United States. Congress

President Roosevelt tells Union Pacific Railroad Director Harriman that the Reclamation Service cannot begin work on repairing the Colorado River break in Southern California without approval of both Congress (which is about to go on holiday break) and the Mexican government. Roosevelt states that it’s the responsibility of Harriman and the California Development Company to once again close the break, but that government’s Reclamation Service engineers are at his disposal for consultation.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-20

President Roosevelt tells Governor Frantz that he saw his brother Orville G. Frantz at lunch that day. Roosevelt invites the governor to dine at the White House as soon as the current congressional session ends. He closes by wishing Frantz luck in his upcoming reelection bid.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-17

President Roosevelt tells Associate Justice Campbell that if he comes to Washington over the winter or in March, he would like to discuss the matters mentioned in Campbell’s recent letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-08

In confidence, President Roosevelt shares that he would be delighted if Philip Battell Stewart was elected to Congress from Colorado as it would strengthen his position.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-12

President Roosevelt will follow the course suggested by William Emlen Roosevelt and will advise Congress that if they do not act, he will. Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock has promised a pony for the children. James Bronson Reynolds of the University Settlement can be contacted regarding a political subscription.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-10-09

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-20

Creator(s)

Hanrick, Ripley A. (Ripley Arnold), 1872-1953

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

James Kennedy reminds Theodore Roosevelt of a previous letter he sent containing a speech he gave to Congress about railroad legislation. He resends a copy, and asks that Roosevelt carefully consider and respond to it, as it is relevant to a recent decision made.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-18

Ezra Meeker sends Theodore Roosevelt a copy of his booklet The Lost Trail and offers to send another copy of his book The Ox Team while seeking Roosevelt’s support for funding to place granite markers along the Oregon Trail.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-11

Secretary of War Taft updates President Roosevelt regarding the management of the National Parks. Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park S. B. M. Young would prefer rangers to the military, and Taft agrees with him, but Congress is putting the responsibility of park management on the War Department rather than the Department of the Interior. Taft warns that he accidentally engaged in cards on a Sunday, in case the press finds out. While traveling, he saw Secretary of Commerce and Labor Oscar S. Straus, and they discussed both Japanese naturalization and immigration of Russian Jews. Taft briefly lists his upcoming speeches.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-09-04

Until he is able to form his report, William H. Taft asks that President Roosevelt hold off on making a statement about the Philippines. Taft plans to express to the people of the Philippines that they have the opportunity now to prove self-government will be successful, and that any action by Americans at this point would be to prevent violence. Reservations from Congress about funding fortification projects will likely be impacted by the recent events concerning Japan, and Taft will press for the funds while still acting in accordance with Roosevelt’s wishes.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-31

President Roosevelt’s message to R. R. Bowker confirms to Bowker what he has heard from many in Washington about John F. Stevens’ resignation as Chief Engineer on the Panama Canal. Bowker believes Stevens’, “a man of railroad training and association”, resignation may have been influenced in part by Roosevelt’s policies on railroad regulation. Bowker will send a memorandum or report to Roosevelt in person on the situation to improve the transport of supplies to the canal workers.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-28

William Emlen Roosevelt tells President Roosevelt that he and Edith have been on his mind since hearing of Archibald B. Roosevelt’s sickness. He has enclosed a survey of Cove Neck as promised, and despite several errors, the layout is “very interesting” for them to have. He tells Roosevelt of the dire situation on Wall Street and the effect that the panic has had on himself and his colleagues. He discusses his visit from Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. and the dispatch he received from his son George Emlen Roosevelt, who was remorseful not speaking to Roosevelt when he was visiting Harvard. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-07

Acting Secretary of State Bacon forwards to President Roosevelt a dispatch from the Legation at Buenos Aires. The message communicates Luis María Drago’s appreciation of Roosevelt’s reference to him in his message to Congress.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-14

Governor Guild sends President Roosevelt copies of a petition demanding tariff reform be adopted by the federal government, signed by members of the United States Congress and Massachusetts General Court.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-12

Senator Lodge writes to President Roosevelt informing him that Gerrit John Diekema, whom he refers to as Mr. Dikeman, is leaving the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission to succeed Congressman William Alden Smith in the House of Representatives. Lodge emphasizes how important it is that Diekema’s successor be someone who will stand with Chandler and the other Republican members.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-05

Chief Engineer Stevens was surprised to learn of Chairman Shonts’s resignation and President Roosevelt’s acceptance. He had understood that Roosevelt was not going to take action without consulting Stevens. Stevens does not desire to be the only one in charge of the Panama Canal construction; he had wanted the post in the Philippines instead and only accepted the position in Panama reluctantly. Stevens wanted to be in charge of construction and not a political actor. He complains that his salary is too low and the “honor” of the position is not enough. Stevens worries that the upcoming election might change the plan for construction, and he expresses particular concern for the future of the Republican party. He argues on behalf of the Isthmian Commission. He is not anxious to continue in the service, and wishes to return to railroad work.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-30

Corps of Engineers Lieutenant Colonel Leach summarizes James F. J. Archibald’s letter to President Roosevelt regarding the weak defense of the Hawaiian Islands. In general, the Pacific Ocean is very poorly defended and should be considered a vulnerability. Leach discuses the logistics of introducing submarine weapons into naval defenses and previous attempts to acquire such weapons. While Leach concedes that Hawaii is lacking in defense, he strongly disagrees with the position that the Pacific Ocean is vulnerable and proves this by listing the local forts and their weaponized capacity.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-21

This memo urges naval officers and midshipmen to contact their senators, congressmen, and any other influential people they know and express their support of the Navy Personnel Bill, which, the memo states, would “add to the efficiency of the personnel” and “save the country nearly a million dollars each year as compared with existing law.” The memo also quotes a Special Order issued by the Navy Department.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-27

This digest summarizes the need for Congress to make an immediate appropriation of enough money to bring the land office business up to date in order to relieve the land claimants, protect public property, and fulfill the laws.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-25

Judge Speer provides historical justification for President Roosevelt’s actions in the Brownsville affair, involving the mass dishonorable discharge of African American soldiers, citing George Washington’s similar discharge of rowdy troops. Speer also mentions the Raid on Deerfield during Queen Anne’s War and the siege of Magdeburg during the Thirty Years’ War. Speer disagrees with Senator Tillman’s assessment that Roosevelt “lynched” the discharged soldiers, as did the editorial boards of several prominent Georgia newspapers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-14