favor, he had the rare and happy talent of refusing without offending. Probably no public man in American life ever had fewer personal enemies or submitted to fewer bitter personal attacks.
His married life while it had great griefs in the death of his two children, and in the invalid condition of his wife, was beautiful in tender affection and strong devotion.
He had a fine sense of humor and was fond of relating stories of the war, anecdotes of public men, or humorous incidents of his rich campaigning experience. His personal habits and his family life were most simple and unassuming.
As an orator he was impressive if not always eloquent. He indulged in no glittering, meretricious phrases, no sentences uttered for empty rhetorical effect. Every sentence rang with sincerity. Yet he had the gift of the unforgettable phrase, which carries conviction and becomes current on the lips of others because it is a pictorial argument.
President McKinley was the recipient of numerous civic and academic honors. He was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union Veteran Legion and several other military organizations; and by virtue of public service, of many learned societies. He received the degree of LL.D. from Western Reserve university, 1897; McKendree college, 1897; University of Chicago, and Yale university, 1898; Smith college, 1899; University of California, 1901; and the degree of D.C.L. from Mt. Holyoke college, 1899.
On January 25, 1871, he married Ida, daughter of James A. and Catherine (Dewalt) Saxton of Canton, Ohio, who survives him.
His last words "It is God's way; His will be done, not ours," indicate the spiritual secret of a Christian life which throughout had faith in God for its inspiration, and the doing of God's will as its constant aim and highest end.
