VICE PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT was away in the New York mountains with his family on a camping and hunting trip when news reached him of the shooting of President McKinley. He arrived at Buffalo the next day. Owing to the hopeful view taken by the physicians regarding the President’s condition and the prevalent belief that he would recover, the Vice President returned to the mountains to resume his outing, and when Secretary Cortelyou sent the telegram—
“The President’s condition has changed for the worse.”
followed a few hours later by another—
“Come at once.”
he was miles out of reach of telegraph on top of Mount Marcy. A guide finally found him, and he set out at once, to make the journey as quickly as possible, by horseback, buckboard, and special train. Before he had covered half the journey, the President was dead and Buffalo was a dark, silent, sorrowing city.
On Saturday afternoon, September 14, 1901, at the residence of Ansley Wilcox, Colonel Roosevelt took the oath of office as twenty-sixth President in the presence of the members of the Cabinet who were in the city at that time with Judge John R. Hazel, United States district judge officiating. The new President, with deep emotion, very briefly pledged himself to carry out the policies of his predecessor:
“In this hour of deep and terrible bereavement, I wish to state that it shall be my aim to continue absolutely unbroken the policy of President McKinley for the peace, prosperity, and honour of our country.”
He was then within two months of being forty-three years of age, the youngest man who had ever assumed presidential duties.
By October he had his family installed in the White House. The advent of a family of children was welcomed by the people. It was the largest group of youngsters since Garfield’s occupancy, four boys and two girls. The eldest at once won the public and was dubbed “Princess Alice.” The boys, Theodore, Archie, Kermit, and Quentin, were placed in the public schools, while Ethel attended the Cathedral School for girls. The experiences, exploits, and performances of the young Roosevelts furnished a joyous chapter to White House history, for they fully lived up to all that was expected of them, and their doings throughout their life in Washington found a responsive, sympathetic note of understanding in the hearts of boys and girls of America.
Mrs. Roosevelt assumed her new duties with the quiet dignity and pleasant manner which were always characteristic of her. The best part of her life had been spent in official circles through the various positions which the Colonel had filled, and she had acquired the art of always giving the impression of being interested and pleased in the affairs of the moment whether she really felt so or not. This charm of manner made her receptions popular and well attended.