Publication information
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Source: Alienist and Neurologist
Source type: journal
Document type: editorial
Document title: none
Author(s): Hughes, Charles Hamilton
Date of publication: October 1901
Volume number: 22
Issue number: 4
Pagination: 720-21

 
Citation
Hughes, Charles Hamilton. [untitled]. Alienist and Neurologist Oct. 1901 v22n4: pp. 720-21.
 
Transcription
full text
 
Keywords
McKinley assassination (personal response).
 
Named persons
Marcus Hanna; William McKinley.
 
Document

 

[untitled]

     WITH BOWED HEADS AND BRUISED HEARTS a mourning Nation laments another martyred President, the third within near the average life-time of man.
     Stricken unto death by paranoiac assassin hand, moved to the dastard deed by inspiration of calumnious speech and villainous epithets applied under undue license of language, in the fair abused name of Freedom; “McKinley was the tool of Mark Hanna and Mark Hanna was the agent of oppressive trusts” said the villainous instigators of this violence, and this of the people’s executive head, now no longer a partisan but the country’s chosen chief.
     Down the line passed the calumnies which could not have been said face to face to any citizen without quick retributive resentment, till a weak misled anarchist takes up the false accusations and transforms the seditious calumnious words into murderous action. [720][721]
     Thus another noble President is martyred, this time by anarchy’s foul, treacherous heart, while His Excellency is in the kindly act of a benignant public function. With his cordial hand outstretched and a benign smile on his good and noble face the President is stealthily shot unto death by the hand that should have loved and shielded him, for the assassin was one of the humblest and meanest of men, graciously permitted, as in no other country, to take the hand of the Nation’s great Governor.
     Land of the “free hearts [sic] hope and home” shall another President of this great Republic be thus wounded to his death by villainous calumny? Shall murderous Anarchy be instigated and emboldened again to strike another stealthy blow at this free country’s chief executive by permitting unbridled villainy of tongue and pen? Liberty demands no such foul pollution of pen or speech. Statute guarded freedom needs no such license of language.
     The hand of an American president should be clasped only by patriot people and his fair name should be exempt from calumnious speech of demagogues. This “government of the people, for the people and by the people” will live though its presidents are foully slain, but its presidents should live also.

 

 


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