Spain

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt shares with Senator Lodge that Murray Crane recently visited and says that Lodge’s senatorship is under no danger. He recently met with President William McKinley, who is pleased with Lodge’s letter. McKinley also said Roosevelt was right in his speech to the Naval Militia. While trouble with Spain is uncertain, Roosevelt is sure that McKinley would deal with it thoroughly. Roosevelt told McKinley that he will ensure the Department is ready in case of war, and that he will personally go to war.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-09-15

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt agrees with Captain Mahan about both Hawaii and foreign policy generally. Roosevelt worries about Japan, and feels that the United States should increase its military presence in the Pacific Ocean. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge has spoken with President William McKinley on this topic and “pressed his views upon him with all his strength.” Roosevelt additionally mentions his worries about the international situation in the West Indies. He believes the United States should increase its presence and make sure that no strong European power is allowed to gain a foothold there. The institutional resistance to the build-up of the Navy annoys Roosevelt. He comments to Mahan, however, that Secretary of the Navy John Davis Long agrees with the two of them about Hawaii, and that he hopes for positive action on that front.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-05-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Wayne MacVeagh reports on the events leading up to his suggestion that the Venezuelan blockade by Great Britain, Italy, and Germany be resolved through arbitration at the Hague. MacVeagh believes that the nations’ willingness to use the court and abide by its decision bodes well for continuing international peace.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-1904

Creator(s)

MacVeagh, Wayne, 1833-1917

Mrs. J. H. Drummond writes Theodore Roosevelt inquiring about T. Augustine Dwyer. Drummond asks Roosevelt about his various merits and political work as an ambassador to Spain. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-03-11

Creator(s)

Drummond, J. H., Mrs.

Marie Eugenie Snook expresses her high esteem for Theodore Roosevelt, and hopes that he will accept the gift of a piece of artwork. She greatly admires Roosevelt, and recalls meeting him at a reception.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-26

Creator(s)

Snook, Maria Eugenie Bonnard, 1864-1936

Francis Hopkinson Smith informs Theodore Roosevelt that he has given a letter of introduction to the artist and adventurer Herbert Ward, who wants to meet Roosevelt. Smith lists Ward’s many achievements and strongly praises him. He also mentions the current conflict between the Spanish government and Pope Pius X.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1910

Creator(s)

Smith, Francis Hopkinson, 1838-1915

Secretary of the Treasury Cortelyou details why Théobald Chartran’s painting depicting the signing of the “Protocols of Peace” between the United States and Spain in August, 1898, is not historically accurate. He does not want a 1902 letter from the French ambassador at the time, Jules Cambon, to be attached to the painting’s provenance. Cortelyou shares the letter and compares Cambon’s list of attendees with his own meticulous secretarial notes from the event. Neither the photograph Frances Benjamin Johnston took the day after the actual signing nor Chartran’s painting provide a completely accurate representation of the attendees and setting.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-05

Creator(s)

Cortelyou, George B. (George Bruce), 1862-1940

This report compiled by Luther Hess Waring contains the laws of various European countries regarding futures, options, and other limitations that affect stock exchanges. The countries included in the document are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, with particular attention paid to the German Empire.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-19

Creator(s)

Waring, Luther Hess, 1865-1941

On behalf of his former classmate, David B. Ogden, William Dudley Foulke asks President Roosevelt to reconsider the charges of disloyalty brought against Francis Augustus MacNutt when he was in Spain. Foulke says that minister Archibald Loudon Snowden has made contradictory statements about the matter. Foulke also notes that attacks on Roosevelt in the press are becoming milder, perhaps because they seem to be ineffectual.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-12

Creator(s)

Foulke, William Dudley, 1848-1935

Governor-General of the Philippines Smith provides his analysis of the upcoming formal establishment of the Philippine Assembly to Secretary of War Taft. This includes a brief description of the history and political affiliations of the country’s governors, the party leanings of each province, and the number of votes for each party from the most recent election. Smith also reflects on how the United States can improve upon Spain to ensure better relations with the Philippines. Smith considers self-government to be the ultimate goal of American involvement in the Philippines, but cautions that granting independence too quickly could leave the country vulnerable to dictatorships or foreign invasion. Smith ends the letter with a report on the status of various government projects across the country.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-07

Creator(s)

Smith, James Francis, 1859-1928

Secretary of War Taft has read Charles A. Conant’s letter regarding the Cuban currency, and while he believes President Roosevelt should heed Conant’s warning, he is suspicious that Conant is looking for a job related to it. In a handwritten postscript, Taft says he has heard positive news from Ohio about the upcoming election, but he will believe it after the vote, not before.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-29

Creator(s)

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

President Roosevelt provides Secretary of State Root information regarding a pamphlet that Bellamy Storer sent to the members of the cabinet. Storer did not give a full account of the events that led up to his dismissal from his ambassadorial post. Roosevelt seeks to address this by including the text of letters between himself and the Storers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-02

Creator(s)

Root, Elihu, 1845-1937

Whitelaw Reid updates President Roosevelt on the newspapers’ reaction to the measures taken in a shipping and fishing dispute in Newfoundland. Reid details his negotiations with Sir Edward Gray and Sir Charles Hardinge regarding the United States’ right to ship Newfoundland fisherman. Reid also discusses several books with Roosevelt, including one about Alexander Hamilton and a biography of Winston Churchill’s father, Randolph Churchill. Reid comments on Roosevelt’s offer to let the Cubans try self-government again, noting that it silences those who would paint Roosevelt as an imperialist. Reid does not think that the Cubans are ready for self-government, and he believes the United States should make Cuba one of its states. Reid updates Roosevelt on the political conflict between the Labor and Liberal parties in the United Kingdom. Reid notes that due to “bad blood” between the German and English press, it is difficult to trust English newspapers for accurate views of German positions. Reid also offers his opinion on domestic political issues, writing that those who vote for Hearst will be written off as from “the ignorant or dangerous classes.” Reid believes William Jennings Bryan has fallen out of favor, but he does not think they have seen the last of him. Finally, Reid has enclosed several books and clippings for Roosevelt to peruse.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-10-08

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

The Cuban revolutionary party, through their New York junta, have chosen Captain Charles Cassilly Cook of Ohio as their new legal counsel. Cook’s past appointments include president of the Ohio Board of Pardons and Captain of the First Ohio Infantry during the Spanish-American War. Cook is a well-known clubman from a prominent Cincinnati family, formerly a Democrat. As a lawyer, he has written on topics including insurgent soldiery in Cuba, and the heresy of the financial theories of both William Jennings Bryan as well as Coin’s Financial School, written by William Hope Harvey.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-27

Creator(s)

Unknown

Juan M. Ceballos discusses the American intervention in Cuba. He believes forming a provisional government in Cuba with General Wood in charge would benefit everyone. Although the Cuban people generally do not like Americans, Ceballos believes propaganda and education could be used to change their minds.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-19

Creator(s)

Ceballos, Juan M., 1859-1913

Henry White received President Roosevelt’s letter but has waited until reaching Rome to answer it. White’s views on disarmament were sent in a confidential letter through the British Embassy’s dispatch bag. He has omitted any reference to Roosevelt’s observations about the German emperor although he has borrowed some of Roosevelt’s phraseology. White writes that Roosevelt’s action in Cuba was met with “universal admiration.” White saw the Chilean minister yesterday who said that Elihu Root’s visit there brought great comfort and was epoch making. Other topics in the letter include the German and Jesuit influence in the Vatican and the reputation of the emperor as an influencer, and White’s visit with the King of Italy and their discussion of new literacy-based immigration laws.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-20

Creator(s)

White, Henry, 1850-1927

Ambassador Reid has forwarded President Roosevelt’s letter to the people of Salisbury, and he is sure it will promote kindly feeling. Reid hopes that they may be able to bring the “slow-moving” Colonial Office to an early agreement, as the only currently contentious issue between the parties is that of purse-nets. Reports of William Jennings Bryan’s speech in Madison Square Garden produced instant revulsion in Great Britain, as the public thought he “dished” himself by proposing government ownership of the railways. Reid has not yet had a chance to discuss Roosevelt’s letter to Andrew Carnegie with Sir Edward Grey, but plans to bring it up at first chance. Frederick Scott Oliver, author of the new book about Hamilton, does not seem to be a prominent literary figure among the Englishmen Reid has asked. Reid has been watching the Cuban situation with great anxiety, as he has always believed the United States made foolish decisions about Cuba at the beginning of the Spanish-American War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-14

Creator(s)

Reid, Whitelaw, 1837-1912

War Department legal counsel Charlton informs Secretary of War Taft that based on the Platt Amendment and the subsequent treaty between Cuba and the United States, in his opinion, the President can decide to intervene in Cuban affairs in order to preserve a stable government. This intervention should not be deemed a declaration of war because it is in the United States and Cuba’s best interests and within the jurisdiction of the United States.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-16

Creator(s)

Charlton, Paul, 1856-1917

This document outlines the plan of the Dominican Republic for adjustment of its debts to various parties through the collection of a tariff and the issuing of bonds. It includes plans for adjustment of debt to specific nations and claim holders.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-09-12

Creator(s)

Unknown

Ambassador Henry White reports to President Roosevelt on a week he spent with King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy. White and Emmanuel discussed international disarmament, about which both were skeptical. They talked about Vatican relations with many nations, especially Italy and France, and of how the Jesuits were involved. White also describes hunting ibex and shares that the king offered to send Roosevelt some ibex heads.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-29

Creator(s)

White, Henry, 1850-1927