The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-02-27
EULOGY
OF DEAD
PRESIDENT
Delivered BY Secretary John
Hay.
In the Halls of the National
Capitol.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-By invitation
OF Congress Secretary of State Hay today
delivered an oration at the Nationa
Capitol upon the life and death Of The
late President William Mckinley.
In opening his oration he said:-
"For the third time the Congress o
the United States are assembled to COM
memorate the life aud death Of Presi-
dent slain by the hand of an assassin.
The attention Of the future historian
will be attracted TO the features which
re-appear with startling sameness iu all
three OF these awful crimes the useless.
ness, the utter lack Of consequence Of
the act the obscurity, the insigniicance
Of the criminal; the blamelessness-so
far as in our sphere of existence the best
OF men may be held blameless--of the
victim. Not one OF our murdered Presi-
dents had an enemy in the world; tley
we're all of such preeminent purity Of
life that no pretext could be given for
the attack of passional crime; they were
all men of Democratic instincts who
could never have offended the most
jealous advocates Of equality; they were
Of kindly and generous nature, to whom
wrong or injustice was impossible; OF
moderate fortune, whose slender means
nobody could envy. There we're men of
austere virtue, of tender heart, Of emf
nent abilities, which they had devoted
with single minds to the good Of the
Republic. II ever men walked before
God and man without blame, it was
these three rulers of our people. The
only temptation to attack their lives
offered was their gentle radiance-to
eyes hating the light that was oifense
enough.
The stupid uselessness OF such an in
fanny affronts the common sense Of the
world. One can conceive how the death
OF a dictator may change the political
conditions Of an Empire; how the ex-
tinction Of a narrowing line Of kings may
bring in an alien dynasty, But in we'll.
ordered Republic like ours, the ruler
may fall, but the State feels no tremor.
Our beloved and revered leader ia gone
but the natural process of our laws
provides us a successor, identical in pur-
pose and ideals, nourished by the same
teachings, inspired by the same prin.
ciples, pledged by tender affection as
well as by high loyalty to carry to COM
pletion the immense task committed to
his hands, and to smite with iron sever
ity every manifestation Of that hideous
crime which his mild predecessor, with
his dying breath, iorgave. The sayings
OF celestial wisdom have no date; the |
words that reach us, over two thousand
years, out Of the darkest hour of gloom
the world has ever known, are true to
he life today: They know not what
hey do" The blow struck az our dear
riend and ruler was as deadly rs blind
late could make il; but the blow struck
It anarchy was deadier still"
ln a magnificent Grafton Secretary ,
lay then went on to discuss the political
beliefs and performances of the dead
PRESIDENT. mentioning the great pros-
,erity Of the country under his ad-
and his unalloyed salts
action with the happiness Of his people /
Referring to his last speech at Buffalo
I'D to his assassination the orator said:
"ln that mood Of high hope, Of
Xpectation, he went 10 Buffalo, .
nd there, on the threshold OF eternity,
10 delivered that memorable speech I
'orthy for its loftiness Of tone, it's I
ameless morality, its breadth OF view, I
D be regarded as his testament 10 the
alton. Through all his pride OF country 3
nd his joy OF its success, runs the note an
solemn warning, as in Kipling's noble /
ymn, lest we forget" C
The next day sped the bolt Of doom, Z
nd for a week aiter-in an agony Il :
read broken by illusiye glimpses OF hoT o '
hat our prayers might be answered-the r
alton waited for the end. Nothing in !
he glorious life that we saw gradually o.
aDing was more admirable and exem- q
larry than its close. The gentle human. b
Y Of his words, when he cav bis assail. y
ut in danger Of summary vengeance, a
Don't let them hurt him :" his chivalr.
ne care that the news should be brok en- -
entity 10 his wife the fine courtesy with .
hich he apologizsd for the da mage :
hich his death would bring 10 the great
Exhibition; aud the heroic resignation
his final words, "lt is Gods way. HE {
in, not ours, bs done were all the in :
inctive expressions OF a nature 80 lofty
nd 30 pure that pride 10 its nobility at 2
ace soitened aud enchanced the nations 81
,nse OF loss. The Republic grieyed over ;"
lch a son-but 10 proud forever OF hay- :
X produced him. After all, in spite cf III
4 tragic ending his life was extraOr- ~
narily happy He had, all his days, =
OOPS Of friends, the cheer Of fame and n
uitlul labor; and he became at last =
"On fortunes crowning slope,
90 The pillar Of peoples hope,
"The center Of worlds desire.
lie was fortunate even in hisuntimely
ath, for an event 30 tragical called tho
lrld imperatiyely TO the immediate
idy Of his life a1d thus anticipated the
re praises Of posterity." r.
There is not one Of 10 hut feels L