President McKinley travelled extensively during his term of office,
spoke many times in nearly every State, and was probably more generally
beloved by the people than any of his predecessors. He visited the
Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, in September, 1901, and on the 5th
delivered a notable speech, which was admired and commented upon all
over the world. The next day, when he was holding a reception in the
Temple of Music on the Exposition grounds, he was treacherously shot by
an anarchist and wounded so that, in spite of the immediate services of
the most skilful surgeons, he died on the 14th. His amiable and
dignified character was conspicuous to the last. When he saw the crowd
about to kill the assassin on the spot, he exclaimed: "Let no one hurt
him!" To the surgeons he said: "I wish you to do whatever in your
judgment is best." When his last hour came he was heard softly chanting
his favorite hymns--"Nearer, my God, to Thee" and "Abide with me," and
his last words were, "It is God's way--His will be done. Good-by
all--good-by!" Thus passed away this wonderful man, this model American,
worthy of a place in history beside Washington and Lincoln. He had
fought like a hero--he had wrought like a genius--he had lived like a
patriot--he died like a philosopher.