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ROOSEVELT, Theodore. Typed endorsement signed ("Theodore Roosevelt") as President, at top of first page of a typed transcipt of his letter to J. C. Martin of Dayton, Ohio; n.p., 6 November 1908. 4½ pages, on rectos only. Roosevelt's note explains that the original was published in his Presidential Addresses and State Papers and "I here give it condensed so as to deal with the permanent issues raised by Mr. Martin."
ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: "IN MY CABINET...THERE SIT SIDE BY SIDE CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT, CHRISTIAN AND JEW...". The President responds to a letter during the campaign charging that most non-Catholic voters would not endorse a Roman Catholic for office, especially for President. Roosevelt's response terms it "an outrage even to agitate such a question as a man's religious conviction, with the purpose of influencing a political election," and vehemently argues against mandatory religious disclosure: "...to require it...is to negative the first principles of our Government, which guarantee complete religious liberty...;" such knowledge will have no other purpose than to fuel discriminatory practices. On historical precedents: "To discriminate...because, like Abraham Lincoln, he has not avowed his allegiance to any church is an outrage...If you once enter on such a career there is absolutely no limit at which you can legitimately stop..." He cites historical instances to refute Martin's claim, and concludes: "I believe that this Republic will endure for many centuries...there will doubtless be among its Presidents Protestants and Catholics, and, very probably...Jews...In my Cabinet...there sit side by side Catholic and Protestant, Christian and Jew, each man chosen because in my belief he is peculiarly fit to exercise on behalf of all our people the duties of the office..." A clear example that "Religious prejudice had no place in Roosevelt's nature" (Pringle, Theodore Roosevelt, p.362). It was fifty years before the first Roman Catholic, John F. Kennedy, was elected President.
ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: "IN MY CABINET...THERE SIT SIDE BY SIDE CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT, CHRISTIAN AND JEW...". The President responds to a letter during the campaign charging that most non-Catholic voters would not endorse a Roman Catholic for office, especially for President. Roosevelt's response terms it "an outrage even to agitate such a question as a man's religious conviction, with the purpose of influencing a political election," and vehemently argues against mandatory religious disclosure: "...to require it...is to negative the first principles of our Government, which guarantee complete religious liberty...;" such knowledge will have no other purpose than to fuel discriminatory practices. On historical precedents: "To discriminate...because, like Abraham Lincoln, he has not avowed his allegiance to any church is an outrage...If you once enter on such a career there is absolutely no limit at which you can legitimately stop..." He cites historical instances to refute Martin's claim, and concludes: "I believe that this Republic will endure for many centuries...there will doubtless be among its Presidents Protestants and Catholics, and, very probably...Jews...In my Cabinet...there sit side by side Catholic and Protestant, Christian and Jew, each man chosen because in my belief he is peculiarly fit to exercise on behalf of all our people the duties of the office..." A clear example that "Religious prejudice had no place in Roosevelt's nature" (Pringle, Theodore Roosevelt, p.362). It was fifty years before the first Roman Catholic, John F. Kennedy, was elected President.