Spooner, John C. (John Coit), 1843-1919

Secretary of War Taft acknowledges that the United States has not always properly administered justice within its sphere of influence in China, but celebrates the creation of a United States Circuit Court for China to fix this. He praises the work of Judge Lebbeus R. Wilfley on this court, where he has combined the common law of the United States with the traditions of China to great success. Taft hopes this court will be a positive influence on the Chinese and encourage good relations between the two countries. He encourages the construction of a great building to house the court and the American consulate in Shanghai.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-08

Creator(s)

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

James John Hagerman begs Secretary of State Root to delay his son Governor Herbert J. Hagerman’s impending resignation. Hagerman believes that President Roosevelt is being persuaded by immoral men to confirm the resignation and install George Curry in his place. Hagerman implores Root to end these proceedings and to allow the people of New Mexico to retain their governor. Hagerman concludes his letter with a list of men who verify his son’s standing as a trustworthy person.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-27

Creator(s)

Hagerman, James John, 1838-1909

The writer sends Chief Engineer Stevens the invitation for proposals for construction on the Panama Canal; the writer struggled with the section on compensation for the contractors. They are also consulting with Speaker Cannon and Senator Spooner on the language of the letter of transmission. Due to the reorganization enacted by President Roosevelt and Secretary of War Taft, the onus will be on the writer and Stevens. The writer thinks Stevens should be present for the formal awarding of the contract. They inquire after Stevens’ family and write that they have been “knocked out” for the past several days.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-27

Creator(s)

Unknown

Elihu Root sends President Roosevelt a copy of his letter to Senator Cullom. Root also sent a copy to Senator Spooner.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-25

Creator(s)

Root, Elihu, 1845-1937

Secretary of War Taft returns Theodore P. Shonts’s letter and President Roosevelt’s reply and recommends waiting until the issue is brought up in the house to address it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-30

Creator(s)

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

Thomas Cleland Dawson visited Senator Spooner to discuss the Dominican Republic and amendments to relevant treaties. Disclosing the information publicly was determined unwise though there is no reason to fear a disturbance in Santo Domingo. Dawson will call on President Roosevelt when he returns to New York.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-09

Creator(s)

Dawson, Thomas Cleland, 1865-1912

Andrew B. Humphrey expresses hope that there will be a Constitutional Suffrage Plank in the Republican National Convention’s platform supporting equity in elections, and including the provision that in states that exclude certain citizens from voting there will be a reduction in the number of representatives in the Electoral College.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-02

Creator(s)

Humphrey, Andrew B.

Senator Lodge responds to an earlier letter from President Roosevelt. Lodge comments that there is not much of a reason to include a comment on immigration in the platform as there is currently not a demand for it, and it may do more harm than good. Lodge also discusses some of the hearings that the Interstate Commerce Commission has held, and remarks that his only concern in the upcoming election is the reduction in force by the railroads.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-27

Creator(s)

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924

Joseph Very Quarles writes to President Roosevelt regarding the contentious Wisconsin Republican Convention. Quarles assures Roosevelt that he will “get every Republican vote in the party” despite a factional split led by Congressman Robert M. La Follette that occurred during the convention. Quarles hopes that Roosevelt will use his influence to ensure that the Republican National Convention will recognize his faction’s delegates.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-21

Creator(s)

Quarles, Joseph Very, 1843-1911

James Blanchard warns Theodore Roosevelt of a seating dispute between the Wisconsin delegations to the National Convention led by Governor Robert M. La Follette and Senator John C. Spooner. Blanchard fears that Wisconsin may go Democratic in the fall election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-19

Creator(s)

Blanchard, James Armstrong, 1845-1916

Nicholas Murray Butler discusses the different problems of the candidates for the Panama Canal Commission, including Edward Charles O’Brien and Joseph Bucklin Bishop. Butler also comments on various recent political appointments, particularly on finding a good running mate for President Roosevelt. Butler believes Charles W. Fairbanks is inadequate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-06

Creator(s)

Butler, Nicholas Murray, 1862-1947

President of the Women’s National Republican Association Foster writes to President Roosevelt about the proposed reorganization of the National Committee of the Republican Party. Foster is impressed with the idea of sub-chairmen. Foster suggests boundaries of the sections and nominates the following: Senators Aldrich, Scott, Spooner, and Warren to be the section chiefs; Senator Lodge to be the chairman of the committee; and Congressman Babcock to head the Congressional Committee.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-05-04

Creator(s)

Foster, J. Ellen (Judith Ellen), 1840-

President Roosevelt rails against the United States Senate generally and six senators individually in a letter to Joseph Bucklin Bishop. Roosevelt expresses his frustration with the Senate for failing to ratify a treaty with the Dominican Republic. Roosevelt aims his wrath equally at three Democratic and three Republican senators for desiring to play a part in foreign affairs and then neglecting to shoulder their responsibilities.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1905-03-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

John M. Thompson examines the domestic political dimensions of the United States’ efforts to secure a canal zone in Central America. Thompson identifies those who favored canal routes in Nicaragua or Panama, and he looks closely at the Congressional reaction to the revolt in Panama and the United States’ quick recognition of the new nation. Thompson lays out the opposition to the subsequent canal treaty from Democrats and anti-imperialists, and he details the publicity campaign waged by President Theodore Roosevelt’s administration to justify its course of action and win Senate approval of the treaty. Thompson highlights the role of Southern Democrats who supported the treaty because they saw the canal as aiding their region’s economy and because Democrats did not want to be seen as opposing a popular policy of constructing a canal. Thompson concludes his article by examining the various aspects of domestic politics that Roosevelt had to consider when making foreign policy decisions. 

Ten photographs and five political cartoons populate the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

A program listing the January, February, and March dates and speakers for the Saturday Discussions lecture series sponsored by the Republican Club of the City of New York.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-11

Creator(s)

Republican Club of the City of New York

Senator John C. Spooner will be bringing the Archbishop of Milwaukee, Sebastian G. Messmer, with him to meet President Roosevelt. Spooner thinks that Roosevelt should know in advance that Messmer is especially influential among Germans.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-16

Creator(s)

Presidential Office Staff

Various prominent citizens including, President Roosevelt and multiple senators, justices, and cabinet members, state their support of endowing a department of political science in Western Reserve University in memory of the late Senator Marcus Alonzo Hanna.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-01-27

Creator(s)

Unknown

Stéphane Lauzanne, editor of Le Matin, proclaims that the results of the United States election are no longer in doubt due to the large majority garnered by the Republican party in recent elections taking place in Vermont. Noting Vermont’s place as a sort of “electoral barometer,” it seems clear that President Roosevelt will be reelected. Lauzanne provides a brief description of the Democratic party for his French audience, as well as a short history of Roosevelt’s political career.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904

Creator(s)

Lauzanne, Stéphane, 1874-1958

President Roosevelt greatly enjoyed having Representative Kent visit the White House, and hopes that he had a good time. Roosevelt was surprised at Arthur Twining Hadley’s choice of John C. Spooner and J. Pierpont Morgan to receive honorary degrees from Yale University, but does not think that it will do enough damage to William H. Taft to prevent him from winning the presidential election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Secretary of War William H. Taft seemed to be the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president, but his candidacy is losing support. Even thought President Roosevelt supports him, and he is personally popular with the public, he is a poor campaigner and is losing ground in several states to other politicians, including Roosevelt himself, whom some support for a second elected term.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-21

Creator(s)

Unknown