John Hay Memorial Address on the Life and Character of William McKinley, 1903

William McKinley served in the U.S. Congress and as governor of Ohio before running for the presidency in 1896. As a longtime champion of protective tariffs, Republican McKinley ran on a platform of promoting American prosperity and won a landslide victory over Democrat William Jennings Bryan to become the 25th president of the United States. In 1898, McKinley led the nation into war with Spain over Cuban independence; the brief conflict ended with the U.S. in possession of Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam. He was re-elected in 1900. McKinley was assassinated September, 1901 while standing in a receiving line at the Pan-American Exposition. Rushed to a Buffalo hospital, he initially received a hopeful prognosis, but gangrene set in around his wounds and he died eight days later. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.

This memorial address was delivered to the two houses of Congress by the Hon. John Hay. John Milton Hay was an American statesman and official whose career in government stretched over almost half a century. Beginning as a private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln, Hay's highest office was United States Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Hay was also an author and biographer, and wrote poetry and other literature throughout much of his life.

from https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/william-mckinley