HOW TO ADDRESS IMPORTANT PERSONAGES
| If you are speaking, you say: | Envelope addressed: | Formal beginning of a letter: | Informal beginning: | Formal close: | Informal close: | Correct titles in introduction: | |
| The President | Mr. President And occasionally throughout a conversation, Sir. | The President of the United States or merely The President, Washington, D.C. (There is only one "President") | Sir: | My dear Mr. President: | I have the honor to remain, Most respectfully yours, or I have the honor to remain, sir, Your most obedient servant. | I have the honor to remain, Yours faithfully, or I am, dear Mr. President, Yours faithfully. | The President. |
| The Vice-President | Mr. Vice-President and then, Sir. | The Vice-President, Washington, D.C. | Sir: | My dear Mr. Vice President: | Same as for President. | Believe me, Yours faithfully. | The Vice-President. |
| Justice of Supreme Court | Mr. Justice | The Hon. William H. Taft, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Washington, D.C. | Sir: | Dear Mr. Justice Taft: | Believe me, Yours very truly, or I have the honor to remain, Yours very truly. | Believe me, Yours faithfully. | The Chief Justice or, if an Associate Justice, Mr. Justice Holmes. |
| Member of the President's Cabinet | Mr. Secretary | The Secretary of Commerce, Washington, D.C. or: The Hon. Herbert Hoover, Secretary of Commerce, Washington, D.C. | Dear Sir: or Sir: | My dear Mr. Secretary: | Same as above. | Same as above. | The Secretary of Commerce. |
| United States (or State) Senator | Senator Lodge | Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Washington, D.C. or a private letter: Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, (His house address) | Dear Sir: or Sir: | Dear Senator Lodge: | Same as above. | Same as above. | Senator Lodge. On very formal and unusual occasions, Senator Lodge of Massachusetts. |
| Member of Congress (or Legislature) | Mr. Bell or, you may say Congressman | The Hon. H.C. Bell, Jr., House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. or: State Assembly, Albany, New York. | Dear Sir: or Sir: | Dear Mr. Bell: or Dear Congressman: | Believe me, Yours very truly. | Yours faithfully. | Mr. Bell. |
| Governor | Governor Miller (The Governor is not called Excellency when spoken to and very rarely when he is announced. But letters are addressed and begun with this title of courtesy.) | His Excellency, The Governor, Albany, New York. | Your Excellency: | Dear Governor Miller: | I have the honor to remain, Yours faithfully. | Believe me, Yours faithfully. | The Governor (in his own state) or, (out of it,) The Governor of Michigan. |
| Mayor | Mr. Mayor | His Honor the Mayor, City Hall, Chicago. | Dear Sir: or Sir: | Dear Mayor Rolph: | Believe me, Very truly yours. | Yours faithfully. | Mayor Rolph. |
| Cardinal | Your Eminence | His Eminence John Cardinal Gibbons, Baltimore, Md. | Your Eminence: | Your Eminence: | I have the honor to remain, Your Eminence's humble servant. | Your Eminence's humble servant. | His Eminence. |
| Roman Catholic Archbishop (There is no Protestant Archbishop in the United States) | Your Grace | The Most Reverend Michael Corrigan, Archbishop of New York. | Most Reverend and dear Sir: | Most Reverend and Dear Sir: | I have the honor to remain, Your humble servant, | Same as formal close. | The Most Reverend The Archbishop. |
| Bishop (Whether Roman Catholic or Protestant.) | Bishop Manning | To the Right Reverend William T. Manning, Bishop of New York. | Most Reverend and dear Sir: | My Dear Bishop Manning: | I have the honor to remain, Your obedient servant, or, to remain, Respectfully yours, | Faithfully yours. | Bishop Manning. |
| Priest | Father or Father Duffy | The Rev. Michael Duffy. | Reverend and dear Sir: | Dear Father Duffy: | I beg to remain, Yours faithfully, | Faithfully yours. | Father Duffy. |
| Protestant Clergyman | Mr. Saintly (If he is D.D. or LL.D., you call him Dr. Saintly.) | The Rev. Geo. Saintly. (If you do not know his first name, write The Rev. ... Saintly. rather than the Rev. Mr. Saintly) | Sir: or My dear Sir: | Dear Dr. Saintly: (or Dear Mr. Saintly if he is not a D.D.) | Same as above, | Faithfully yours, or Sincerely yours, | Dr. (or Mr.) Saintly |
| Rabbi | Rabbi Wise (If he is D.D. or LL.D., he is called Dr. Wise) | Dr. Stephen Wise, or Rabbi Stephen Wise, or Rev. Stephen Wise. | Dear Sir: | Dear Dr. Wise: | I beg to remain, Yours sincerely, | Yours sincerely, | Rabbi Wise. |
| Ambassador | Your Excellency or Mr. Ambassador | His Excellency The American Ambassador,[[B]] American Embassy, London. | Your Excellency: | Dear Mr. Ambassador: | I have the honor to remain, Yours faithfully, or, Yours very truly, or, Yours respectfully. or very formally: I have the honor to remain, sir, your obedient servant. | Yours faithfully, | The American Ambassador. |
| Minister Plenipotentiary | In English he is usually called "Mr. Prince," though it is not incorrect to call him "Mr. Minister." The title "Excellency" is also occasionally used in courtesy, though it does not belong to him. In French he is always called Monsieur le Ministre | The Hon. J.D. Prince, American Legation, Copenhagen, or (more courteously) His Excellency, The American Minister, Copenhagen, Denmark | Sir: is correct but, Your Excellency: is sometimes used in courtesy. | Dear Mr. Minister: or Dear Mr. Prince: | Same as above. | Yours faithfully, | Mr. Prince, the American Minister, or merely, The American Minister as everyone is supposed to know his name or find it out. |
| Consul | Mr. Smith | If he has held office as assemblyman or commissioner, so that he has the right to the title of "Honorable" is addressed: The Hon. John Smith, otherwise: John Smith, Esq., American Consul, Rue Quelque Chose, Paris. | Sir: or My dear Sir: | Dear Mr. Smith: | I beg to remain, Yours very truly. | Faithfully, | Mr. Smith |
[B] Although our Ambassadors and Ministers represent the United States of America, it is customary both in Europe and Asia to omit the words United States and write to and speak of the American Embassy and Legation. In addressing a letter to one of our representatives in countries of the Western Hemisphere, "The United States of America" is always specified by way of courtesy to the Americans of South America.
Foreign persons of title are not included in the foregoing diagram because an American (unless in the Diplomatic Service) would be unlikely to address any but personal friends, to whom he would write as to any others. An envelope would be addressed in the language of the person written to: "His Grace, the Duke of Overthere (or merely The Duke of Overthere), Hyde Park, London"; "Mme. la Princess d'Acacia, Ave. du Bois, Paris"; "Il Principe di Capri, Cusano sul Seveso"; "Lady Alwin, Cragmere, Scotland," etc. The letter would begin, Dear Duke of Overthere (or Dear Duke), Dear Princess, Dear Countess Aix, Dear Lady Alwin, Dear Sir Hubert, etc., and close, "Sincerely," "Faithfully," or "Affectionately," as the case might be.
Should an American have occasion to write to Royalty he would begin: "Madam" (or Sir), and end: "I have the honor to remain, madam (or Sir), your most obedient." ("Your most obedient servant" is a signature reserved usually for our own President—or Vice-President.)