Rome

President Roosevelt’s former classmate, James Ford Rhodes, reflects on Roosevelt’s administration and how it will be viewed by history. He believes three points will endure: the man whose critics called him a champion of war has become a peace keeper; Roosevelt has set a high standard of honesty in public service, and has inspired good young men to enter into politics; and his presidency has favored neither the rich nor the poor, but administered justice to both. Rhodes also reflects on the lives of the rich, comparing America’s wealthy with others in history, particularly those of the Roman Republic and Empire. He believes the Americans are better because of the use they make of their wealth. While the ancient Romans dedicated themselves to lives of sensual pleasure, the modern Americans live simply and give to educational and charitable causes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-16

Frances M. Wolcott updates President Roosevelt about the comings and goings among her friends and family in Paris, many of whom are ill with Diphtheria. She also explains the gift she sent him, a thermos.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-13

President Roosevelt and Secretary of War William H. Taft, who holds a staff with the initials of “SPQR” to symbolize the ancient Roman government, are dressed in ancient Roman attire. Roosevelt offers “Supreme Court” crown to Taft, who pushes it away.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-20

President Roosevelt, as a Roman emperor, rides in a chariot being pulled by an elephant ridden by George B. Cortelyou. Three captives are tied to the back: William Jennings Bryan, Alton B. Parker, and Populist candidate Thomas Watson. Vice-President Charles W. Fairbanks rides in a smaller chariot with Henry G. Davis as a captive in tow. Next to them Benjamin B. Odell carries a banner labeled “G.O.P.”, except that the “P” has been crossed out and replaced with a “T.” Near Roosevelt’s chariot Secretary of State John Hay bears a standard that says “S.P.Q.R.” (acronym for a Latin phrase which means “The Senate and People of Rome”), except that the “Q” has been crossed out and replaced with a “T.” At the front of the parade, holding the elephant’s trunk, is Speaker of the House Joseph G. Cannon. In the foreground, William H. Taft is carrying a large club. An African American man appears in the lower right foreground.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Joseph Keppler Junior, owner and chief political cartoonist of Puck magazine, departed from his generally light treatment of Theodore Roosevelt to cast the triumphant Republicans in severe caricatures, including the exultant Roosevelt himself. This center-spread cartoon appeared only days before the inauguration; and the issue’s from cover was graced with a mild, even favorable, depiction of Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt does not believe that the wars in France had anything to do with the decline in the French birthrate, as William G. Taylor suggests. Roosevelt points to the fact that the French population increased during the Napoleonic Wars. Roosevelt cites the belief of President Wheeler of the University of California that nations with low birthrates lose their ability to successfully fight wars.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-21

President Roosevelt asks Ambassador Bryce to thank Mr. Jones for the interesting volume on the Roman Empire, which Roosevelt genuinely enjoyed. He received the glass sent by Edward North Buxton, and thanks Bryce for the trouble he took to get it to him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-10

President Roosevelt looks forward to seeing Guglielmo Ferrero on December 7. He has just finished the French translation of Ferrero’s sixth volume, which he thinks is “one of the very best.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-14

President Roosevelt has recently received a copy of Arthur James Balfour’s book Decadence through Viscount Arthur Hamilton Lee, and he writes to thank Balfour for it and offer his thoughts. Roosevelt believes that Balfour is essentially right about there being something that can lead to the downfall of nations, races, and so forth, and also that it is difficult to properly explain it. He discusses many examples, including that of Spain, the Roman Empire, and South America, and how he sees them fitting in to Balfour’s theories.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-05

President Roosevelt agrees with British author George Otto Trevelyan’s assertion that it would be “impossible” to imagine a book more interesting than Guglielmo Ferrero’s tome on the Roman Empire, and that he quoted it in a recent speech. Roosevelt tells Trevelyan to expect a gift from Secretary of State Elihu Root, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, and the president himself. Roosevelt has recently reread Trevelyan’s book, and reports that Postmaster General George von Lengerke Meyer is enjoying it as much as Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-09

President Roosevelt thanks Duchess Janie Perry Litta-Visconti-Arese for sending him a translation of Gaetano Negri’s work on Emperor Julian of Rome. Roosevelt knows little of the history of Julian, so he is looking forward to reading the book.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-24

President Roosevelt thanks Ambassador White for the letter, and asks if reports that he dined with Francis Augustus MacNutt, a private chamberlain to the pope, are true.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-06

President Roosevelt discusses the military prowess of the Roman Empire. He tells German Ambassador Sternburg that he believes that the Japanese government did a poor job of communicating to their people how much they gained in the Treaty of Portsmouth. The Japanese are now rioting because the country did not receive a large indemnity. Roosevelt also tells Sternburg about problems with stockholders, as well as his trip in the submarine Plunger.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-06

William Alex. Sutherland thanks Theodore Roosevelt for his response regarding a manuscript titled The Daydreams of Asia, Europe, and America, and discusses the challenges of publishing in India. He expresses hope that the book may be of interest to American readers due to its political and cultural insights, particularly on India’s global role, Anglo-American heritage, and future world events.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-07

Friedrich Grosse writes Lyman Abbott concerning the book The Foundations of the Nineteenth Century” by Houston Stewart Chamberlain, which predicts the downfall of America based on the view that the Roman Empire fell due to the loss of blood purity. Grosse believes European blood is the greatest natural resource.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-01

Commander William Sowden Sims of the U.S. Navy sends William Loeb an extract from a new Italian history of Rome. Sims draws a comparison between the political methods of Cataline mentioned in the extract and those used by William Jennings Bryan, and says that this may interest President Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-20

Brander Matthews informs President Roosevelt that his wife Ada Harland has already written to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt about their enjoyable visit to the White House. Matthews informs Roosevelt he has asked his French bookseller to pass along “Conspiracy of Cataline” and “Cicero and His Friends,” which both provide knowledge of Roman life.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-10

Eugene Tyler Chamberlain informed James Tracey that he believes that Tracey does not need to consider the two trans-Pacific routes since President Roosevelt would certainly wish Tracey to stop at Rome to visit the Pope. The advantages of such a meeting are clear. Chamberlain wishes William Loeb to congratulate Tracey on his appointment and to bring Tracey’s attention to the possible meeting with the Pope.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-07

This excerpt from Guglielmo Ferrero’s work Greatness and Decline of Rome describes an episode in which Catiline is standing as a candidate for the Consulship, and courts popularity by making promises to the crowd. Ferrero compares Catiline, in this, to William Jennings Bryan advocating the silver standard.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-20

Julius Caesar or a Roman centurion, in the background, tumbles off a pillar of stones labeled “Rome, Etruria, Britain, Asia, [and] Africa.” In the middle distance, on a bit of land labeled “France,” Napoleon I is shown tumbling off a pillar of stones labeled “Egypt, Italy, Spain, Holland, Austria, Prussia, [and] Russia” and falling toward a rocky island labeled “St. Helena.” In the foreground, John Bull is standing atop a pillar of stones labeled “Scotland, Ireland, Malta, Gibraltar, India, Australia, Cyprus, Egypt, [and] Soudan [sic]” on a bit of land labeled “England.” The stones are propped up by various types of weapons, with the top two stones supported by a steamship, though the top stone “Soudan” appears about to fall off.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1885-03-25

Theodore Roosevelt doubts his usefulness, since President Wilson would not welcome his suggestions. Roosevelt reflects on Hannibal’s early career and later life.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-08-29