Spain

Maria Longworth Storer is happy the Roosevelt family will be living in her house. Storer is hoping her husband, B. Storer, will be given another post in either Paris or Berlin in the spring, depending on vacancies, and discusses the tensions in Spain following President McKinley’s recent message. Storer notes efforts to bolster “Republican Catholocism” in France.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1900-12-11

Creator(s)

Storer, Maria Longworth, 1849-1932

Attorney General Bonaparte updates President Roosevelt on various matters before the Department of Justice, specifically pertaining to the cases of William Edgar Borah and N. M. Ruick. Bonaparte also goes into great detail about the case of the People of Puerto Rico vs. the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church in Puerto Rico. He encourages Roosevelt not to get involved but instead to let the courts work it out. In a postscript, Bonaparte discusses the political considerations of federal appointees who run for elective office.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-15

Creator(s)

Bonaparte, Charles J. (Charles Joseph), 1851-1921

Corinne Roosevelt Robinson is thrilled to hear that Archibald B. Roosevelt is recovering from his illness. She has been traveling on a steam ship and felt anxious when she could not receive news of his condition. Yet she has found time for relaxation in the captain’s suite. She has enjoyed traveling with her friends and seeing the picturesque coast of Africa and the Rock of Gibraltar.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-18

Creator(s)

Robinson, Corinne Roosevelt, 1861-1933

Consul Murphy reports to William Loeb a perception arising in France that the United States and Japan may go to war. In a recent meeting with Sir Thomas Barclay, international lawyer, Barclay detailed a conversation he had some time ago with a Japanese businessman. The latter said Japan was looking to “pick a quarrel with” a weaker nation, to gain prestige for Japan, and that Spain would have been a candidate, with control of the Philippines the pretext for contention. Barclay believes that the seizure of the Philippines by the United States delayed that plan, but that Japan still looks to take the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-07

Creator(s)

Murphy, Dominic I. (Dominic Ignatius), 1847-1930

George Otto Trevelyan writes to President Roosevelt about Panama and the Philippines, drawing parallels with Macaulay’s histories and Ancient Rome. Trevelyan discusses the British diplomatic service and his latest work on the American Revolution. He also describes a recent visit from Charles Francis Adams and his wife, and he muses on what it is like to be old. Trevelyan writes of their shared love of English literature, mentioning Milton, Chaucer, and W. W. Jacobs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-12

Creator(s)

Trevelyan, George Otto, 1838-1928

Arizona historian James H. McClintock writes to President Roosevelt to ask for his opinion on the task of writing a historical narrative on Cuba’s regiment. McClintock mentions that he can add to the work already completed by using official Cuban records.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-30

Creator(s)

McClintock, James H., 1864-1934

Ambassador Reid discusses his experience at the English royal court, explains the reasons for England’s reluctance to force conversations for peace between the Russians and Japanese, and relays information on the current relationship between Germany and France.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-17

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

Secretary of War Taft responds to a letter from Senator Lodge regarding treaties that President Roosevelt has given to the Senate. Taft breaks down Lodge’s questions about articles in the treaties regarding legal and constitutional aspects, and evaluates amendments that the Senate proposes to add. Taft points out that the treaties currently under discussion refer to previous conventions which established a Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, and discusses how the powers of this court interact with the powers of the United States government, specifically with reference to the making and execution of treaties. Taft also encloses a memo by Judge Charles E. Magoon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-02-07

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

William Miller Collier thanks President Roosevelt for appointing him as Minister to Spain and informs Roosevelt he has been brushing up on his Spanish in preparation for the post.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-19

Creator(s)

Collier, William Miller, 1867-1956

William Miller Collier forwards a recommendation from Congressman Payne to President Roosevelt in support of Collier’s selection as Minister to Spain.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-17

Creator(s)

Collier, William Miller, 1867-1956

William Miller Collier accepts President Roosevelt’s offer to be Minister to Spain.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-16

Creator(s)

Collier, William Miller, 1867-1956

Senator Platt writes to express his deep interest in having William Miller Collier appointed to the Ministership to Spain.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-15

Creator(s)

Platt, Thomas Collier, 1833-1910

President Roosevelt wears a “world’s champion peacemakers medal” as he looks over the globe and asks, “Any more peace needed down there, neighbors?” He holds olive branches and a dove in one hand and a “long distance peace telescope” in the other. “France” and John Bull hung each other on one side while “Spain” says, “He let me in on the peace ground floor.” A man in Africa holds a paper that reads, “all quiet across the Congo,” and says, “I’ll wire this to Teddy!” Meanwhile, Russian Emperor Nicholas II and Japanese Emperor Meiji bow toward one another. German Emperor William II puts his finger to his hand and says, “Well, I’ve got to keep quiet or Roosevelt will be after me.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-31

Creator(s)

Ritchie, William Norman, 1865?-1947 or 1948

Theodore Roosevelt is relieved that Kermit Roosevelt and his wife Belle made it to Buenos Aires, Argentina, given how active the Germans have been on the ocean. Roosevelt does not understand Spain’s pro-German feelings and is sick of President Wilson’s neutrality regarding the War. Roosevelt doubts that Progressive Party will make another fight given their losses in the last election, but he understands the feelings of the electorate. Roosevelt closes by saying he has not been happier in a long time and is enjoying relaxing with Mother.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1914-11-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

A bull dog labeled “England,” a whippet (or greyhound) labeled “Italy,” and a dachshund labeled “Germany” gather around a dish labeled “Preferred Claims” full of food labeled “Venezuela.” Sitting above them on a fence are four cats labeled “Belgium, Spain, France, [and] Holland” with the fur on their backs raised. Both cats and dogs are seeking payment from Venezuela for its international debts.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1903-02-18

President Roosevelt hopes that Eugene F. Ware will accept the position of Commissioner of Pensions. Henry Clay Evans, the current Commissioner, will be receiving a promotion to the diplomatic service in Spain.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-04-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt agrees with Albert J. Beveridge’s opinion that additional battleships would have given Spain the excuse to avoid the Spanish War. Roosevelt mentions the high quality of the naval program when he was president and reiterates that World War I was not caused by anything connected to the freedom of the seas.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-01-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt is doubtful of E. A. Filene’s peace proposition and is opposed to recognizing that Americans of foreign birth have divided interests due to their affiliation with foreign countries. He does not want to encourage “group political action by nationality or creed.” Roosevelt argues that the only peace worth having is a righteous peace as “nonrighteous peace may be as evil as the most unrighteous war.” He faults President Wilson and Secretary of State Bryan for not living up to the country’s international obligations and failing to follow a policy of military readiness. Roosevelt concludes by comparing Wilson and Bryan to Spain’s Prince, Manuel de Godoy, whose policies reduced his country to “complete impotency,” lost Spain’s American possessions, and led to a French invasion under Napoleon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-04-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt thanks Munroe Smith for sending his pamphlet, “Military Strategy versus Diplomacy.” Roosevelt corrects Smith that he served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to John Davis Long and while Long was a “high-minded, honorable man,” Roosevelt believes he was unfit to lead the Navy. For example, one of Long’s theories was to hold all warships in port until there was danger of war. After the sinking of the USS Maine, Long refused to prepare the Navy for war as he believed this would “tend to bring about war.” Roosevelt’s actual advice to William McKinley was that the Spanish government should be informed that the United States would consider the Spanish fleet being sent to American waters as a declaration of war. If the fleet were still sent, then it would be attacked on the high seas. This is different from Long’s statement but Roosevelt doubts that Long sees the distinction.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-03-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt sends Spanish Ambassador to the United States Juan Riaño y Gayangos his photograph. Roosevelt would like Riaño y Gayangos to take lunch or dinner with him, so that he can share information about his time in Spain.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-12-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919