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Collection Overview

Creator:
Morris, Roland S. (Roland Sletor), 1874-1945
Title:
Roland S. Morris Papers
Repository:
Public Policy Papers
Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/6395w710h
Dates:
1855-1988 (mostly 1915-1929)
Size:
4 boxes
Storage Note:
  • Mudd Manuscript Library (scamudd): Box 1-4
Language:
English

Abstract

Roland S. (Sletor) Morris was a leader of the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania and was the ambassador to Japan from 1917-1921. The Roland S. Morris Papers consist of correspondence, diaries, writings, and other materials that document Morris's family life, political involvement in the Democratic Party, and his position as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 1917-1921.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

The Roland S. Morris Papers consist of correspondence, diaries, writings, and other materials that document Morris's family life, political involvement in the Democratic Party, and his position as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 1917-1921. The collection includes correspondence between Morris and his family, particularly his wife, Augusta Shippen West, as well as official incoming correspondence during Morris's ambassadorship and correspondence from Woodrow Wilson and Edith Bolling Wilson to Morris. Diaries and journals include travel accounts from Morris and his wife, along with a description of Morris's mission to Siberia in 1919 written by Frank C. MacDonald, an assistant at the Japanese embassy. The Writings section of the Morris Papers includes published and unpublished works relating to Japan and diplomacy. Biographical material includes information on the Morris family, particularly Morris's marriage to Augusta Shippen West in 1903.

Arrangement

The Roland S. Morris Papers are organized into the following categories: Correspondence, Diaries and Journals, Writings (Of Morris and Others) and Biographical Materials. Within these sections the folders are arranged alphbetically except the Diaries and Journals, which are arranged chronologically.

Collection Creator Biography:

Morris, Roland S. (Roland Sletor), 1874-1945

Roland S. (Sletor) Morris was a leader of the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania and was the ambassador to Japan from 1917-1921. Morris was born in Olympia, Washington on March 11, 1874 to Thomas Burnside Morris and Sarah Arndt Sletor. Morris attended the Lawrenceville School before entering Princeton University in September 1892. He graduated in June 1896, and went to the University of Pennsylvania Law School from 1896-1899, graduating cum laude. After receiving his law degree, Morris practiced law in Philadelphia at the firm of Duane, Morris and Heckscher. Morris was also politically active; he was the Chairman of the Democratic State Finance Committee in 1908 and from 1913-1916; additionally, he was a delegate or delegate at large to the Democratic National Convention in 1904, 1908, 1912, 1920, and 1928. President Woodrow Wilson appointed him as Ambassador to Japan from 1917-1921, and sent him on a special mission to Siberia from 1918-1919. Morris was a professor of international law at the University of Pennsylvania beginning in 1924, the Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, President of the American Philosophical Society, a trustee of both Princeton University and Temple University, and a Regent of the Smithsonian Institute.

Morris married Augusta Shippen West in Philadelphia on April 20, 1903 and they had two children, Sarah Arndt Morris and Edward Shippen Morris. He died in Philadelphia on November 23, 1945.


Morris, Roland S. (Roland Sletor), 1874-1945

Roland S. (Sletor) Morris was a leader of the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania and was the ambassador to Japan from 1917-1921. Morris was born in Olympia, Washington on March 11, 1874 to Thomas Burnside Morris and Sarah Arndt Sletor. Morris attended the Lawrenceville School before entering Princeton University in September 1892. He graduated in June 1896, and went to the University of Pennsylvania Law School from 1896-1899, graduating cum laude. After receiving his law degree, Morris practiced law in Philadelphia at the firm of Duane, Morris and Heckscher. Morris was also politically active; he was the Chairman of the Democratic State Finance Committee in 1908 and from 1913-1916; additionally, he was a delegate or delegate at large to the Democratic National Convention in 1904, 1908, 1912, 1920, and 1928. President Woodrow Wilson appointed him as Ambassador to Japan from 1917-1921, and sent him on a special mission to Siberia from 1918-1919. Morris was a professor of international law at the University of Pennsylvania beginning in 1924, the Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, President of the American Philosophical Society, a trustee of both Princeton University and Temple University, and a Regent of the Smithsonian Institute.

Morris married Augusta Shippen West in Philadelphia on April 20, 1903 and they had two children, Sarah Arndt Morris and Edward Shippen Morris. He died in Philadelphia on November 23, 1945.

Collection History

Acquisition:

Gift of Roland Machold, July 10, 2006 , January 2008 , and January 2009 . Accession records associated with this collection are ML.2006.010, ML.2008.008, and ML.2009.005.

Appraisal

No material was separated from this collection during initial processing or subsequent accessioning.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Jennifer Cole in February 2007. Finding aid written by Jennifer Cole on May 8, 2007. Materials in subsequent 2008 and 2009 accessions were incorporated into the existing collection and the finding aid was updated by Regine Heberlein in 2009.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

Roland S. Morris Papers; Public Policy Papers, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/6395w710h
Location:
Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library
65 Olden Street
Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
(609) 258-6345
Storage Note:
  • Mudd Manuscript Library (scamudd): Box 1-4

Find More

Related Materials

This collection is part of a group of over 20 collections held at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library related to Woodrow Wilson, which can be located by searching for the subject "Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924" on the Princeton Finding Aids website or in the Princeton Library Main Catalog.

Please see Woodrow Wilson: A Guide to Selected Resources in the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library for more particulars.

Bibliography

The Roland Sletor Morris Undergraduate Alumni File was consulted during preparation of the biographical note.

Subject Terms:
Ambassadors.
Genre Terms:
Correspondence
Diaries.
Names:
Democratic National Convention (1912 : Baltimore, Md.)
Harris, Townsend, 1804-1878
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924.
Places:
Japan.
Siberia (Russia).