Franklin D. Roosevelt to Woodrow Wilson

July 8 --I entirely forgot on Sunday evening to speak to you of a personal matter which might come up during my absence -- the question of my nomination for the Governorship of New York -- I have tried in every way to stop it, but some of your friends & mine have talked of the possibility of forcing this while I am away, and of asking you to encourage me to accept it.

I sincerely hope the matter will not come up -- I have made my position entirely clear that my duty lies in my present work -- not only my duty to you and to the country, but my duty to myself -- If I were at any time to leave the Assistant Secretaryship it could only be for active service.

Furthermore, may I say that I am very certain that it would be a grave mistake for either you or any member of the Administration to ask that I give up war work for what is frankly very much of a local political job in these times. I cannot accept such a nomination at this time either with honesty or honor to myself. I think I have put off all danger of it, but in case you are appealed to I want you to know what I feel ---- and I know too that you will understand and that you will not listen to the appeal.