FDR’s private letters touch on larger issues By Bill Jeffway The recent acquisition of personal letters that range in date from 1913 to 1944 between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Beacon’s Morgan Hoyt reveal the extraordinary capacity of FDR to lead the world through a global economic depression and World War -- and maintain meaningful local contacts. Hoyt was the newspaper publisher of the only Dutchess County paper that leaned Democratic. He was a political supporter of FDR from his first 1910 campaign for NY State Senator when Hoyt introduced him in Beacon. FDR asked Hoyt to introduce him at all his subsequent campaign speeches in Beacon through and including this successful race for Governor and four U.S. Presidential campaigns. The letterhead and dates of the letters reveal all the major stages of FDR’s political life, from time as Assistant Secretary to the Navy, to his polio recovery years when he worked in his law office, to the Governor's mansion, to the White House and time at Warms Springs, Georgia. This provides a quick snapshot of some of the letters and context for the
time. The letterhead and date are in italics. FDR’s words in quotation marks. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C., November 28, 1913: “Dear Morg, The matter of the post office at Beacon is giving me considerable concern, but I hope before we get through with it, we will be able to get it fixed up the way it should be. Much obliged for the information you gave me, which will be of considerable service when we come to fight the matter out.” Beacon had just become a city in 1913, combining the villages of Fishkill Landing and Matteawan, as well as a small portion of the hamlet of Glenham from the town of Fishkill. At the time, Beacon residents were lobbying for a new federal Post Office to be built for $50,000. It is notable that the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was taking an interest in the local building of the post office, as this is well outside the remit of that position. This reveals the thoroughness of FDR’s complex relationships. Hoyt was not only an important newspaper publisher, but a proud Irish Catholic Democratic, an important constituency for FDR. A new post office was not built until 1937 for a cost of $100,000. By
Under the heading “Morgan Hoyt reads a letter from friend FDR,” Yank magazine published a profile of local mourners in Beacon as FDR’s funeral train passed through that included this photo. Yank magazine, May 11, 1945.
The range of letters reveal the full course of FDR’s political life, with the exception of his term in 1911 and 1912 in the NY State assembly; although FDR references events from that period in his 1933 letter to Hoyt. Courtesy of DCHS
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then, FDR was able to painstakingly oversee its historically sensitive design and construction, as he did in Wappingers Falls, Hyde Park and Rhinebeck. Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland, 55 Liberty Street, New York City. January 6, 1926. “I am delighted to hear of your newspaper at Mount Dora, the copy of which has not yet come, but I feel certain that with your long experience, you will build up a successful and popular paper. I wish I could get to Mount Dora when I am in Florida this winter, but will have to spend all of my time on a small houseboat along the keys south of Miami.” The fact that Hoyt bought a newspaper in Florida was important for FDR politically in 1926. As subsequent letters reveal, FDR was spending a good deal of time in Florida campaigning for NY Governor Al Smith’s Presidential run. Hoyt was helpful by having the Florida newspaper publish FDR’s letters of support for Smith. Roosevelt & O’Connor, Counselors at Law, Broadway, New York City [letterhead], 49 East 65th Street [typed home address], December 22, 1928. “Many thanks for your letter and the account of the meeting of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Club. I wish I could have been with you. Phil Mylod has just sent me your list of friends whom you wish to have sent invitations to the reception at Albany.” The Franklin D. Roosevelt Club was a club of local supporters that formed to ensure a warm local reception for the Governor, then President. It is well known that FDR never carried Dutchess County, whose voters were strongly Republican and opposed not only to the Democrat, but his policies including the New Deal. Phil Mylod was the son of John Mylod (of Poughkeepsie), who was an early supporter of FDR who was active in the Irish Catholic community. Undated handwritten note. Likely 1928. “I am off on Monday for Warm Springs, Georgia for 2 weeks – address
me there if anything turns up. I have prepared two other articles and will send them in a few days.” This refers to FDR’s articles in support of Alfred Smith for President mentioned earlier. The Executive Mansion, Albany, November 17, 1932. “Now that the election is over our entire efforts must be devoted to the reestablishment of a better ordered economic life and in this happy task of restoration I invite and shall be deeply grateful before your cooperation yours.” This is an interesting articulation of FDR’s intention to shift from a posture of campaigning – to governing – a distinction often pointed out as distinctly different by successful politicians. The White House, October 31, 1933. “Dear Morg, You are certainly entitled to a letter not only in your capacity as the first casualty of the Sheehan fight in 1911, but also as one of my oldest friends in Dutchess County. Someday when you are in Washington you must run in, shake my hand and see the executive offices. I am delighted to know that things are going well in Beacon and I shall look forward to the news on November 8th.” The Sheehan reference is notable because immediately after taking the oath of office for his first political responsibility, as NY State Senator he nominated Hoyt to be a clerk in a committee FDR served on. This was one of the fewer instances where FDR lost to pressure from the political machine known as Tammany, that FDR had taken on as an “insurgent.” It was indeed good news on November 8th as the local election in Beacon was a sweep for Democrats. The White House, January 17, 1939. “That is a mighty interesting letter of yours and I greatly appreciate your very generous suggestion about those letters of mine which I have been writing you over a period of years. It would be a grand thing if the new library at Hyde Park could have those letters because they fill continued on page 16