TLS as president signed “Wm. H. Taft,” two pages on two adjoining sheets, 7 x 8.75, White House letterhead, November 2, 1910. Marked "Personal and Confidential," a letter to Reverend Eugene De L. McDonnell, the president of Gonzaga College, in full: "I have yours of October 31st. A telegram was sent by the Secretary of State today to our Minister to Portugal of the following tenor:
It is credibly reported to the President that a group of fifteen or more Catholic priests of the Jesuit order will presently be tried by summary court martial on charges of felony and are liable to be condemned to death. The Department can hardly credit a report so at variance with the principles announced by the provisional Government of Portugal. At this time when public sentiment is favorable to the nascent Republic it would be most unfortunate to do any act so conspicuously inconsistent with the declared policies of the founders of the new era and, by alienating the sympathies of the world, so likely to impede the realization of the disposition of this and other free popular Governments to welcome the young Republic into the family of progressive modern nations. You will at once make discreet inquiries on this subject, conferring informally with your British colleague who may be directed by his Government at the request of this Government to cooperate with you, and thereupon to make with him or alone such careful and reserved representations to the provisional government as the facts elicited may justify in your judgment and discretion. It will be obvious to you that this matter requires most delicate and confidential as well as prompt treatment.
This of course is confidential, and I shall have to ask you to regard it as such." In very good to fine condition, with a rusty paperclip impression to the top edge, light toning, and multiple circular postal impressions. Accompanied by the original White House mailing envelope.
A month after the centuries-old Portuguese Monarchy was replaced by the First Portuguese Republic, the new regime abolished Catholicism as the state religion, associating the Catholic Church with the monarchy and strictly opposing its influence in Portuguese society. Among its first acts were the expulsion of the Society of Jesus and other religious orders of the Regular clergy, the closure of convents, the prohibition of religious teaching in schools, the abolition of the religious oath in civil ceremonies, and a secularisation of the State by the separation of Church and State.
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