AN EXCEPTIONAL PRESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATION COPY: THE ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS OF PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT, INSCRIBED AND PRESENTED BY ROOSEVELT IN 1911 TO PERENNIAL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND RIVAL WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN, "WITH MANY THANKS FOR THE 'SPEECHES'"

(BRYAN, William Jennings) ROOSEVELT, Theodore. Presidential Addresses and State Papers and European Addresses; December 8, 1908, to June 7, 1910. New York: The Review of Reviews Company, 1910. Octavo, original light brown cloth. Housed in a custom clamshell box. $16,000.

"Homeward Bound Edition" of Theodore Roosevelt's speeches and state papers from 1908-10, an extraordinary inscribed presentation-association copy inscribed by Roosevelt to Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan on the front free endpaper: "To the Hon. W.J. Bryan, with many thanks for the 'Speeches,' and with the good wishes of Theodore Roosevelt. Sept 12th, 1911," with Bryan's bookplate on the pastedown facing the inscription. An extraordinary association copy between two preeminent presidential contenders of the early 20th century.

William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) was a great orator and influential member of the Democratic Party. He served two terms in the House of Representatives for the state of Nebraska from 1891-95, then ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic nominee for President in the elections of 1896, 1900 and 1908. During the election of 1912, Bryan did not seek the Democratic presidential nomination, but offered his endorsement to New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson. The Republican Party split over the nomination of President William H. Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt, handing the election to the Democrats. Bryan would be named Secretary of State in the Wilson administration, serving for two years.

"Twice defeated [by 1900], Bryan nonetheless remained the Democratic party’s most significant leader, speaking frequently throughout the country on behalf of Democratic candidates and organizations. After his 1896 defeat, he quickly wrote The First Battle, a popular account of the election; thereafter he earned his income by speaking and writing… Bryan launched a third presidential campaign in 1908. He mobilized his supporters early and had the nomination in hand when the convention opened… President Theodore Roosevelt selected William Howard Taft as his successor, but Bryan found himself running, in fact, against the enormously popular Roosevelt. Taft took 7.7 million votes to 6.4 million for Bryan. Soon after the results were known, Bryan announced he would not seek another presidential nomination; he kept his word, although he left the door open to a draft that never came" (ANB). With photographic frontispiece portrait and three photographic plates. This is Volume 20 of the "Homeward Bound Edition" of Roosevelt's collected works, paginated 1893-2359.

Faint toning to text, offsetting to endpapers; ink spatter to edges of text block, discoloration to cloth, very good. An exceptional Presidential presentation-association copy.