roosevelt agrees with William Sheffield Cowles’s refusal of a job offer. The children are well and wife Edith is prettier than ever. Everyone is waiting to see how William McKinley will be as President and Roosevelt does not agree with the choice of John Sherman for Secretary of State.
1896-01-17
Lincoln Steffens promises that if he uses President Roosevelt’s card to get information from officers under Roosevelt about Senators and Congressmen, then he will report the information to Roosevelt before he publishes it. Steffens believes that the Executive Department reflects Roosevelt’s spirit, but the department is under strong pressure.
1907-03
President Roosevelt encloses a card with this letter to journalist Lincoln Steffens asking any officer or employee of the government to tell Steffens anything “about the running of the government by or under officers of the Executive, that you know.” Roosevelt points out he cannot have his subordinates giving information about Senators or Congressmen, only things that happen in the Executive branch. He wants to see material regarding information on Senators or Congressmen that Steffens obtained from Roosevelt subordinates before it is published.
1907-03-12
President Roosevelt writes his daughter Alice about how much he enjoys the new room that C. Grant La Farge created at Sagamore Hill and describes a night picnic with the boys. He is happy to have Elihu Root back in his cabinet as Secretary of State. Roosevelt draws some cartoons depicting Alice in various activities.
1905-07-21
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his sister Anna Roosevelt updating her on the status of things in Washington. He dines out with colleagues nearly every evening and is working hard on his third volume of Winning of the West. He is having a disagreement with certain members of the cabinet over the Civil Service Law. He hopes there is no truth to rumors of abandoning Samoa and thinks Hawaii should be annexed.
1894-05-20
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his sister Anna about the current condition of their alcoholic brother Elliott. He is glad to hear he finally confessed to heavy drinking. He also discusses recent events at work, which have kept him very busy, including a “tussle” with the Cabinet.
1893-06-30
Lawrence F. Abbott extends his thanks to President Roosevelt for sending the information that he requested concerning General Leonard Wood.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-12-23