ForwardBoyhoodandYouthTheVigorofLifePracticalPoliticsInCowboyLandAppliedIdealismTheNewYorkPoliceTheWarofAmericatheUnreadyTheNewYorkGovernorshipOutdoorsandIndoorsThePresidency；MakinganOldPartyProgressiveTheNaturalResourcesoftheNationTheBigStickandtheSquareDealSocialandIndustrialJusticeTheMonroeDoctrineandthePanamaCanalThePeaceofRighteousnessFOREWORD
　　Naturally，therearechaptersofmyautobiographywhichcannotnowbewritten。
　　Itseemstomethat，forthenationasfortheindividual，whatismostimportantistoinsistonthevitalneedofcombiningcertainsetsofqualities，whichseparatelyarecommonenough，and，alas，uselessenough。Practicalefficiencyiscommon，andloftyidealismnotuncommon；itisthecombinationwhichisnecessary，andthecombinationisrare。Loveofpeaceiscommonamongweak，short-
　　sighted，timid，andlazypersons；andontheotherhandcourageisfoundamongmanymenofeviltemperandbadcharacter。Neitherqualityshallbyitselfavail。Justiceamongthenationsofmankind，andtheupliftingofhumanity，canbebroughtaboutonlybythosestronganddaringmenwhowithwisdomlovepeace，butwholoverighteousnessmorethanpeace。Facingtheimmensecomplexityofmodernsocialandindustrialconditions，thereisneedtousefreelyandunhesitatinglythecollectivepowerofallofus；andyetnoexerciseofcollectivepowerwilleveravailiftheaverageindividualdoesnotkeephisorhersenseofpersonalduty，initiative，andresponsibility。Thereisneedtodevelopallthevirtuesthathavethestatefortheirsphereofaction；butthesevirtuesareasdustinawindystreetunlessbackofthemliethestrongandtendervirtuesofafamilylifebasedontheloveoftheonemanfortheonewomanandontheirjoyousandfearlessacceptanceoftheircommonobligationtothechildrenthataretheirs。Theremustbethekeenestsenseofduty，andwithitmustgothejoyofliving；theremustbeshameatthethoughtofshirkingthehardworkoftheworld，andatthesametimedelightinthemany-sidedbeautyoflife。Withsoulofflameandtemperofsteelwemustactasourcoolestjudgmentbidsus。Wemustexercisethelargestcharitytowardsthewrong-doerthatiscompatiblewithrelentlesswaragainstthewrong-doing。Wemustbejusttoothers，generoustoothers，andyetwemustrealizethatitisashamefulandawickedthingnottowithstandoppressionwithhighheartandreadyhand。Withgentlenessandtendernesstheremustgodauntlessbraveryandgrimacceptanceoflaborandhardshipandperil。Allforeach，andeachforall，isagoodmotto；butonlyonconditionthateachworkswithmightandmaintosomaintainhimselfasnottobeaburdentoothers。
　　Weofthegreatmoderndemocraciesmuststriveunceasinglytomakeourseveralcountrieslandsinwhichapoormanwhoworkshardcanlivecomfortablyandhonestly，andinwhicharichmancannotlivedishonestlynorinslothfulavoidanceofduty；andyetwemustjudgerichmanandpoormanalikebyastandardwhichrestsonconductandnotoncaste，andwemustfrownwiththesamesternseverityonthemeanandviciousenvywhichhatesandwouldplunderamanbecauseheiswelloffandonthebrutalandselfisharrogancewhichlooksdownonandexploitsthemanwithwhomlifehasgonehard。
　　Mygrandfatheronmyfather’ssidewasofalmostpurelyDutchblood。
　　WhenhewasyounghestillspokesomeDutch，andDutchwaslastusedintheservicesoftheDutchReformedChurchinNewYorkwhilehewasasmallboy。
　　About1644hisancestorKlaesMartensenvanRooseveltcametoNewAmsterdamasa“settler“——theeuphemisticnameforanimmigrantwhocameoverinthesteerageofasailingshipintheseventeenthcenturyinsteadofthesteerageofasteamerinthenineteenthcentury。FromthattimeforthenextsevengenerationsfromfathertosoneveryoneofuswasbornonManhattanIsland。
　　Myfather’spaternalancestorswereofHollandstock；exceptthattherewasonenamedWaldron，awheelwright，whowasoneofthePilgrimswhoremainedinHollandwhentheotherscameovertofoundMassachusetts，andwhothenaccompaniedtheDutchadventurerstoNewAmsterdam。Myfather’smotherwasaPennsylvanian。HerforebearshadcometoPennsylvaniawithWilliamPenn，someinthesameshipwithhim；theywereoftheusualtypeoftheimmigrationofthatparticularplaceandtime。TheyincludedWelshandEnglishQuakers，anIrishman，——withaCelticname，andapparentlynotaQuaker，——andpeace-lovingGermans，whowereamongthefoundersofGermantown，havingbeendrivenfromtheirRhinelandhomeswhenthearmiesofLouistheFourteenthravagedthePalatinate；and，inaddition，representativesofaby-no-
　　meansaltogetherpeacefulpeople，theScotchIrish，whocametoPennsylvaniaalittlelater，earlyintheeighteenthcentury。Mygrandmotherwasawomanofsingularsweetnessandstrength，thekeystoneofthearchinherrelationswithherhusbandandsons。
　　AlthoughshewasnotherselfDutch，itwasshewhotaughtmetheonlyDutchIeverknew，ababysongofwhichthefirstlineran，“Trippetroppatronjes。”Ialwaysrememberedthis，andwhenIwasinEastAfricaitprovedabondofunionbetweenmeandtheBoersettlers，notafewofwhomknewit，althoughatfirsttheyalwayshaddifficultyinunderstandingmypronunciation——atwhichIdonotwonder。ItwasinterestingtomeetthesemenwhoseancestorshadgonetotheCapeaboutthetimethatminewenttoAmericatwocenturiesandahalfpreviously，andtofindthatthedescendantsofthetwostreamsofemigrantsstillcroonedtotheirchildrensomeatleastofthesamenurserysongs。
　　Ofmygreat-grandfatherRooseveltandhisfamilylifeacenturyandoveragoIknowlittlebeyondwhatisimpliedinsomeofhisbooksthathavecomedowntome——theLettersofJunius，abiographyofJohnPaulJones，ChiefJusticeMarshall’s“LifeofWashington。”Theyseemtoindicatethathislibrarywaslessinterestingthanthatofmywife’sgreat-grandfatheratthesametime，whichcertainlyincludedsuchvolumesastheoriginal/EdinburghReview/，forwehavethemnowonourownbook-shelves。OfmygrandfatherRooseveltmymostvividchildishreminiscenceisnotsomethingIsaw，butatalethatwastoldmeconcerninghim。In/his/boyhoodSundaywasasdismaladayforsmallCalvinisticchildrenofDutchdescentasiftheyhadbeenofPuritanorScotchCovenantingorFrenchHuguenotdescent——andIspeakasoneproudofhisHolland，Huguenot，andCovenantingancestors，andproudthatthebloodofthatstarkPuritandivineJonathanEdwardsflowsintheveinsofhischildren。Onesummerafternoon，afterlisteningtoanunusuallylongDutchReformedsermonforthesecondtimethatday，mygrandfather，asmallboy，runninghomebeforethecongregationhaddispersed，ranintoapartyofpigs，whichthenwanderedfreeinNewYork’sstreets。Hepromptlymountedabigboar，whichnolesspromptlyboltedandcarriedhimatfullspeedthroughthemidstoftheoutragedcongregation。
　　Bytheway，oneoftheRooseveltdocumentswhichcamedowntomeillustratesthechangethathascomeovercertainaspectsofpubliclifesincethetimewhichpessimiststerm“theearlierandbetterdaysoftheRepublic。”OldIsaacRooseveltwasamemberofanAuditingCommitteewhichshortlyafterthecloseoftheRevolutionapprovedthefollowingbill：
　　TheStateofNewYork，toJohnCapeDr。
　　ToaDinnerGivenbyHisExcellencytheGovernorandCounciltotheirExcellenciestheMinnisterofFranceandGeneralWashington&Co。
　　WEaCommitteeofCouncilhavingexaminedtheaboveaccountdocertifyitamountingtoonehundredandfifty-sixPoundstenShillings
　　tobejust。
　　ReceivedtheaboveContentsinfullNewYork17thDecember1783
　　ThinkoftheGovernorofNewYorknowsubmittingsuchabillforsuchanentertainmentoftheFrenchAmbassadorandthePresidentoftheUnitedStates！Falstaff’sviewsoftheproperproportionbetweensackandbreadareborneoutbytheproportionbetweenthenumberofbowlsofpunchandbottlesofport，Madeira，andbeerconsumed，andthe“coffeeforeightgentlemen“——apparentlytheonlyoneswholastedthroughtothatstageofthedinner。Especiallyadmirableisthenonchalantmannerinwhich，obviouslyasaresultofthedrinkingofsaidbottlesofwineandbowlsofpunch，itisrecordedthateightcut-glassdecantersandsixtywine-glasseswerebroken。
　　DuringtheRevolutionsomeofmyforefathers，NorthandSouth，servedrespectably，butwithoutdistinction，inthearmy，andothersrenderedsimilarserviceintheContinentalCongressorinvariouslocallegislatures。BythattimethosewhodweltintheNorthwereforthemostpartmerchants，andthosewhodweltintheSouth，planters。
　　Mymother’speoplewerepredominantlyofScotch，butalsoofHuguenotandEnglish，descent。ShewasaGeorgian，herpeoplehavingcometoGeorgiafromSouthCarolinabeforetheRevolution。TheoriginalBullochwasaladfromnearGlasgow，whocamehitheracoupleofcenturiesago，justashundredsofthousandsofneedy，enterprisingScotchmenhavegonetothefourquartersoftheglobeintheinterveningtwohundredyears。Mymother’sgreat-grandfather，ArchibaldBulloch，wasthefirstRevolutionary“President“ofGeorgia。
　　Mygrandfather，herfather，spentthewintersinSavannahandthesummersatRoswell，intheGeorgiauplandsnearAtlanta，finallymakingRoswellhispermanenthome。Heusedtotravelthitherwithhisfamilyandtheirbelongingsinhisowncarriage，followedbyabaggagewagon。IneversawRoswelluntilIwasPresident，butmymothertoldmesomuchabouttheplacethatwhenIdidseeitIfeltasifI
　　alreadykneweverynookandcornerofit，andasifitwerehauntedbytheghostsofallthemenandwomenwhohadlivedthere。Idonotmeanmerelymyownfamily，Imeantheslaves。Mymotherandhersister，myaunt，usedtotelluschildrenallkindsofstoriesabouttheslaves。
　　OneofthemostfascinatingreferredtoaveryolddarkycalledBearBob，becauseintheearlydaysofsettlementhehadbeenpartiallyscalpedbyablackbear。ThentherewasMom’Grace，whowasforatimemymother’snurse，andwhomIhadsupposedtobedead，butwhogreetedmewhenIdidcometoRoswell，veryrespectable，andapparentlywithyearsoflifebeforeher。ThetwochiefpersonagesofthedramathatusedtoberepeatedtouswereDaddyLuke，theNegrooverseer，andhiswife，Mom’Charlotte。IneversaweitherDaddyLukeorMom’Charlotte，butIinheritedthecareofthemwhenmymotherdied。Afterthecloseofthewartheyresolutelyrefusedtobeemancipatedorleavetheplace。Theonlydemandtheymadeuponuswasenoughmoneyannuallytogetanew“critter。”thatis，amule。WithacertainlackofingenuitythemulewasreportedeachChristmasashavingpassedaway，oratleastashavingbecomesoinfirmastonecessitateasuccessor——asolemnfictionwhichneitherdeceivednorwasintendedtodeceive，butwhichfurnishedagaugeforthesizeoftheChristmasgift。
　　Mymaternalgrandfather’shousewasonthelineofSherman’smarchtothesea，andprettymucheverythinginitthatwasportablewastakenbytheboysinblue，includingmostofthebooksinthelibrary。WhenIwasPresidentthefactsaboutmyancestrywerepublished，andaformersoldierinSherman’sarmysentmebackoneofthebookswithmygrandfather’snameinit。Itwasalittlecopyofthepoemsof“Mr。
　　Gray“——aneighteenth-centuryeditionprintedinGlasgow。
　　OnOctober27，1858，IwasbornatNo。28EastTwentiethStreet，NewYorkCity，inthehouseinwhichwelivedduringthetimethatmytwosistersandmybrotherandIweresmallchildren。ItwasfurnishedinthecanonicaltasteoftheNewYorkwhichGeorgeWilliamCurtisdescribedinthe/PotipharPapers/。Theblackhairclothfurnitureinthedining-roomscratchedthebarelegsofthechildrenwhentheysatonit。Themiddleroomwasalibrary，withtables，chairs，andbookcasesofgloomyrespectability。Itwaswithoutwindows，andsowasavailableonlyatnight。Thefrontroom，theparlor，seemedtouschildrentobearoomofmuchsplendor，butwasopenforgeneraluseonlyonSundayeveningoronrareoccasionswhentherewereparties。
　　TheSundayeveningfamilygatheringwastheredeemingfeatureinadaywhichotherwisewechildrendidnotenjoy——chieflybecausewewereallofusmadetowearcleanclothesandkeepneat。TheornamentsofthatparlorIremembernow，includingthegaschandelierdecoratedwithagreatquantityofcut-glassprisms。Theseprismsstruckmeaspossessingpeculiarmagnificence。Oneofthemfelloffoneday，andI
　　hastilygrabbeditandstoweditaway，passingseveraldaysoffurtivedelightinthetreasure，adelightalwaysalloyedwithfearthatI
　　wouldbefoundoutandconvictedoflarceny。TherewasaSwisswood-
　　carvingrepresentingaverybighunterononesideofanexceedinglysmallmountain，andaherdofchamois，disproportionatelysmallforthehunterandlargeforthemountain，justacrosstheridge。Thisalwaysfascinatedus；buttherewasasmallchamoiskidforwhichwefeltagonieslestthehuntermightcomeonitandkillit。TherewasalsoaRussianmoujikdrawingagiltsledgeonapieceofmalachite。
　　Someonementionedinmyhearingthatmalachitewasavaluablemarble。
　　Thisfixedinmymindthatitwasvaluableexactlyasdiamondsarevaluable。Iacceptedthatmoujikasapricelessworkofart，anditwasnotuntilIwaswellinmiddleagethatitoccurredtomethatI
　　wasmistaken。
　　Nowandthenwechildrenweretakenroundtoourgrandfather’shouse；
　　abighousefortheNewYorkofthosedays，onthecornerofFourteenthStreetandBroadway，frontingUnionSquare。Insidetherewasalargehallrunninguptotheroof；therewasatessellatedblack-and-whitemarblefloor，andacircularstaircaseroundthesidesofthehall，fromthetopfloordown。Wechildrenmuchadmiredboththetessellatedfloorandthecircularstaircase。Ithinkwewererightaboutthelatter，butIamnotsosureastothetessellatedfloor。
　　Thesummerswespentinthecountry，nowatoneplace，nowatanother。
　　Wechildren，ofcourse，lovedthecountrybeyondanything。Wedislikedthecity。Wewerealwayswildlyeagertogettothecountrywhenspringcame，andverysadwheninthelatefallthefamilymovedbacktotown。Inthecountryweofcoursehadallkindsofpets——cats，dogs，rabbits，acoon，andasorrelShetlandponynamedGeneralGrant。
　　WhenmyyoungersisterfirstheardoftherealGeneralGrant，bytheway，shewasmuchstruckbythecoincidencethatsomeoneshouldhavegivenhimthesamenameasthepony。Thirtyyearslatermyownchildrenhad/their/ponyGrant。Inthecountrywechildrenranbarefootmuchofthetime，andtheseasonswentbyinaroundofuninterruptedandenthrallingpleasures——supervisingthehayingandharvesting，pickingapples，huntingfrogssuccessfullyandwoodchucksunsuccessfully，gatheringhickory-nutsandchestnutsforsaletopatientparents，buildingwigwamsinthewoods，andsometimesplayingIndiansintoorealisticmannerbystainingourselvesandincidentallyourclothesinliberalfashionwithpoke-cherryjuice。