Venezuela

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt has received a telegram from William Worthington Russell, Minister to Venezuela, which makes him believe that it will be necessary for the United States to act in regards to that country. Roosevelt informs Secretary of State Root that he would like to have several ships sent there, and that he would like the Joint Board to meet to develop plans for action, should it become necessary. He believes that they can at least seize the custom houses.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt asks Secretary of State Root for an update on the status of the Venezuela affair, and asks if it is time for them to take action.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Chauncey B. Humphrey

Although President Roosevelt verbally expressed his appreciation for Colonel Humphrey’s and Lieutenant Murphy’s work in Panama and Venezuela, he does not feel it is appropriate for him to send a letter expressing those sentiments until they have resigned.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-01-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward Grey

President Roosevelt enjoyed his visit with Viscount James Bryce and reminisces about when Bryce stayed at the White House several years prior. Roosevelt believes the question of disarmament is “full of difficulties” and wants to avoid raising “high anticipation as will ensure disappointment” with the upcoming National Arbitration and Peace Congress. He wasn’t impressed with Jamaica Governor James Alexander Swettenham’s message and compares his dealings with him to that of Henry Wolcott Bowen, former Ambassador of Venezuela. Roosevelt is pleased that the Santo Domingo treaty was ratified by Congress and is overall satisfied with the number of other legislative measures he managed to pass.    

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-02-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry White

President Roosevelt sends Ambassador White a letter detailing some of his thoughts on reductions of armaments with the caveat that while White may use the letter when speaking with officials, he must realize that what Roosevelt writes is “tentative and suggestive,” and neither binding Roosevelt nor the United States to any official position. While Roosevelt agrees with British Secretary of War R. B. Haldane that it would be good to put limits on the growth of militaries, he does not think the United States can reduce its army or navy because of their already small size. He clarifies his relations with German Emperor William II, explaining that contrary to Haldane’s assumption his influence over him is very limited, and he does not know if he would be able to convince him of anything. Roosevelt is additionally hesitant about a policy of disarmament coming soon, and believes that while it may be possible to someday reduce armies and navies, he thinks that at present it would be “a great misfortune for the free peoples to disarm and leave the various military despotisms and military barbarians armed.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-08-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt was only concerned about the letter he had sent Ambassador Reid because of its nature, but permits him to show any portions he deems proper to King Edward VII of Great Britain or Sir Edward Grey. He also recommends Reid make Roosevelt’s dislike of British Ambassador H. Mortimer Durand known, emphasizing that if he had been a man Roosevelt liked, he would have consulted with him more. Roosevelt reflects on the strategies he uses in foreign relations, particularly with the Germans and German Emperor William II, but also with the English and Japanese, which he describes as “to be scrupulously polite, to show a genuine good-will toward her, but to keep our navy in such shape” so as to deter any aggression. He sends his greetings to Reid’s wife, Elisabeth Mills Reid, and remarks that he enjoyed reading about the social news from England.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-27

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to War Department General Staff

President Roosevelt asks the General Staff of the War Department if a plan has been developed for the campaign against Venezuela. He directs any such campaign to be carried out with a force large enough to minimize the chance of resistance.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-22

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt tells Secretary of State Root that General Yboni told James F. J. Archibald, the correspondent in Venezuela, that the Venezuelans could not deal with the United States while the ultimatum was in force. Archibald reports about the arms in various locations and says that it would be a serious event to attack them. Roosevelt asks when William J. Calhoun’s report will be made.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-01-11

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt is “unfavorably impressed” with the way that Amzi L. Barber and his associates have behaved in “the Venezuela business.” He asks Secretary of State Root to tell Minister to Venezuela William Worthington Russell to ensure that Barber and his associates do not get any further concessions and are not helped at all.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-04

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Elihu Root

President Roosevelt welcomes Secretary of State Root back and “cheerfully” unloads the issues in Venezuela and Santo Domingo on him. He asks what Root thinks of enclosures from Edward Everett Hale and Admiral Colby Mitchell Chester, and also encloses a letter about Newfoundland from Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. Roosevelt says they need to think about who will replace Lloyd Carpenter Griscom as Ambassador to Japan if Griscom leaves. In a postscript, Roosevelt asks if Root, Lodge, and Joseph Hodges Choate can come spend a few nights at Oyster Bay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt asks that Cecil Spring Rice give his regards to Lord Henry Charles Keith Petty-FitzMaurice Lansdowne. Roosevelt writes at length about the current state of international affairs and of relationships between different nations. He feels that it is not in Japan’s interest to extend the Russo-Japanese War for another year and explains his actions in pressing for peace negotiations between the two powers. Roosevelt also discusses his efforts urging the United States to interpret the Monroe Doctrine in an active way and remarks upon the recent death of Secretary of State John Hay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Lyman Abbott

President Roosevelt thanks Reverend Abbott for writing to him. He feels the death of former Secretary of State John Hay “bitterly” for both personal and public reasons, but what he must now “make good” is the public loss. He will not stop Secretary of War William H. Taft from going to the Philippines, but is having difficulty managing the State Department by himself. He wishes he could find help for the peace negotiations between Japan and Russia, as well as for San Domingo and Venezuela. If William J. Calhoun is willing to go to Venezuela, Roosevelt will send him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-03

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William J. Calhoun

President Roosevelt wants to send a reliable man whom he can trust to Venezuela as minister for several months in order to get a clear picture of the situation there, and asks William J. Calhoun if he would be willing to accept the position.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-24

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Caspar Whitney

President Roosevelt asks Caspar Whitney for more information about Herbert Wolcott Bowen’s claims, including if Bowen expressed them in a letter. Roosevelt tells Whitney Bowen wrote him a letter saying he did make the statements about Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Loomis and showed papers to representatives of the Herald. Roosevelt is disgusted by Bowen quibbling about the word “charges,” as it was obvious Bowen was making charges even though he did not use the word.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Caspar Whitney

President Roosevelt tells Caspar Whitney that thus far the facts against Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Loomis have not convicted him of the charges made by Herbert Wolcott Bowen. However, “positive testimony” has convicted Bowen of gossip against a superior officer, which he furnished to newspapers. Roosevelt believes this is a very grave offense and that there is “no room for a difference of opinion about his conduct.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-08

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry M. Duffield

President Roosevelt thanks General Duffield for the article, and comments that some Senators want to limit the United States’ ability to deal with foreign powers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-02-20

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Finley Peter Dunne

After inviting Finley Peter Dunne and Margaret Ives Dunne to the White House, President Roosevelt spends the rest of his letter discussing Finley Peter Dunne’s recent article entitled the “Anglo-Saxon Triumph.” Roosevelt takes umbrage with Dunne’s belief that individuals should look down on particular Americans due to their ancestry and specifically references those of Irish and German ancestry. In a postscript, Roosevelt states the current temptation is toward Anglophobia, not Anglomania, and the easiest thing for a politician to do is find fault with England. The president prides himself in getting a greater portion of Irish and Catholic Americans to vote for him than any previous Republican candidate without any significant attack on England.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-23

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Joseph Gurney Cannon

President Roosevelt writes to Joseph Gurney Cannon, Chairman of the Notification Committee, to formally accept his nomination as the Republican presidential candidate and to approve the platform adopted by the Republican National Convention. In the letter, Roosevelt provides a comprehensive defense of his foreign and domestic policies and outlines what he believes are the major differences between the Republican and Democratic parties in the upcoming election. Roosevelt discusses, among other topics, his position on international relations, antitrust legislation, tariffs, the gold standard, pensions for Civil War veterans, the military, civil service, commerce, agriculture, taxation, and self-government in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles H. Tweed

Elihu Root has written to President Roosevelt about appointing a member to the commission that is working out a solution to the Venezuela debt crisis. Secretary of State John Hay has reservations about the proposed arrangement. Roosevelt would like Root, Hay, and himself to discuss Charles H. Tweed’s proposition.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-09-07

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Hay

President Roosevelt has received unexpected support in his campaign and wonders if Secretary of State Hay has anything to do with it. Venezuelan President Cipriano Castro appears to be riding for a fall, and if he misbehaves Roosevelt believes the customs house should be put in the hands of the Belgians.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-08-30