Theodore Roosevelt Would Like to Be Remembered as “A man who erred… but who strove mightily towards the light.”

The first time we have seen TR write out this famous quotation

In the summer of 1900, during his term as governor of New York, Roosevelt had his eyes on national office. However, unsure what awaited him after his term, and having no inkling yet that the vice presidency (and presidency) lay in his future, he hedged his bets by returning to his literary career. He signed a contract for $5,000 to write a life of Oliver Cromwell for Scribner's Magazine, and then delved into a thorough study of the Puritan leader. Roosevelt came to see Cromwell as a great man who tried to make Britain more democratic, and he admired Cromwell's fearlessness and moralism as virtues. On the other hand, Cromwell's inflexibility was a vice, and the downfall of the Puritan Commonwealth had been due in part to his obsession with power. Roosevelt personally identified with Cromwell, though not with his religious intolerance. As TR's friend Arthur Lee wrote, Roosevelt "felt a certain affinity between Cromwell and himself." But TR was determined not to make, in his political career, the same mistakes Cromwell had.

In the closing words of the biography, Roosevelt famously summarized Cromwell's life and legacy: "Sooner or later, justice will be done him; sooner or later, he will be recognized, not only is one of the greatest of all Englishman, and by far the greatest ruler of England itself, but as a man who in times that tried men's souls, dealt with vast questions and solved tremendous problems; a man who erred, who was guilty of many shortcomings, but who strove mightily towards the light as it was given him to see the light; a man who had the welfare of his countrymen and the greatness of his country very close to his heart, and who sought to make the great laws of righteousness living forces in the government of the world." 

These words had extra significance. As Joshua Hawley states in his biography, "Theodore Roosevelt: Preacher of Righteousness": "In praising Cromwell, Roosevelt offered the epitaph he hoped for himself."

James R. Nutting was an Atlanta real estate tycoon and city alderman who had a strong interest in education and libraries. He was instrumental in bringing public libraries to Atlanta.He was personally acquainted with Roosevelt. This is Roosevelt's book "Oliver Cromwell", inscribed and signed by TR with the famous quotation. "J.R. Nutting Esq. with regards of the author. Theodore Roosevelt, Sagamore Hill, June 6th 1901. 'A man who erred, who was guilty of many shortcomings, but who strove mightily towards the light as it was given him to see the light' (p. 240)". Nutting's bookplate remains present.

This is the first time we have ever seen Roosevelt write out this quotation, words that he hoped would be his epitaph as well as Cromwell's.