The Reign of Theodore Roosevelt [excerpt]

     The second term of President McKinley had not gone far when it came to a tragic end. For the third time in our history the Chief Executive of the nation was assassinated by the hand of an unrestrained lunatic. He was shot down while attending an exposition at the city of Buffalo, from the effects of which assault he died some days later, after much patient suffering.
     When Roosevelt was sworn into office as President he recognized the popularity of his predecessor and pledged himself to carry out his policies. And he did—he carried them out the back door of [148][149] the White House and left them there. What became of them no one knows; they have not been seen since that day. As everybody is aware, it was the beginning of a new era in which things were to be done differently. Precedents were no longer to be followed, but to be made.
     The affairs of state went along in a fairly normal way until the term expired for which McKinley had been elected. The fact that he was occupying a position to which another had been called by the voice of the people appeared to have a restraining effect on the President. He began, however, to show signs of restlessness as the time approached for another election. It was apparent he was eager to renew his right to rule by the direct authority of the voters, for then he could be independent of all inherited obligations and perfectly free to be himself.