Presidential Love Letters


I am a history geek and the American Presidency is my default position.  I have read almost two dozen Presidential biographies and I am not going to die until I have covered all of them.  Some Presidents have been remarkable to the point of awesome in their skill and/or character (like Lincoln and Washington).  Some have surprised me by the goodness of their person, even if their intelligence, or skill set did not measure up to the intense demands of the office they held (like Grant and Cleveland).  I have occasionally been surprised by a poor President who, working against type, rose as far as he could to the stature of the office simply because he thought higher of the office than his life had otherwise demonstrated (like Chester A. Arthur). 
     But there is one area in which all Presidents have shown themselves to be in perfect synchronizations with the rest of us.   What is that one sweet spot where men of note join men in general?  The answer is romantic love. 
      Not all Presidential snapshots are serious, somber or sobering.  What follows is an excerpt of six love letters from six Presidents to their wives.   I thought it might be fun to see if you can match the missives of love to the man of the hour.   I have listed them in absolutely no order whatsoever.  The six Presidents are listed here in the order of their terms.  Answers are at the bottom of the page.  How did you do? 

John Adams to Abigail Smith
Theodore Roosevelt to Alice Hathaway Lee
Woodrow Wilson to Ellen Louise Axson
Harry Truman to Bess Wallace
Richard Nixon to Thelma (Pat) Ryan
Ronald Reagan to Nancy Davis

1.       1.,  “Why, my darling, I can’t tell you how completely I am yours, in my every thought.  I did not know myself how much I loved you until I found out that you love me.” 

2.      2.   “I suppose that I am too crazy about you anyway. Every time I see you, I get more so if it is possible. I know I haven’t any right to but there are certain things that can’t be helped and that is one of them.”  

3.      3. " By the same token that the bearer [of this letter] sat up with you last night I hereby order you to give him, as many kisses, and as many hours of your company after 9 o’clock as he shall please to demand and charge them to my account.” 
 
4.     4.  “Every day and every night I want to see you and be with you.  Yet I have no feeling of selfish ownership or jealousy. Let’s go for a long ride Sunday; let’s go to the mountains weekends; let’s read books in front of fires; most of all, let’s really grow together and find the happiness we know is ours.” 

5.      5.   “Sweetest little wife, I think all the time of my little laughing, teasing beauty, and how pretty she is, and how she goes to sleep in my arms, and I could almost cry I love you so.”
 
6.     6.  “I more than love you, I’m not whole without you. You are life itself to me. When you are gone I’m waiting for you to return so I can start living again.” 

     We have had so many good Presidents and so many good men who tried to be good Presidents.  It is nice to know that we also had some who were totally invested in the love of one good woman.  Read a good Presidential biography.  It will help you keep the faith.

Answers:  Adams (#3); Roosevelt (#5); Wilson (#1); Truman (#2); Nixon (#4); Reagan (#6)

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