Spain

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Franklin Spencer Edmonds

Theodore Roosevelt refutes statements made by James M. Beck regarding Roosevelt’s actions around the time of the Spanish-American War. He denies advocating the sending of the Atlantic fleet to intercept and destroy the Spanish fleet without a declaration of war. He recommended warning Spain that sending the fleet to the West Indies would be considered a declaration of war and that the United States would act accordingly. Roosevelt also denies saying that the Assistant Secretary of the Navy should be made the “general Admiral of the Navy” with precedence over all other admirals. He suggests Beck is attempting to deliberately spread falsehoods and gives Franklin Spencer Edmonds permission to show his letter to Beck or anyone else who heard Beck’s statements. Roosevelt does not believe it is necessary to publish his response to Beck.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1914-11-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Kent

President Roosevelt agrees with William Kent, and outlines the foreign policy stance he believes the United States should follow in its relationship with Japan. Roosevelt has come to see the matter of Japanese workers immigrating to the United States as “a race question.” He believes that Japanese citizens should not be permitted to settle permanently in America. However, Roosevelt does not want to provoke a war by offending the “sensitive” Japanese government and population. Current legislation in California and Nevada banning Japanese children from public schools frustrates him, because it is offensive to Japan and does not prevent immigration. Roosevelt wants to forbid Japanese immigration while treating the Japanese government politely and continuing to build up the American navy. He seconds Kent’s view that Japanese laborers should not work on Hawaiian sugar plantations. Roosevelt would prefer to send laborers from Spain, Portugal, or Italy, who could become naturalized United States citizens.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Morley

President Roosevelt was recently reading a volume of John Morley’s work Critical Miscellanies, and wished to write to him about a number of the issues he raises, and critiques several other historians and works of history. Roosevelt pivots to talking about the recent election in the United States as he identifies it as having taken place under circumstances similar to those identified by Baron Thomas Babington Macaulay–with a recent financial panic and a demagogue opposing William H. Taft–but because of the moral superiority of the Republican party, Taft became president-elect. Roosevelt believes that foolish optimism can get in the way of sane optimism, but also believes that there is cause to hope in the future. He would like to see Morley when he visits England in 1910.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to French Ensor Chadwick

President Roosevelt thinks that French Ensor Chadwick has correctly characterized Spaniards in comparison to other European races and nationalities. Roosevelt reflects on some of the strengths and weaknesses of various European navies, and how this has changed through time.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-08

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Arthur James Balfour

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Howard

President Roosevelt tells Henry Howard of the Eastern Yacht Club that he welcomes international competitions when they are as cordial as last year’s German-American races. Roosevelt would like to see such competitions with Spain, Russia, or other international powers. Roosevelt extends his good wishes to the American team, as well as to German Emperor William II and Prince Henry.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Enrique C. Creel

President Roosevelt thanks Mexican Ambassador to the United States Creel for his letter and the Spanish translations of Roosevelt’s writings on “American Ideals” and “The Strenuous Life.” He is pleased that his works were translated in Spain into Spanish, the language of Cervantes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-15

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Daniel Edgar Sickles

President Roosevelt tells Representative Sickles that he has spoken with Ambassador to Spain William Miller Collier regarding his son George Stanton Sickles. He regrets to inform the representative that his son will not be able to return to his secretarial post in Spain, partially due to the fact that he had previously quit the position.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Miller Collier

President Roosevelt asks William Miller Collier, American Minister to Spain, to give his personal thanks to Spanish Minister Emilio de Ojeda y Perpiñán for the expressions of sympathy from Spain.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Miller Collier

President Roosevelt informs American Minister to Spain Collier that Theodore W. Myers and Rosalie Myers will be attending the wedding of Spanish King Alfonso XIII and asks him to do anything he properly can to make their visit to Spain an enjoyable one.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Miller Collier

President Roosevelt was glad to hear from American Minister to Spain Collier. He is sure that Collier will like Frederick W. Whitridge, who is going to Spain as the United States’ special ambassador for the wedding of King Alfonso XIII. Roosevelt looks forward to meeting with Collier when he returns to the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Maria Longworth Storer

President Roosevelt rebukes Maria Longworth Storer for her repeated attempts at “ecclesiastical intrigue” while trying to get Archbishop John Ireland made Cardinal. Roosevelt has repeatedly told Storer and her husband, Ambassador Bellamy Storer, that both they and he cannot officially get involved in matters regarding the Catholic Church. However, the Storers seem to have ignored these directives and continued to improperly write letters on Ireland’s behalf and to improperly quote portions of Roosevelt’s letters about the matter. If such actions do not stop, Roosevelt will have to remove Bellamy from his position as Ambassador. He asks Maria to return his letters on the subject.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt welcomes Secretary of State Root back and “cheerfully” unloads the issues in Venezuela and Santo Domingo on him. He asks what Root thinks of enclosures from Edward Everett Hale and Admiral Colby Mitchell Chester, and also encloses a letter about Newfoundland from Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. Roosevelt says they need to think about who will replace Lloyd Carpenter Griscom as Ambassador to Japan if Griscom leaves. In a postscript, Roosevelt asks if Root, Lodge, and Joseph Hodges Choate can come spend a few nights at Oyster Bay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt discusses the timing of Secretary of State Root’s visit to Oyster Bay. He wants to hear what Root did in Labrador, and agrees with the approach Root suggests in dealing with the Spanish famine. Roosevelt also has heard that Root plans to speak in Ohio this fall; if he has not already committed, he would like to speak with Root before he accepts the invitation.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Miller Collier

President Roosevelt asks William Miller Collier to get New York Representative Payne to write a line endorsing Collier for the ambassadorship to Spain. While Roosevelt says it is not necessary, it is desirable.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Henry Hunt

President Theodore Roosevelt returns Judge William Henry Hunt’s report. Though Roosevelt is doubtful of Hunt’s proposed “remedy for the Spanish business,” he finds his comments on “the territorial business” to be admirable. Roosevelt asks that the report not be made public without his permission.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-07-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Philander C. Knox

President Roosevelt asks Attorney General Knox to investigate if the State Department can influence the Spanish government to provide information to the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission. No information has been furnished by Spanish officials.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Richard Harding Davis

President Roosevelt shares his concerns about some of the members of the American diplomatic and consular service with Richard Harding Davis. Minister to Belgium Lawrence Townsend and Minister to Spain Arthur Sherburne Hardy are two examples of men who are the “pink-tea type,” hosting dinners instead of doing “hard work.” By contrast, Roosevelt admires Ambassador to Japan Lloyd Carpenter Griscom, Consul General to Egypt John Wallace Riddle, and Henry White. Roosevelt wants Davis to tell him about any men who are not doing their job, as the president wants to remove them when he makes changes on March 4.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles Fletcher Lummis

President Roosevelt had a low opinion of Colombia and considered their government to be “cruel despotism.” He was happy to assist Colombia. The tyranny over Panama would end and the canal would not be blocked.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James Wilson

President Roosevelt remembers meeting with President McKinley and the Cabinet before the Spanish-American War. Roosevelt recalls advocating that the Spanish government should be notified that the departure of their fleet would be considered an act of war and treated accordingly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-11-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919