Letter from John Thomas McDonough to Theodore Roosevelt
Justice McDonough of the Supreme Court of the Philippines is surprised by the rumors that he has been “antagonizing the Commissioners,” so he explains to President Roosevelt his interactions with Governor William H. Taft and General James Francis Smith. McDonough discusses the conflict between the Catholic friars and the government and expresses regret that the friars wish only to deal with Taft and not Smith, the latter of whom has been described harshly by Filipino Catholics. For his own part, McDonough has been reticent to denounce the friars because he sees their potential to preach peace, lawfulness, and loyalty to the United States and because he upholds freedom of religion in the Philippines. He also sees the sale of the friars’ lands as “purely a church question.” These privately expressed opinions aside, McDonough assures Roosevelt that he has been careful with his words and has not opposed Taft, Smith, or Vice Governor Wright in any way. He also quells a rumor that he has sought a seat of his own on the commission, expressing his desire merely to “serve this court with credit” before returning to Albany. He closes with a postscript requesting financial and transportation assistance for him and his family to return home when his term in the Philippines is over.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1903-09-14
