Presidents--Succession

Theodore Roosevelt forwards a letter that Roosevelt sent to Frank Andrew Munsey to Henry Joseph Haskell. The letter discusses Roosevelt’s reasons for choosing to not run for president. Among which, he lists the term limit precedent set by his predecessors as one, but he decided to avoid using such language previously. Roosevelt thinks using such language would imply that he would simply not run “consecutively” and would run later. He utilizes an analogy of breakfast: in which, he tells the waiter, “no more coffee”. He acknowledges that saying “no more coffee” does not imply no coffee ever again. It implies “no more coffee for now.”, which is why he is hesitant to use language like consecutive.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-02-02

President Roosevelt writes George Otto Trevelyan that he feels very comfortable having William Howard Taft as his successor as president, but he says that both his foes and his friends have made him at times doubt his decision to give up the office. Roosevelt invokes the memory of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and he believes that the nation’s system of government requires a strong executive.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1908-06-19

Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to come to office after the death of a predecessor and then be subsequently elected in his own right. Several other vice-presidents had previously entered office after the death of a president, but were not elected to the office. After Roosevelt, several other vice-presidents have come to office following the death of a president, and were subsequently elected.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1986

Plaque with inscription describing how Theodore Roosevelt became president and listing the drivers who helped Theodore Roosevelt travel from the Tahawus Club to North Creek as William McKinley died.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1938

Arthur Hamilton Lee is glad to have the pictures President Roosevelt sent of him jumping on horseback, and wishes he could have accompanied him. Lee has found news coming from American newspapers “more than usually interesting lately,” and comments that the state of politics seems perplexing to an outsider, mentioning a number of issues. He shares the sentiment of many Americans in wishing that Roosevelt could have served another term in the presidency, but respects his opinion on the matter. He hopes that after leaving the presidency Roosevelt will be able to make “a private ‘out-of-season’ visit to England” to see his friends there. Lee provides a brief update on British politics as well, saying “the present government has shown an extraordinary capacity for mismanaging its own affairs,” and jokingly suggesting that Roosevelt come to England to help manage the government.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-16

In spite of President Roosevelt’s endorsement of Secretary of War William H. Taft’s candidacy for president, there was still a question at the Republican National Convention of whether Roosevelt’s conviction to not be nominated for a third term would stand firm. Once it was made clear that he would not stand to be renominated, the article recounts, the convention lost some of its energy, but still supported Taft very strongly. Taft is extremely capable and has a good character, so he will be a good person to succeed Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-06-19

A color postcard of the Ansley Wilcox house in Buffalo, New York, where Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office after William McKinley’s death. Image features an insert oval portrait of a young Roosevelt in the top right corner.

Collection

Mike Thompson Collection

Creation Date

1930-1945

Holiday postcard with photographs of the Ansley Wilcox house and the Milburn residence. William McKinley passed away while at the Milburn residence, and President Roosevelt took the presidential oath of office at the Ansley Wilcox house.

Collection

Fritz R. Gordner Collection

Creation Date

1901-1907

Postcard featuring image of the Wilcox House in Buffalo, New York, where President Roosevelt took the oath of office following President McKinley’s death.

Collection

Fritz R. Gordner Collection

Creation Date

1907-1914

Postcard featuring image of the Wilcox House in Buffalo, New York, where President Roosevelt took the oath of office upon President McKinley’s death. “9:30 a.m. Waiting for the train to Mt Pocono to see Jack. Had a fine boat trip from Detroit. Aunt Ida.”

Collection

Fritz R. Gordner Collection

Creation Date

1939-06-27

Postcard illustrating President Roosevelt taking the oath of office following President McKinley’s death. A crowd is gathered at the porch area of Ansley Wilcox’s home and banners decorate the porch area.

Collection

Fritz R. Gordner Collection

Creation Date

1907-1914

President Roosevelt took the oath of office following William McKinley’s death at the Wilcox House in Buffalo, New York.

Collection

Fritz R. Gordner Collection

Creation Date

1901

The Daily Inter-Ocean from September 14, 1901, the day William McKinley passed away and President Roosevelt was inaugurated.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1901-09-14

Unknown card featuring a black and white photograph of the exterior of the Ansley Wilcox House in Buffalo, New York, the location where Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office after the death of William McKinley. On the reverse is a description of the house. Below the description is an advertisement for Dr. Pierce’s Cough Syrup.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

Unknown

Postcard with sepia tone photographs of the Wilcox and Milburn residences. William McKinley passed away while at the Milburn residence and President Roosevelt took the presidential oath of office at the Wilcox residence.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1901-1905

Postcard with sepia tone photographs of the Wilcox and Milburn residences. William McKinley passed away while at the Milburn residence and President Roosevelt took the presidential oath of office at the Wilcox residence.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1901-1905

Postcard with sepia tone photographs of the Wilcox and Milburn residences. William McKinley passed away while at the Milburn residence and President Roosevelt took the presidential oath of office at the Wilcox residence. The postcard also features a calendar for November 1918.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1908

Postcard with color illustration of the front of Kathryn Lawrence’s Dining Rooms, which was formerly the home of Ansley Wilcox and the location where Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office after the death of William McKinley.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Envelope commemorating the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site on September 14, 1971. At left are a black and white photograph of Theodore Roosevelt and the Wilcox Mansion. “Dedication, Wilcox Mansion, Buffalo, New York” is printed above the photographs and printed below is “70th Anniversary Inauguration of Theodore Roosevelt, President, September 14, 1971.”

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1971-09-14

Postcard with small, sepia tone image of the Ansley Wilcox house, where President Roosevelt took the oath of office, and the Milburn residence, where William McKinley passed away. E. H. E. asks Louise White when her school let out.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1907-06-25