State rights

John Allison warns President Roosevelt of some “clouds … in the political skies.” Allison predicts that several states will send delegates to the Republican Convention for Roosevelt rather than the currently existing field, and he thinks that there are many districts that William H. Taft will not be able to carry. He recognizes Roosevelt’s delicate position, and thinks that no matter what happens to Roosevelt in the election he is a winner. Allison advises Roosevelt to not speak any more on potential delegates, as it is a State’s rights question. He also comments on the state of the Republican Party in Tennessee, and advises Roosevelt to not put anyone from Tennessee on the ticket for Vice President. He hopes Alice Roosevelt Longworth recovers from her operation quickly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-12

Judge Lurton supports Judge Jones and his opinions on a series of rate cases he had recently handled. While Jones’s decisions have been controversial, Lurton assures Jones that his decision was necessary to preserve the balance between federal and state powers, as he also believes the cases in question clearly fell under federal and not state jurisdiction.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-18

New Mexico Territory Governor George Curry notifies President Roosevelt that he objects to Ormsby McHarg’s interference in matters over which he has no authority, as the Department of Justice has no right to give orders to subordinate Territorial officials as McHarg has done in the Pennsylvania Development Company case.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-10-31

In his review of Josh Hawley’s Theodore Roosevelt: Preacher of Righteousness, Harry N. Lembeck stresses Hawley’s contention that Theodore Roosevelt was always more than just a man of action, and he refers to Roosevelt as “a deep political thinker.” Lembeck relays points from Hawley’s study, including Roosevelt’s desire to greatly strengthen the federal government to insure the rights of Americans in the twentieth century. Lembeck takes issue with Hawley’s focus on race, and with his use of the term “racialism,” and Lembeck admits to Roosevelt’s shortcomings on issues such as condemning and stopping lynching.  

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

In a letter to the editor of The Sun, the author believes that American Governors must not revive the states rights’ argument that fueled the Civil War and asserts that secession is unlawful.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-18

President Roosevelt walks away with “paste” and a brush as a “states’ rights Congressman,” “Southern member,” and a “congressman” read a sign: “We must have more federal power! Yours T. R.”

comments and context

Comments and Context

This cartoon by “Tom Bee” (Thomas P. Barclay, the brother of McKee Barclay who was the more prominent cartoonist of the two who drew for the Baltimore Sunpapers as the journals were nicknamed) presumably was inspired by President Roosevelt’s public praise of Governor Hoke Smith of Georgia.

An editorial in the Philadelphia Public Ledger defends President Roosevelt’s intervention in the Anthracite Coal Strike. The writer states Roosevelt did not violate state sovereignty.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-15

President Roosevelt wants to pass the immigration bill and will call a special session of the United States Congress if the bill fails. Roosevelt believes the bill protects wage workers and wants to see laws against contract labor strengthened.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-26

The spirit of General Winfield S. Hancock holds a paper that states “Governors Island 1880. The Tariff is a Local Issue. Gen. W. S. Hancock.” He stands among congressmen in a congressional chamber where senators or representatives from “Maryland, New York, Ohio, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Kansas, [and] Pennsylvania” are tearing off sections of a large paper labeled “The Tariff?” that apply to their respective states. Caption: Shade of General Hancock–They laughed at me when I said the tariff is a local issue; but I was right, after all!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-05-02

Print shows diminutive gladiators labeled “Jones,” “J.D. Sayers” with large sword labeled “State Anti-Trust Laws,” “Bryan” with large sword labeled “Demagogism,” “Hearst,” “Pingree,” “Hogg of Texas” with sword labeled “State Law,” Theodore Roosevelt with sword labeled “Roosevelt,” and “Alger,” and also Joseph Pulitzer. A crowd in the background carries banners that state “Down with Trusts” and “Down with Dept. Stores.” They are struggling against a large gladiator wearing armor labeled “Trusts, Power to Undersell Competitors, Vested Rights, Right to Buy and Sell, Natural Right of Association, Business Progress, Steady Work, [and] Payment of Good Wages.” The gladiator is carrying a shield labeled “Constitution of the U.S.” and a sword labeled “Low Prices.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-07-26

Early draft of Theodore Roosevelt’s address to the 1912 Ohio Constitutional Convention, which he delivered on February 21 of that year. The speech imparts his opinion on constitutionalism and the duty of politicians, and draws on President Abraham Lincoln’s attitude towards government. Four pages of the draft are missing.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1912-02

Senator McLaurin attempts to clarify his views on African American suffrage. McLaurin supports states being able to restrict suffrage and thus prevent “negro domination.” A small “intelligent electorate” of African Americans can effectively protect their race and serve as a balance of power in the South. McLaurin wants “division of thought” over racial divisions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-12-19

General Rosser thanks Senator McLaurin for the letter concerning the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution. Rosser hopes to call a conference to discuss “negro suffrage” which he believes will inevitably be limited in the southern United States. He suggests altering the 15th amendment to prevent discrimination in federal elections but allowing states to handle their own affairs.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-12-18

Transcript of speeches at the Democratic National Convention by August Belmont, chairman of the Democratic National Committee; Governor Horatio Seymour, president of the convention; and William Bigler, temporary chairman of the convention.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1864-08-29

Volume I, Number 6 of the newspaper, “a National Journal devoted to Politics, Literature and Finance.” This issue includes a portion of an address on federalism by Alexander Del Mar given before the Liberal Club of New York City, as well as details of the debate that followed Del Mar’s remarks.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1873-02-22