TLS as president, three pages, 8 x 10.5, White House letterhead, September 13, 1906. Confidential letter to Henry White, ambassador to Italy, who Roosevelt once called 'the most useful man in the entire diplomatic service.' Packed with significant content, Roosevelt comments on hunting, disarmament, the Cuban Revolution, and the American voter.
In part: "By George! I do not think any Ambassador has a right to send photographs like that to an elderly President who used to hunt himself, and in whom such photographs excite a feeling of wild envy and revolt. Think of your having got five ibex, not to speak of the fifteen chamois! Why, I did not suppose that anybody but the King himself was allowed to kill those ibex. I congratulate you with all my heart. If the King does not bring up the subject of game heads, do not say anything more to him about it, because my house is small and I prefer to have in it only the heads of my own killing…If, however, he brings it up and you feel that it would be a little awkward to refuse, why of course say that if he chose to send me an ibex head…I would immensely appreciate it…
I doubt if I shall go abroad, at any rate for many years after I leave the Presidency. If I ever did I should particularly like to see him. I entirely agree with his position about disarmament. It would be an admirable thing if we could get the nations not to improve their arms. Ask the King if it would not be possible to get them to agree hereafter not to build any ships of more than a certain size. Of course the United States has not any army and it can do nothing to decrease the size of armaments on land; but I will be glad to follow any practical suggestion as to putting a stop to the increase of armaments at sea. I think that the reduction in the size of ships as above outlined would be a practicable, tho a small, step…
I do wish that the Vatican people would have sense enough to get to terms with the King. They ought to, for more than one reason. I am much interested in what you say about the Jesuits and the French Ecclesiastical question.
Root has certainly had a wonderful time and I think he has accomplished real good. Just at the moment I am so angry with that infernal little Cuban republic that I would like to wipe its people off the face of the earth. All we have wanted from them was that they would behave themselves and be prosperous and happy so that we would not have to interfere. And now, lo and behold, they have started an utterly unjustifiable and pointless revolution and may get things into such a snarl that we have no alternative save to intervene—which will at once convince the suspicious idiots in South America that we do wish to interfere after all, and perhaps have some land-hunger!"
In addition to making several handwritten corrections to the text, Roosevelt adds a handwritten postscript; "I think it is toss up whether we do or do not win in the congressional election; there are many fools, and many good men who do not take the trouble to think deeply—and they vote." In very good to fine condition, with some light creasing, and several rusty paperclip impressions.
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