Tennessee

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Mark Sullivan

President Roosevelt describes to Mark Sullivan the considerations that have gone into his selections for federal judgeships. Roosevelt reviews his appointments in detail, noting that some were made at the request of the local organization and some against their wishes. The goal in each case was to appoint someone “of the high character, the good sense, the trained legal ability, and the necessary broad-mindedness of spirit…essential to a good judge.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-05-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William H. Fleming

President Roosevelt likes William H. Fleming’s response to Judge Alexander L. Miller’s attack on Fleming’s recent speech on race. Roosevelt was surprised that Fleming received criticism from Miller, noting that he would have expected it only from men like Governor James Kimble Vardaman of Mississippi. Roosevelt has received letters from Judges Horace H. Lurton and Thomas Goode Jones, who both strongly support Fleming’s position.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to J. M. Dickinson

President Roosevelt regrets that he is unable to accept the invitation of a number of Tennessee agencies to visit their state at the time of the Tennessee State Fair.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-07-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Owen Wister

President Roosevelt writes to Owen Wister about a letter Roosevelt received from Judge J. M. Dickinson. Dickinson suggested that while the race question may never be settled, he believes that Roosevelt has helped quiet it for a time. Roosevelt believes that this is a common view in the South. He asserts that while many problems still remain in race relations and universal suffrage, the current situation has improved upon the past.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Ernest Hamlin Abbott

President Roosevelt responds to an editorial in the Outlook criticizing a measure related to voting representation. He says it is a great injustice to let white people suppress the votes of black citizens and then fraudulently cast their votes as their own. This results in some states receiving more representatives without representing the entire population. There can be no moral argument for allowing this to go on. Yet moving too quickly risks making a bad situation worse. Roosevelt hopes that the Outlook might emphasize, along with its condemnation of the proposed remedy, that the injustice being practiced by leaders in the South is responsible for inciting those in the North to make legislative proposals such as this.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Silas McBee

President Roosevelt is disappointed by Luke Lea’s letter sent to him by Silas McBee. While the president is pleased about what Lea says regarding Roosevelt’s attitude concerning “social equality,” the president has concerns about several other portions in Lea’s letter. Roosevelt disagrees with almost everything Lea says about politics in Tennessee. First, the president has tried to appoint good leaders, even if they have not been Republicans, something Lea thinks Roosevelt is not doing. Second, Lea believes men should be allowed to hold office no matter what their color, another policy Roosevelt has already been pursuing. Finally, Roosevelt says the campaign buttons in question had the opposite effect Lea mentioned. The president tells Abbott he can show Lea Roosevelt’s letter if he wishes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-12-15

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George B. Cortelyou

Theodore Roosevelt asks George B. Cortelyou if an extract can be used in the labor papers. Roosevelt believes that the accusation is against him, because he is an honorary member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and because he has had other labor leaders to lunch. Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw is eager to speak in Virginia and Tennessee. Roosevelt believes this could work to their advantage.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles William Dabney

President Roosevelt doubts that he can appoint a Tennessean to the vacancy, but he will consult with Dr. Dabney if it becomes a possibility.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-02-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Eli Shelby Hammond

President Roosevelt is not concerned about the article and professes an admiration for Tennessee and Tennesseans.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-11-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Summary of letter from John Allison

John Allison has close relationships with the Senators from Tennessee and offers to be of service to the Roosevelt administration should the need arise.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-09-23

Creator(s)

Presidential Office Staff

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Daniel LeRoy Dresser

President Roosevelt would prefer as few people as possible during the hunting trip in Tennessee. Roosevelt also asks if it is possible to return home by way of Tuskegee, Alabama.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-09-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry C. Payne

President Roosevelt would like Henry C. Payne’s conclusions regarding the Tennessee marshalship.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1902-06-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Allison

Theodore Roosevelt thanks John Allison for sending him a copy of his book. Roosevelt is pleased with the revival of interest in local history.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-08-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to B. James Ramage

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt was pleased with Ramage’s reference to his view of pioneers and Indians in his article “Tennessee’s Place in History.” He appreciates Ramage’s understanding of his perspective on writing “the facts exactly as they are” to both pay tribute to frontiersmen and recognize their involvement in “gross brutality.” The recent protests against Roosevelt’s comments on John Sevier illustrate that some people will always be “unable to differentiate between hysterics and history.” He commends the Sewanee Review.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-04-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles M. Harvey

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt found Charles M. Harvey’s article interesting and thanks him for the kind note. He is amused by the “outburst” about him in Tennessee regarding his comments on John Sevier. Roosevelt wants to meet with Harvey and discuss his article.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-05-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Robertson Garrett

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt wants to see the card and protests William Robertson Garrett referred to. He is willing to make corrections if needed, but there is no room for doubt in the particular incident concerning John Sevier unless new manuscript material has been discovered. Roosevelt feels the protests come from failing to understand that “a historian is bound to tell the truth.” He suggests Garrett refer to B. James Ramage’s recent article “Tennessee’s Place in History” and show it to Hoss.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-04-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John McCormick Lea

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt thanks John McCormick Lea for the letter from William Robertson Garrett. He thinks the protest against his comments on John Sevier comes from the belief that historians should not “tell the truth about certain favorite heroes.” Roosevelt considers this perspective a disservice. He wishes there was a better chance of him visiting Tennessee.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-04-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Sylvester Chamberlain

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt thanks Sylvester Chamberlain for his kind words. He is uncertain if the Weather Bureau has published the map of the overflowed districts in Mississippi and Tennessee but will look into the matter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-04-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Ralph Harbison to Theodore Roosevelt

Ralph D. Harbison writes to Theodore Roosevelt confident that if Roosevelt receives the Republican nomination, that he will easily carry Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Harbison travels to those states regularly and talked to many people there who said they would vote for Roosevelt if he earns the nomination. President Taft is clueless as to the sentiment of the people and his friends are not brave enough to tell him. Harbison will write to Roosevelt on March 5, 1913, reminding him of when he predicted his victory.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-02-13

Creator(s)

Harbison, Ralph D.

Letter from J. M. Dickinson to Theodore Roosevelt

Tomorrow J. M. Dickinson will be replaced by Henry L. Stimson, then Dickinson will retire to Tennessee. He would like Theodore Roosevelt to know that he has no ill will against the government or the president. He has also enclosed for Roosevelt a dissertation by his friend, Caruthers Ewing, about hookworms.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-21

Creator(s)

Dickinson, J. M. (Jacob McGavock), 1851-1928