Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-20
HBEEL|HG'S TRIBUTE
70 WILLIAM A'kINLEY.
Continued From Fifth Page.

children of every vote in this grand re-
Dublie And therefore we gather to-
gether to-day TO manifest our feelings
OF sorrow at our nations bereavement.
William Mckinley is a martyr for
his countrys welfare. His death EN-
ohasizes the fact that seeds of an
archy have been sown in our soil. We
are harboring discontents whose muir
der1us shafts are directed against our
national life. Is it one Of the necss-
sary curses of our free country that
Il must in its libera.ity be silent while
II harbors within its bosom a serpent
which threatens to prey upon its most
vital organs?
There Is too much maudlin se7ti-
ment about free speech and free press.
Sensible men will maintain that the
highest freedom of speech and pen
never degenerates into license and new
er implies the right to plot against the
welfare of the state The law of SELF
preservation is the first law, not only
in physical but in national life. Did It
require the death of our Chief Magis-
frate to arouse our country to this dam
ger? Did God in His wonderful provi-
denee permit this afflietion for our ma
tons good?
The body of our martyred President
passed into sad and pathetic dust but
his noble life lives on. Everyone vino
admires conjugal hdelity, everyone who
esteems the sanctity Of home, every
one who loves the moral virtues, can
be proud of the life of the martyred
President.
May God comfort the bereaved wife
in this sad hour OF affliction. The ma
ton goes out in feelings of sympathy
for --er. Our other prayer shall be:
May God drive out of this republic the
vile serpent of anarchy which has rob
bed us of a good President and may
Sod in his infinite mercy give rest and
peace to the soul of William McKin-
ley"
Rev. c II. Robinson's Address.
The Rev. c. H. Robinson, of the First
United Presbyterian church, was, after a
selection by Meister's band. introduced by
the chairman, Mayor Sweeney, and in
the following words paid eloquent tribute:
Il deem it an honor and privilege to
be permitted to lift my voice this after
noon in unison with the thousands who,
in every State and section of our country,
Gre speaking to the grief and sorrow that
fill all hearts to-day. A great man has
fallen in Israel-a conspicuous figure has
passed off the world stage forever-a
brilliant and useful career has been closed
in death. calamity more completely I'M
expected or more wholly hid in the man
ner of its coming, never darkened the high
noon of a nations life. Startled by the in
iquitous deed of the assassin, torn for a
week of waiting by the alternate passing
of hope and fear and then plunged into
grief and dismay by the fateful issue.
ere not yet recovered from the shock of
an event that has brought with 1t not
more of sense OF public calamity than OF
personal bereavement. That such general
and genuine sorrow should envelope all
sections of this country and all classes
of society, is a testimony both to the
splendid personality of him we mourn and
to that form of government that teaches
US to think of our President as our fellow
citizen and brother man. AS Mr.. Stanton
said of the martyred Lincoln after closing
his eyes in death. Mr.. Mckinley belongs
now 10 the ages" We cannot exalt him
by extolling him. but the lessons Of his
life appear and like all Gods heroes who
have stood the test of great occasion and
passed on to his reward, He being
dead, yet speaketh. William Mckinley
was first and foremost, man. The pro-
duct of a country that knows no crown
save that of character, and no royalty
save that of manhood, h: vas crowned
and r. he'd with the truest marines. lie
refnements of private life know no old
or new school, and by the fairest tests of
either school, Mr.. Mckinley was knight
" gentleman Guunortinr biS aged moth
CT with a 1lial love and Difference that
has more than once touched the nations
heart. Carrying into his married life and
ever maintaining it in his home, the
thoughtfulness and eourtly devotion of a
lover, he has lifted into prominence and
clothed with great meaning those rela-
tons in life in which are found Gods first
tests of character. To the American home,
the unit of society, the hope of the repub-
lie, our martyred President has left leg
acy which in these iconoelastc days we do
well to cherish. BY nature Mr.. Mckinley
was endowed with a strong and winning
personality. He loved his fellow men. In
this Nature made the motion. Grace sec
onded it, Presiding over the greatest ma
ton of modern times, he saw in it not
only race of men, a commonwealth OF
oLeAteS, pul Il IldSulllCtIl' COillpdCl OL Lei
low countrymen, bound toc 9t.ier ere riv-
cited through ana th.ouAh With The bands
and bolts of brotherhood Il is said that
n loved TO shake hands VITA men, me-
chanical ard perfunctorr. rs 'ubic 90 ep
tons in the nature of things must be. He
gave to these occasional functions ii I'M
East Room of the White House or when
ever he greeted men by tn. hundreds, a
personal charm and realness which
minded those who remembered of the
days when Lincoln met each man in line
with some personal word that was never
forgotten.
Mr.. Mckinley was a patient man. How
many of us recall to-day how what we
at the time mistook for indecision and
parley and lack of aggressiveness, was
really a sublime manifestation of patience.
The hour had not struck. The time was
not ripe. He had learned, in the school
of his own experience, as few men have
learned, both how TO labor and to wait
But again, our fallen chieftain was not
only man among men. He was also an
American. His forbears by several re-
moves belonged to Pennsylvania, his par
ents and grandparents TO Ohio. but the
uIustriOus son belonged 10 the whole