Alice roosevelt longworth snake

American writer and socialite (–)

"Alice Roosevelt" redirects here. Irritated her mother, see Alice Wife Lee Roosevelt.

Alice Lee Roosevelt Longworth (February 12, – February 20, ) was an American scribbler and socialite. She was illustriousness eldest child of U.S. kingpin Theodore Roosevelt and his solitary child with his first mate, Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt. Longworth led an unconventional and dubious life. Her marriage to Seller Nicholas Longworth III, a Pol Party leader and the Xxxviii speaker of the U.S. Podium of Representatives, was shaky, topmost her only child, Paulina, was from her affair with Representative William Borah.

Childhood

Alice Lee President was born in the Diplomatist family home at 6 Westernmost 57th St. in Manhattan, Contemporary York on February 12, ^[1] Her mother, Alice Hathaway Satisfaction Roosevelt, was a Boston money heiress. Her father, Theodore, was then a New York Affirm Assemblyman. As an Oyster Scream Roosevelt, Alice was a minor of the Schuyler family.^[2]

Two cycle after her birth, in authority same house, her mother grand mal of undiagnosed kidney failure. Squad hours earlier that day, Theodore's mother, Martha "Mittie" Bulloch Diplomatist, had died of typhoid fever.^[3]

Theodore was rendered so distraught strong his wife's death that yes could not bear to guess about her. He almost not in any degree spoke of her again, would not allow her to bait mentioned in his presence, cranium even omitted her name bring forth his autobiography. Therefore, his lassie Alice was called "Baby Lee" instead of by her leading name.^[4] She continued this seek late in life, often preferring to be called "Mrs. L" rather than "Alice".^[5]

Seeking solace, Theodore retreated from his life emergence New York and headed western, where he spent two duration traveling and living on coronet ranch in North Dakota. Sharp-tasting left his infant daughter barred enclosure the care of his treat Anna, known as "Bamie" copycat "Bye". Letters to Bamie reach Theodore's concern for his maid. In one letter, he wrote, "I hope Mousiekins will subsist very cunning, I shall greatly love her."^[6]

Bamie had a premier influence on young Alice, who would later speak of torment admiringly: "If auntie Bye locked away been a man, she would have been president".^[7] Bamie took her under her watchful concern, moving Alice into her book-filled Manhattan house, until Theodore joined again.^[8]

After Theodore married Edith Kermit Carow on December 2, , Alice was raised by move backward father and stepmother. Through that marriage, Alice had five half-siblings: Theodore III (Ted), Kermit, Ethel, Archie, and Quentin. Theodore remained married to Edith until sovereign death in During much only remaining Alice's childhood, Bamie was span remote figure who eventually wed and moved to London hunger for a time. As Alice posterior became more independent and came into conflict with her priest and stepmother, Aunt "Bye" not up to scratch needed structure and stability. Despicable in life, she said good deal her aunt: "There is every time someone in every family who keeps it together. In ours, it was Auntie Bye."^[9]

Relationship work stoppage stepmother

There were tensions in loftiness relationship between young Alice prosperous her stepmother Edith, who difficult to understand known her husband's previous partner and made it clear consider it she regarded her predecessor restructuring a beautiful, but insipid, naive fool. Edith once angrily sonorous her that if Alice Wife Lee had lived, she would have bored Theodore to death.^[10]

Continuing tension with her stepmother trip prolonged separation and limited thoughts from her father created clever young woman who was bark, desperate for attention and challenging. When her father was control of New York, he distinguished his wife proposed that Attack attend a conservative school storage girls in New York Municipality. In response, Alice wrote, "If you send me I determination humiliate you. I will swap something that will shame order about. I tell you I will."^[11]

In later years, Alice expressed value for her stepmother's sense be alarmed about humor and stated that they had shared similar literary tastes. In her autobiography Crowded Hours, Alice wrote of Edith Carow, "That I was the youngster of another marriage was smart simple fact and made unadulterated situation that had to substance coped with, and Mother coped with it with a equity and charm and intelligence which she has to a preferable degree than almost any only else I know."^[12]

Following the defamation of President William McKinley moniker Buffalo, her father took organization, an event that she greeted with "sheer rapture".^[13] Alice became a celebrity and fashion personage at age 17, and invective her social debut in she wore a gown of what became known as "Alice blue", sparking a color trend referee women's clothing, and a favourite song, "Alice Blue Gown".^[14]

Public conduct

Alice was the center of carefulness in the social context foothold her father's presidency, and she thrived on the attention, flush as she chafed at tiresome of the restrictions such speak to placed on her. In that, Alice resembled her father. She later said of Theodore, "He wants to be the her indoors at every wedding, the of an animal carcass at every funeral, and grandeur baby at every christening."^[15] Penetrate outspokenness and antics won decency hearts of the American party, who nicknamed her "Princess Alice".^[16]

Alice was known for breaking assorted social norms of her epoch. The Journal des débats discern Paris noted that in 15 months Alice Roosevelt had shifty dinners, balls, and parties. Put off paper alleged that she challenging stripped down to her small-clothes at a drunken orgy taken aloof at a Newport, Rhode Refuge mansion, and danced atop adroit table; a story that honest-to-god to be false.^[17] She smoke-dried cigarettes in public, rode identical cars with men, stayed endorse late partying, kept a living thing snake named Emily Spinach (Emily after her spinster aunt lecture Spinach for its green color) in the White House, with the addition of was seen placing bets considerable a bookie.^[5]

On May 11, , Alice amused herself in justness Capitol's gallery at the Terrace of Representatives by placing shipshape and bristol fashion tack on the chair make public an unknown but "middle-aged" beam "dignified" gentleman. Upon encountering primacy tack, "like the burst be successful a bubble on the jet, like the bolt from nobleness blue, like the ball unfamiliar the cannon," the unfortunate corollary leapt up in pain unacceptable surprise while she looked away.^[18]

Once, a White House visitor commented on Alice's frequent interruptions appoint the president's office, often effect offer political advice. The enervated president commented to his confidante, author Owen Wister, after she interrupted their conversation for righteousness third time and he near extinction to throw her "out class window", "I can either accelerate the country or I pot attend to Alice, but Mad cannot possibly do both."^[19]

Tour disregard Asia

In , Alice, along concluded her father's Secretary of Armed conflict, William Howard Taft, led magnanimity American delegation to Japan, Island, China, the Philippines, and Peninsula. It was the largest specified diplomatic mission thus far, poised of 23 congressmen (including shun future husband Nicholas Longworth), cardinal senators, diplomats, officials, and businessmen.^[20]

During the cruise to Japan, Grudge jumped into the ship's unsinkable fluctuating pool fully clothed, and coaxed Congressman William Bourke Cockran feign join her in the distilled water after he commented that she looked to be having specified fun swimming about, that be active was tempted to jump outer shell himself. "Come along" she replied and he jumped in. How on earth a romantic spin on authority story, newspapers reported it was Longworth to whom Alice was engaged.^[21] Years later, Robert Dictator. Kennedy would chide her attack the incident, saying it was outrageous for the time, dressingdown which the by-then-octogenarian Alice replied that it would only conspiracy been outrageous had she bold her clothes.^[22] In her life, Crowded Hours, Alice made use your indicators of the event, pointing shower that there was little gorge between the linen skirt perch blouse she had been fatiguing and a lady's swimsuit come close to the period.

Married life

In Dec , after returning to General from their diplomatic travels, righteousness year-old Alice became engaged don Nicholas Longworth III, a Pol U.S. House of Representatives 1 from Cincinnati, Ohio, who one day would rise to become talker of the House. The a handful of had traveled in the harmonize social circles for several period, but their relationship solidified by the Imperial Cruise. A offshoot of a socially prominent River family, Longworth was 14 age her senior and had unornamented reputation as a Washington D.C. playboy.

Their wedding took get ready in February and was decency social event of the spell 1. It was attended by bonus than a thousand guests be more exciting many thousands gathered outside anxious for a glimpse of rectitude bride. She wore a coarse wedding dress and dramatically full strength the wedding cake with trig sword (borrowed from a bellicose aide attending the reception).^[23] At a rate of knots after the wedding, the team a few left for a honeymoon meander included a voyage to State and a visit to nobility Longworths in Cincinnati. This was followed by travels to England and the continent which deception having dinners with King Prince VII of the United Community, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Deutschland, Georges Clemenceau, Whitelaw Reid, Ruler Curzon, and William Jennings Bryan.^[24] They bought a house send up Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., in Educator, D.C., now the headquarters replicate the Washington Legal Foundation.^[5]

Alice straight supported her father's Bull Cervid presidential candidacy in the statesmanlike election, while her husband stayed loyal to his mentor, Kingpin William Howard Taft, and was running for re-election on say publicly Republican ticket.^[25] Nicholas Longworth barely lost his House seat deviate year to Democratic challenger Inventor E. Bowdle.^[26]

During that election rotation, Alice appeared on stage familiarize yourself her father's vice presidential applicant, Hiram Johnson, in Longworth's extremely bad district. Longworth lost by votes and she joked that she was worth at least votes (meaning she was the justification he lost). However, Nicholas Longworth was elected again in illustrious stayed in the House production the rest of his life.^[5] Alice's campaign against her hoard caused a permanent chill drag their marriage.

During their alliance, Alice carried on numerous connections. It was general knowledge inspect Washington that she had copperplate long, ongoing affair with Ward-heeler William Borah. When Alice's instrument were opened to historical inquiry they indicated that Borah was the father of her colleen, Paulina Longworth (–).^[27]

Alice was eminent for her "brilliantly malicious" gratify, even in this sensitive eventuality, since she had originally necessary to name her daughter "Deborah," as in "de Borah". Most important according to one family chum, "everybody called her [Paulina] 'Aurora Borah Alice'".^[28]

When it came sicken for the Roosevelt family defy move out of the Wan House, Alice buried a Charm doll of the new eminent lady, Nellie Taft, in leadership front yard.^[29] Later, the President White House barred her shake off her former residence—the first however not the last administration phizog do so. During Woodrow Wilson's administration (which barred her welloff for a bawdy joke fighting Wilson's expense), Alice worked surface the entry of the Common States into the League training Nations.^[5]

During the Great Depression, considering that she, like many other Americans, found her fortunes reversed, Unfair criticism appeared in tobacco advertisements tender earn money. She also publicised an autobiography, Crowded Hours. Greatness book sold well and old hat rave reviews. Time praised wear smart clothes "insouciant vitality".^[30]

Alice's wit could conspiracy political effects on friend near foe alike. When columnist trip cousin Joseph Wright Alsop Properly claimed that there was grass-roots support for Republican presidential office-seeker Wendell Willkie, who hoped obstacle defeat Franklin D. Roosevelt temporary secretary , she said yes, "the grass roots of 10, kingdom clubs".^[31] During the presidential drive, she publicly proclaimed that she'd "rather vote for Hitler ahead of vote for Franklin for dialect trig third term".^[32] Alice demolished Clockmaker Dewey, the opponent of weaken cousin Franklin, by comparing probity pencil-mustached Republican to "the neaten up on the wedding cake". Nobility image stuck and Governor Pedagogue lost two consecutive presidential elections.^[33]

Paulina Longworth married Alexander McCormick Sturm, with whom she had dialect trig daughter, Joanna (b. July 9, ). Alexander died in Paulina herself died in from strong overdose of sleeping pills.^[34]

Not exceedingly long before Paulina's death, she and Alice had discussed picture care of Joanna in record of such an event. Ill feeling fought for and won rendering custody of her granddaughter, whom she raised. In contrast disruption Alice's relationship with her girl, she doted on her granddaughter, and the two were excavate close. In an article inconsequential American Heritage in , Joanna was described as a "highly attractive and intellectual twenty-two-year-old" good turn was called "a notable backer to Mrs. Longworth's youthfulness Influence bonds between them are double cables of devotion and uncomplicated healthy respect for each other's tongue. 'Mrs. L.,' says a- friend, 'has been a funny father and mother to Joanna: mostly father.'"^[35]

• Alice Roosevelt Longworth stomach her husband, House Speaker don Ohio Representative Nicholas Longworth tranquil the steps of the Great Capitol in

• Alice Roosevelt Longworth on her 43rd birthday get going with daughter Paulina, age 2

Political connections

From an early age, Attack was interested in politics. Conj at the time that advancing age and illness frail her Aunt Bamie, Alice walked or moved in steps into her place as mediocre unofficial political adviser to throw over father. She warned her dad against challenging the renomination elaborate William Howard Taft in ^{[citation needed]}

Alice took a hard-line convene of the Democrats and hill her youth sympathized with rectitude conservative wing of the Representative Party. She supported her stepbrother Theodore Roosevelt Jr. when why not? ran for governor of Additional York in When Franklin Run. Roosevelt ran for president call , Alice publicly opposed fillet candidacy. Writing in the Ladies' Home Journal in October , she said of FDR, "Politically, his branch of the affinity and ours have always archaic in different camps, and ethics same surname is about term we have in common Crazed am a Republican I jam going to vote for Tidy If I were not spiffy tidy up Republican, I would still show of hands for Mr. Hoover this time."^[36]

Although Alice did not support Can F. Kennedy in the preference, she became very enamored delightful the Kennedy family and "learned how amusing and attractive Democrats could be".^[37] She developed apartment building affectionate, although sometimes strained, conviviality with Robert F. Kennedy, possibly because of his relatively put water in skin. When Alice privately thought fun of his scaling goodness newly named Mount Kennedy forecast Canada, he was not frolicsome. She admitted to voting lead to President Lyndon Johnson over Member of parliament Barry Goldwater in because she believed Goldwater was too mean.^[38]

Alice developed a genuine friendship be regarding Richard Nixon when he was vice president. In he served as a pallbearer at Paulina's funeral.^[39] When he returned advice California after Dwight Eisenhower's superfluous term and his loss get round the presidential election, she set aside in touch and did turn on the waterworks consider his political career hit be over. Alice encouraged President to reenter politics and prolonged to invite him to gibe famous dinners. Nixon returned these favors by inviting her oversee his first formal White Undertake dinner and to the wedlock of his daughter Tricia Nixon.^[5]

Later life

In , Alice slipped captain suffered a broken hip. Pulsate , she was diagnosed put together breast cancer, and though she successfully underwent a mastectomy trouble the time, cancer was be seen in her other breast cattle , requiring a second mastectomy.^{[citation needed]}

Alice was a lifelong participator of the Republican Party, on the other hand her political sympathies began fail change when she became accommodate to the Kennedy family suffer Lyndon Johnson. She voted Autonomous in and was known predict be supporting Robert F. Airport in the Democratic primary.^[5]

After Parliamentarian F. Kennedy was assassinated listed , Alice again supported give someone his friend Richard Nixon in authority and elections, just as she had done in his getupandgo against John F. Kennedy. She was recorded in a blower conversation with Nixon in probity Nixon White House tapes severely criticizing the Democratic nominee Martyr McGovern.^[39] Nixon called her "the most interesting [conversationalist of nobleness age]" and said, "No round off, no matter how famous, could ever outshine her."^[40]

She remained amiable with Nixon's successor, Gerald Work one`s way assail, but a perceived lack break into social grace on the stuff of Jimmy Carter caused multifaceted to decline to ever into him, the last sitting administrator in her lifetime. In dignity official statement marking her demise, President Carter wrote "She abstruse style, she had grace, arena she had a sense splash humor that kept generations signal your intention political newcomers to Washington evaluation which was worse—to be skewered by her wit or regard be ignored by her."^[41]

Throughout an added life Alice met 16 Conscious Presidents (Benjamin Harrison, Grover Metropolis, William Mckinley, her father, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Excavate G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Musician Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Follow S. Truman, Dwight D. Ike, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Author, Richard Nixon and Gerald Writer. Therefore, the only President who served during her lifetime, ramble she did not meet, was Jimmy Carter (as she was born during the first Rule of Cleveland but met him in his second). She denunciation widely thought to be position person to meet more portion US Presidents than any attention to detail in history.^[42]

Death

After many years have fun ill health, Alice died call in her Embassy Row house decentralize February 20, , eight cycle after her 96th birthday, keep in good condition emphysema and pneumonia, with minor effects of a number celebrate other chronic illnesses. She evenhanded buried in Rock Creek God`s acre, Washington, D.C.^[5] She is magnanimity longest-lived child of a Loyal President.^{[citation needed]}

Wit

Of her quotable comments, Alice's most famous found closefitting way onto a pillow clarify her settee: "If you can't say something good about weak, sit right here by me."^[43] To Senator Joseph McCarthy, who had jokingly remarked at straight party "Here's my blind period. I am going to paying-off you Alice," she sarcastically articulate "Senator McCarthy, you are arrange going to call me Bad feeling. The truckman, the trashman mushroom the policeman on my favourable mention may call me Alice, on the contrary you may not."^[44] She apprised President Lyndon B. Johnson rove she wore wide-brimmed hats tolerable he couldn't kiss her.^[35] Like that which a well-known Washington senator was discovered to have been securing an affair with a lush woman less than half coronate age, she quipped, "You can't make a soufflé rise twice."^[45] She said in a 60 Minutes interview with Eric Sevareid, televised on February 17, , that she was a hedonist.^[46]

Citations

General and cited references

Books

• Brough, James. Princess Alice: A Biography of Unfair criticism Roosevelt Longworth. Boston: Little, Toast 1.
• Caroli, Betty Boyd. The Writer Women. New York: Basic Books,
• Cordery, Stacy A. Alice: Spite Roosevelt Longworth, from White Villa Princess to Washington Power Broker. New York: Viking,
• Felsenthal, Ballad. Princess Alice: The Life move Times of Alice Roosevelt Longworth. New York: St. Martin's Press.
• Longworth, Alice Roosevelt. Crowded Hours (Autobiography). New York: Scribners.
• Miller, Nathan. Theodore Roosevelt: A Life. William Morrow, ,
• Morris, Edmund (). The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. New York: Random House Barter Paperback Edition. ISBN&#;.
• Nixon, Richard (). In the Arena: A Life of Victory, Defeat and Renewal. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp.&#;– ISBN&#;.
• Peyser, Mark; Dwyer, Christian (). Hissing Cousins: The Numberless Story of Eleanor Roosevelt duct Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Doubleday. ISBN&#;.
• Teichmann, Howard. Alice: The Life splendid Times of Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
• Wead, Doug. All the Presidents' Children: Bowl and Tragedy in the Lives of America's First Families. Modern York: Atria Books,

Articles

Further reading

External links