Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt was glad to see President Vincent and wonders when Vincent will be in the area, if at all. Roosevelt is uncertain of when he will go to Chautauqua. Although he has several speaking engagements forthcoming, Roosevelt has come to hate the thought of giving speeches.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-04-21
President Roosevelt shares Arthur Hamilton Lee’s laments about the political situation in England, and notes that in the United States, mistakes will not have as far reaching results. However, he is concerned about President William H. Taft’s leadership. He commiserates with the strain that “incessant speaking” was on Lee, and says he is not looking forward to his upcoming trip to San Francisco to see his son Ted, when he will have to give many speeches along the way. He believes that the American system of holding all of its elections on one day is good.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-02-02
President Roosevelt thanks J. Edwin Hartman for his letter. Roosevelt’s best friend in politics is William “Billy” Loeb, of “pure German descent.” The leader of the Progressive Party in Vermont was a Congregational clergyman, and also of German descent, and Roosevelt believes there is no wiser or patriotic American.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-07-01
Theodore Roosevelt agrees that Horatio Nelson Jackson has the right view on Vermont politics, but he does not want to be quoted on it and give the appearance of interfering in state matters. He asks that Jackson and his associates pursue the matter on their own initiative. Roosevelt hopes that the Republican Party will nominate a presidential candidate whom they both can support.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-12-21
Theodore Roosevelt thanks Horatio Nelson Jackson for the book he sent about General William Wells.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-01-04
Theodore Roosevelt regrets that he must decline Joseph Walker’s invitation to speak. He simply cannot make another trip into New England, and if he did it would have to be to Vermont and New Hampshire where he has also declined speaking engagements.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1914-10-02
President Roosevelt writes Richard Watson Gilder a lengthy refutation of an article in the Evening Post in which William Garrott Brown misconstrues his actions in the Republican Party. Namely, Brown accuses Roosevelt of neglecting Republicans in the South and of doing a poor job of making nominations to local offices and positions. Roosevelt asserts that where the Republican party is not strong in the South, he has had to appoint Democrats who were quality men, rather than incapable men who are Republicans. Where he believes the party has a chance to compete with Democrats, he does all he can to support it. Roosevelt also writes that he did not use his influence on officers to get William H. Taft the nomination, but rather Taft was nominated because Roosevelt’s policies were popular, and Taft is the man who will continue those policies. Roosevelt believes that Brown is either ignorant or willfully ignorant of a number of facts.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-11-16
President Roosevelt is glad to hear of Governor Floyd’s interest in attending the Conference of Governors on the conservation of natural resources that Roosevelt has scheduled. Because of New Hampshire’s interest in preservation of forests, Roosevelt hopes that Floyd will be able to attend and contribute his views on the subject.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-31
President Roosevelt warns Winston Churchill that he should be sure of his position recommending Charles Fairbanks as pension agent. He encloses a letter from Horace L. Worcester saying that this nomination was a mistake.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-22
President Roosevelt informs Vermont Senator Proctor that while he believes James A. Smith is “a man of excellent standing,” he should not have had his cousin, J. Pierpont Morgan, intervene on his behalf for a promotion. Further, Roosevelt chides Proctor for claiming Smith was not from Vermont, noting that letters between Morgan and Proctor and to Secretary of State Elihu Root clearly state he is from Vermont.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-06
President Roosevelt responds to a letter from David J. Foster regarding the geographical region from which he will select a judge. Roosevelt notes that if his decision is based on geography, then Connecticut has the most claim to the position. If he decides to not consider geography, he will select the best person for the position.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-11
President Roosevelt explains to Senator Proctor that Vermont has a disproportionately high representation in the State Department. Roosevelt emphasizes that he, Secretary of State Elihu Root, and Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon consider many men in order to find the right person for a recently filled Consul General position in Boma.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-20
President Roosevelt was astounded by Senator Proctor’s assertion that Vermont has had few patronage appointments in his administration. Roosevelt argues that, on the contrary, Vermont has many times her proper proportion of appointments. If he were to make any geographic distinction when considering the circuit judgeship, he would give the appointment to Connecticut.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-06-09
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.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-13
President Roosevelt tells Senator Proctor of his intentions to appoint Assistant Attorney General Charles Henry Robb for district judge. Roosevelt also congratulates Proctor’s son, Fletcher D. Proctor, on his inauguration for Governor of Vermont.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-02
President Roosevelt desperately wants to spend a week hunting in Corbin Park with Senator Proctor, “but it is impossible.” Elections in Maine were not as successful as Vermont, but Republican victories nonetheless.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-12
President Roosevelt thanks Secretary of State Root for the humorous translation of a Spanish newspaper. He provides updates on the successful naval review, recent state elections, and the boiling pot of New York politics. Roosevelt finds that William Jennings Bryan’s eagerness for popularity causes him to commit “to preposterous positions,” as revealed by his recent speech.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-04
President Roosevelt congratulates Senator Proctor on the outcome in Vermont.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-09-05
President Roosevelt was interested to hear about Senator Proctor’s grandson’s hunting. He was somewhat concerned by Proctor’s news of the political attacks on his son, Fletcher D. Proctor, who is running for governor of Vermont. Roosevelt did not think he would face much opposition, and feels that “it will indeed be a bad business if anything should go wrong in Vermont.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-22
President Roosevelt gives Governor-elect Guild permission to make his statement public. He says that there is no sign that any leaders in Congress are willing to take up tariff revision, and Roosevelt feels it is foolish to attempt to bring up the issue if it has no effective backing. He also praises Lieutenant-Governor-elect Eben S. Draper.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-12