New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-28
White House.
(Personal.)

White House
Washington, November 26, 1902
Ny Dear Sir: l am in receipt of your letter
OF November 10, and of one from Mr.. un-
Ger date of November H. in reference to the
appointment of Dr. Crum Collector of the
Port of Charleston
In your letter you make certain specific
charges against DR.. Crum tending to show his
un1ltneSs in several respects for the office
sought These charges are entitled to the ut
most consideration from me- and shall go over
theIn carefully before taking any action. Atter
making these charges you add. a further
reason for opposition to him, that he is col
ofed man, and, after reciting the misdeeds that
followed carpetbag rule and negro domination
IN South Carolina, you say that: We have
sworn never again to submit to the rule of the
African, and such appointment that OF
Dr. Crum to any such Office forces to pro-
test unanimously against this insult to the
white blood; and you add that you understood
me to say that would never force a negro on
such a community yours Mr.. -- puts the
objection of color first saying: First, he is a
colored man. and that of itself ought to bar him
from the office"
In view of these last statements l think [
ought to make clear to you why l am concerned
and panied by your making them, and what my
attitude is regards all such appointments.
How any could have gained the idea that
] had said that l would not appoint reputable
and upright COlOred men to office when OBJ
lection was to them solely on account of their
color. I confess l am wholly unable to under
stand. At the time of my visit to Charleston
last spring I had made. and since that time ]
have made a number of such appointments
from several States in which there is a consid-
erable colored population. For example. made
one SuCn appointment IN MISSISSIPPI anu an
other in Alabama, shortly before my visit to
Charleston. ] had at that time appointed two
colored men judicial magistrates I'm the
District OF Columbia nave receht! an
nounced another such appointment for New
Orleans, and have just made one from Pennsyl-
Vania-
The great majority Of my appointments in
every State have been of white men. North
and South alike il has been my sedulous en-
deavor to appoint only men of high character
and good capacity. whether white or black
But it has been my consistent policy III every
tot nx~Hn flaf- her
recognize colored men of good repute ana
standing in making appointments to once
These appointments of COlored men nave IN no
State made more than small proportion OF the
total number of appointments. am unapie
to see how can legltlmatey oe ashed 10 Ht iLlaHs
an exception for South Carohha. III Sooutl ,N'
Carolina TO the four most important positions
in the State l have appointed three men ana ana
continued III office a fourth, all of them "nlte
men-three of them originally gold Democrats
two of them, as am informed. the sons or
Confederate soldiers. ! have been informed by
the citizens of Charleston whom l have met
that these four men represent high grace OF
public service.
l do not intend 10 appoint any UNIT man 70
office. So far ! legitmately can ] shall
always endeavor 10 pay regard 10 the Wlshes
and feelings of the people Of each locality. out
I cannot consent to take the position that the
door of hope--the door Of opportunities 10 pe
shut upon any man. no matter how worthy pure
ly upon the grounds of race or color. Such an
attitude would. according 10 my CONVICTIONS be
Fundamentally wrong II as You n. no'u, u n,
in point of character and influence 10 hold such
positions il seems 10 me that II is worth while
putting a premium upon the effort among them
10 achieve the character and standing which
will fit them.
The question of negro domination does not
enter into the matter at all II might as we'll be
asserted that when ] Governor of New
York sought 10 bring about negro domination in
that State because I apr onted two coored men
of good character and standing TO responsible
positions-one of them TO position paying a
salary twice large as that paid in the office
now under conSidera tion-one of them di-
rector of the Buffalo Exposition. The question
raised by YOU and Mr.. --- in the statements
to which I refer is simply whether IL is to be
declared that under circumstances shall any
man of color matter how upright and hon
est no matter how good a citizen, no matter how
fair in his dealings with all his fellows, be
permitted 10 hold any office under gov
ernment. / certainly cannot assume such an
attitude and you must permit me to say that
in my view II is an attitude no man should as
sumo, whether he looks at il from the stand
point Of the true interest Of the white man Of
the South of the colored man of the South
not to speak of any other section of the Union.
It seems to me that 1t is good thing from every
standpoint to let the coored man know that if
citizenship-the qualities which in a white man
we feel are entitled to reWard-then he will not
be cut off from all hope of similar reward.
Without any regard as to what my decision
may be on the merits OF this particular applicant
for this particular place, | feel that I ought to
let you know clearly my attitude the far
broader question raised by you and Mr..
attitude from which l have not varied dur
ing my term Of Office. Faithfully yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Hon. -- Charleston, S. c.