South Carolina

Letter from Will Irwin to Theodore Roosevelt

Will Irwin discusses the corruption of the Tillman family, specifically surrounding the shooting of journalist Narciso Gener Gonzales by John H. Tillman. Irwin claims that Tillman’s uncle, Senator Benjamin R. Tillman, instructed members of the South Carolina Dispensary to pose as canvassers selling enlarged photographs to ascertain South Carolinians’ opinions on the shooting. Using this information, Irwin asserts, the jury was selected to be prejudiced in favor of James H. Tillman, which led to his acquittal.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-11

Letter from Micah John Jenkins to John Julius Dargan

Micah John Jenkins expresses appreciation for Colonel Dargan’s letter that was published in The State. He appreciates the notion that in order for the Southern States to take their “equal, just” places in government, they need to reject the “unworthy demagogues” who are opposing worthy causes for personal gain. Jenkins notes that he has family members who supported both sides of the Civil War and says that his current views are informed by his personal friendship with President Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-09

Letter from Harriet M. Beckwith to Theodore Roosevelt

After reading an article in The Outlook about President Roosevelt’s interest in the suffering of tuberculosis patients, Harriet M. Beckwith would like to meet with Roosevelt to discuss donating two tracts of land for sanatoriums.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-09

Letter from John R. Carter to Theodore Roosevelt

John R. Carter encloses three articles about President Roosevelt that he believes Roosevelt will find amusing. Arthur Hamilton Lee’s response to Maurice Low’s article will appeal to “fair-minded” people. Carter thanks Roosevelt for his last letter and updates him on his family’s activities over Christmas.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-12

Letter from Albert J. Beveridge to Theodore Roosevelt

Senator Beveridge writes to follow up on an earlier conversation with President Roosevelt about the constitutionality of the Child Labor Bill. The jurisprudence is unambiguous in demonstrating that Congress may regulate all matters relating to interstate commerce. Beveridge also notes that many initiatives by the states to solve this issue have been ineffective, citing several examples. He has also seen the popular sentiment stirred up by the long campaign against child labor, and believes this bill is an example of good governance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-22

Letter from Oscar S. Straus to Theodore Roosevelt

Secretary of Commerce and Labor Straus is confident in his decision in the South Carolina labor case and does not believe that it will be damaging to the labor unions. However, Straus will consider President Roosevelt’s judgment on the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-19

Letter from August Belmont to Theodore Roosevelt

August Belmont heard from Douglas Robinson that President Roosevelt would like to speak with him. Belmont is happy to meet with Roosevelt on his way down to South Carolina, where Belmont will spend the holidays. Belmont also congratulates Roosevelt on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and hopes to speak with Roosevelt about some “permanent method of cooperation” between Roosevelt’s prize fund and the National Civic Federation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-17

Letter from Paul Paquin to Theodore Roosevelt

Paul Paquin is inspired by President Roosevelt’s “courageous application of justice” in the incident with the African American soldiers stationed near Brownsville, Texas. Paquin suggests that the country needs a thorough and unbiased investigation of the “negro problem.” He believes that education has failed to instill a “fixed moral sense” in African Americans, and he is concerned by their drop in productivity over the past forty years. Paquin has hope that African Americans can be made into “useful” citizens.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-03

Letter from James Franklin Bell to Theodore Roosevelt

Chief of Staff Bell writes to President Roosevelt about the difficulty acquiring ships for transport of troops and supplies to Cuba. Ports in the south should anticipate higher traffic of troops and supplies back and forth. Bell asks that Roosevelt speak with governors of southern states, asking them to lift their quarantine of ships returning from Cuba to expedite the process.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-25

Letter from William H. Fleming to Theodore Roosevelt

Politician and orator William H. Fleming believes President Roosevelt wishes “to do the best thing possible for the whole country, including our Southern white people, and not excluding the negroes.” Many Georgia locals agree with outspoken men like T. W. Hardwick though the South owes no allegiance to the 14th and 15th Amendment. South Carolina politician Coleman Livingston Blease has argued against education for African Americans and called for the university in Orangeburg to be torn down. Fleming asks Roosevelt if the government can make a statement of clarity regarding the amendments to help “check the riotous tendency down here.” Fleming believes that any man not willing to commit to the Constitution and its amendments should be stripped of their seat and discusses counter efforts against the passage of disenfranchisement laws.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-24

Letter from John Lowndes McLaurin to Jeter Connelly Pritchard

John Lowndes McLaurin writes to Judge Pritchard regarding various political strategies and the public opinion of President Roosevelt. McLaurin mentions his hope that the President would form a white party. McLaurin also dismisses the idea of his running as an independent in South Carolina.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-23

Letter from Charles Hial Darling to Theodore Roosevelt

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Darling writes to President Roosevelt to explain orders given to transfer civil engineers from a dry dock they were working on in Charleston. Leading citizens and officials in South Carolina protested this decision because they believed it was politically motivated. Darling explains that the transfer was ordered because of tension between the contractors and engineers. Rumors of the contracting company’s political influence were started by subordinates in the company and were exacerbated by a visit from Senator Lodge’s secretary, but Darling finds the rumors to be groundless.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-07

Letter from Louis T. Michener to James Sullivan Clarkson

Louis T. Michener writes James Sullivan Clarkson that the Roosevelt-Fairbanks ticket is popular everywhere except in some financial circles, and that the Republican Party platform is popular except among southern Democrats. The Democrats object to the Republican party addressing the problem of disfranchisement of African Americans in the South.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-25

Good roads in Congress

The marked article in the clipping is about national government assistance for road construction in South Carolina. The lead sentence reads, “Next to Panama and the canals, good roads appear to be the leading question before Congress this winter.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-25

Read out of his party

Senator McLaurin has been “read out” of the Democratic Party after Democratic senators unanimously decided that McLaurin’s actions no longer entitled him to be called a Democrat. McLaurin will not be included in Democratic caucus meetings and will not be appointed to any committees.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-12

Letter from William Miles Hazzard to Elihu Root

William Miles Hazzard provides his opinions regarding solutions to the “negro problem” and party politics in South Carolina and other southern states. He believes that southern states could be carried for the Republican Party if they could “conceive some plan to eliminate the negro from politics.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-13

Memorandum: Appointments of African Americans as postmasters

According to the records of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General, there is nothing that can be used to make a statement regarding President Roosevelt and the appointment of people of color to postmaster positions. Roosevelt has never made an original appointment of a minority postmaster, as Thomas S. Harris, Charles R. Jackson, Louis P. Piernas, and Thomas I. Keys were all reappointments. Roosevelt has appointed William Flemming and William Hazard, both white men, to succeed postmasters of color.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-11

Letter from Merritt O. Chance to George B. Cortelyou

At the request of Secretary of War Elihu Root, Merritt O. Chance sends information regarding the appointments and promotions of “colored men” to positions in the Armed Forces and the War Department.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-10

Letter from Leslie M. Shaw to George B. Cortelyou

At President Roosevelt’s request, Secretary of the Treasury Shaw sends information regarding the appointment of “colored men” at the Treasury Department.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-30

Letter from Joseph Bucklin Bishop to Theodore Roosevelt

Joseph Bucklin Bishop sends President Roosevelt an enclosure regarding the recent murder of Narciso Gener Gonzales, a newspaper editor in South Carolina whose paper, The State, called for an end to lynching, among other progressive causes. Bishop feels this incident will be of great service to Roosevelt’s position on African American affairs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-01-20