- “War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed.”
– Spoken with deep consideration before entering the Spanish-American War.
- “The mission of the United States is one of benevolent assimilation.”
– A controversial statement during U.S. expansion and colonization of the Philippines.
- “In the time of darkest defeat, victory may be nearest.”
– A hopeful message about perseverance.
- “Our differences are policies; our agreements are principles.”
– A call for unity in American politics.
- “Let us ever remember that our interest is in concord, not conflict; and that our real eminence rests in the victories of peace, not those of war.”
- “The American people, intrenched in freedom at home, take their love for it with them wherever they go.”
- “We cannot always do great things, but we can do small things in a great way.”
– (Note: This quote is often misattributed to McKinley but sometimes appears in collections of his speeches.)
