Your TR Source
President Roosevelt tells Ambassador Reid that he has heard from Andrew Carnegie, who heard from members of the British parliament, who heard from the British ambassador to Germany, who heard from Emperor William II that he is building Germany’s navy up against the United States. This story “did not impress [Roosevelt] in the least.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-10
President Roosevelt assures Emperor William II that he does not believe the rumors that the German Empire is building their fleet against the United States. He hears of such rumors on a regular basis against all countries, and they will never cause “more than good-natured amusement.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-08
William S. Youngman, a Harvard graduate who was approved for transfer to Theodore Roosevelt’s regiment but never served on the front, shares his admiration for Roosevelt. Youngman also encloses an article that connects Roosevelt to solicitations for the order of the Moose, which Youngman is sure is being done with Roosevelt’s knowledge and could injure Roosevelt’s reputation.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-10
Elizabeth B. Knapp McClellan, member of the Birmingham Women’s Literary Club, has been tasked with researching Jacob A. Riis and hopes Theodore Roosevelt will be able to provide some information on Riis and confirm the rumor that Riis died recently.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-09
Ambassador Reid traces the origins of a story that President Roosevelt heard. Reid does not think the story could have come from the British Ambassador at Berlin, Frank Cavendish Lascelles. Reid has looked over the correspondence Roosevelt sent to see if there is anything in Roosevelt’s letter or the Emperor’s which could do harm if known to the King.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-01-12
Attorney General Moody has heard rumors that Baker, whose recommendations had made favorable impressions upon Moody and President Roosevelt, drinks too much. Moody believes the rumors need to be investigated.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-06-29
Max Hamburger informs E. P. McAdams that Captain William F. Tebbets has had vicious rumors spread about him by his enemies. Mr. Hamburger wants to correct those rumors. He states that Captain Tebbets is a respectable man and that any upstanding citizen in Mobile will vouch for his reputation. Even though the Captain and he do not see eye to eye on political matters, he still holds him in high esteem as a man and a public official.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-12-27
Uncle Sam uses a magnifying glass to see in his left hand a diminutive man labeled “Rumor Monger” yelling “Panic, National Disaster, Failures, [and] Ruin” into a megaphone labeled “Wall Str.” Caption: Uncle Sam — Well! Will this nuisance ever learn that the country governs Wall Street; not Wall Street, the country.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1903-09-02
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary denies rumors that Roosevelt has “taken to drink,” and directs Mrs. James Cokley to several Outlook articles debunking these rumors.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-10-14
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Jacob A. Riis for sending Paul Underwood Kellogg’s letter. He has heard several absurd rumors similar to the one related by Kellogg. Roosevelt is not in favor of criminal libel charges unless the accusation is made by a prominent individual.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-03
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Governor Hadley for countering rumors regarding Roosevelt’s consumption of alcohol. Roosevelt appreciates Hadley’s work during the campaign for the Republican presidential nomination and regrets that Hadley will not be joining the new third party movement. Roosevelt does not see a usefulness for the Republican Party under its current leadership but would never question Hadley’s “conscientiousness.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-06-28
On Theodore Roosevelt’s behalf, Roosevelt’s Secretary thanks Charles M. Harrington for his letter and states that there is no truth in reports that Roosevelt “has taken to drinking and us[ing] whiskey immoderately” since Roosevelt “as a rule [] drinks tea and milk.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-06-08
Theodore Roosevelt denies any truth to the rumor and believes that William H. Taft supporters were trying to steal the convention.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-06-04
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary informs Elizabeth B. Knapp McClellan that there is no truth to the rumor of Jacob A. Riis’s death. He suggests McClellan read this month’s Scribner’s Magazine and write to the Jacob A. Riis Settlement to get more information.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-10-11
Theodore Roosevelt informs Garrett J. Benson that the rumors laid out in the newspaper clip Benson sent are fabrications, including the fact that Roosevelt said anything about Mr. Barnes printing bills.
Theodore Roosevelt corrects the rumor that Horatio C. King heard that he was about to join the Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction, as he does not have the time. He thanks King for the information about his organization.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-19
Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary thanks Albert Friedrich for his letter to Roosevelt. The report that Roosevelt is going hunting in Mexico is untrue.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-02-01
Theodore Roosevelt addresses the rumors in Dennis A. Hayes’s letter that the United States ignored atrocities in the Belgian Congo to appease the Pope. Roosevelt calls it an “absolute falsehood” and “sensationalism.” Roosevelt does not deny that racial hatred exists, but says that no man who experiences such feelings should call themselves American.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-02-03
President Roosevelt answers accusations, supposedly from a Episcopal clergyman and school teacher from New York, that he is a drunkard. After fervently denying this, and providing details on his regular alcohol consumption, Roosevelt asks the letter be kept private from all except the accuser.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-25
President Roosevelt has recently spoken with John Callan O’Laughlin about possibly appointing him Assistant Secretary of State, and that O’Laughlin believed that when William H. Taft was inaugurated as president he “would ‘see what could be done about retaining him.'” Roosevelt informed O’Laughlin that he was mistaken, and that while he would be pleased to appoint him, it would be with the understanding that it would only be until March 4, 1909. Roosevelt has spoken with Philander C. Knox, and is confident that he will accept the position of Secretary of State in Taft’s cabinet. Roosevelt additionally discusses a possible appointment of Beekman Winthrop. In a postscript, Roosevelt mentions a rumor that Taft is considering appointing John W. Weeks instead of George von Lengerke Meyer to a cabinet position, which Roosevelt advises Taft against doing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-15