Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05792

Author/Creator: Roosevelt, Theodore (1858-1919)

Place Written: New York, New York

Type: Autograph letter signed

Date: 20 November 1882

Pagination: 4 p. + envelope ; 20 x 12.5 cm

Summary of Content: ”I am quite in sympathy with democratic principles; it is democratic practice that I object to... Jefferson has always been my pet aversion; to me he seems merely an intriguing doctrinaire, mighty in word and weak in action, revengeful but timid, of enormously overrated abilities, and standing about on a par with Jefferson Davis -- minus the latter’s boldness.”

People: Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919.

Historical Era: Rise of Industrial America, 1877-1900

Full Transcript: 55 w 45th st, New York, Nov 20th 1882, My Dear Mr. Adams,, I have just received your very kind letter, it having been detained for postage. I thank you very much for you congratulations. Really, though elected as an Independent Republican, I hardly know what to call myself. As regards Civil Service Reform, Tariff Reform, local-self government, &C, I am quite in sympathy with Democratic principles; it is Democratic practice that I object to. Besides, as I am neither of Celtic descent nor yet a [2] liquor seller, I would be ostracised among our New York Democrats. I can not join myself with the party that, at least in my city and state, contains the vast majority of the vicious and illiterate population. Last year I was in the New York Legislature. On party questions I was quite as likely to seperate from my fellow Republicans as to go with them; but on all matters merely of morality and decency, especially if concerning the eighth commandment, I invariably found myself opposed by the majority of the democrats and supported by the great majority of [3] the Republicans. Of the 128 members I should say that some 50 were absolutely venal and corrupt, and of those all but seven or eight were Democrats., I have been reading the ”Life of Randolph” with great interest, though somewhat , puzzled at times to distinguish what are really your opinions and what are the views of Randolph himself. For instance, I believe you speak of the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions as a gloss on the Constitution, drawn up by the same hand (Jefferson’s) that had most to do with forming the latter [I have not got the book by me, but I think that is your idea]. Now Jefferson has always been my pet aversion; to me he seems merely an intriguing [4] doctrinaire, mighty in word and weak in action, revengeful but timid, of enormously overrated abilities, and standing about on a par with Jefferson Davis - minus the latters boldness. He did nothing but harm as long as he stood by his own colors, and as far as his school did anything to help and not retard the country’s progress, it was by adopting Federalist ideas. So with States Rights, I thoroughly believe in this so far as by it is meant local control of all purely local affairs; more than this seems to me to promise anarchy at home and impotence abroad. , I trust you will remember me to Mrs. Adams,, Very Truly Yours, Theodore Roosevelt, , [envelope], J.H. Adams Esq, Dep’t of State, Washington, D.C.

Sub Era: The Gilded Age