Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/202

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DAY


DA YE


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society and its president, 1839-55. Yale and Williams gave liini the degree of A.M. in 1800, and Yale that of LL.D. in 1847. He died in Hartford. Conn.. Marcli 1, 18.-).-).

DAY, William Rufus, state.sman, was born in Ravenna, Ohio, April 17, 1849; son of Judge Luther and Emily (Spalding) Day; grandson of Judge Rufus Paine Spalding, a representative from Oliio in the 38th, 39th and 40th congresses; and great-grandson of Judge Zepheniah Swift, chief justice of Con- necticut and author of "Swift's Digest." He was graduated at the University of Michigan, B.S. in 1870, read law in the office of Judge Robin- son at Ravenna, at- tended law lectures at the University of Michigan, 1871-72, and was admitted to the bar in 1872. While in the university he served as librarian of the law librarj'. He began the practice of law at Canton, Ohio, with William A. Lynch, and Austin Lyncli and David B. Day were subsequently admitted to the firm. He was judge of the court of common pleas of the 9th judicial district in 1886; and declined, by advice of his physician, the U.S. district judge- ship for northern Oliio in 1889, offered by Presi- dent Harrison, giving his decision after the appointment had been confirmed by the senate. In February, 1897, he was selected by President- elect McKinley as a commissioner to visit Cuba and determine the exact condition of affairs, preparatory to executive action on the subject. He was, ho%vever, detained in Washington by Mr. McKinley and when the confirmation of Bellamy Storer as assistant secretary of the state liecame impossible, the President requested

Mr. Daj- to take the place. The condition of

Secretary Sherman's health made the position one of great responsibility, and the young lawyer from Canton was reluctant to accept the office, but the wishes of his life-long friend prevailed. Early in 1898 an incident occurred which gave the first example of the traits of diplomacy afterward so prominent in his official life. The Spanish minister to the United States, De Lome, had written a letter to a friend in Cuba casting aspersion upon President McKinley. When the matter came to light, instead of opening a long diplomatic correspondence, Mr. Day. with the letter in his hand, went to the Spanish min- ister and bluntly inquired if he was its author.


The reply was affirmative and De Lome's resig- nation at once followed the interview. On April 2.S, 1898, upon the resignation of Secretary Sherman, he succeeded to the portfolio of state and he asked the appointment of Prof. Joim Bassett Moore as his assistant. On August 12, 1898, at 4.23 p.m. at the White House, Washing- ton, D.C., in the presence of the President, he signed a protocol which was the basis of the final treaty of peace with Spain, his signature following that of M. Cambon, the French am- ba.ssador empowered to act for the Spanish gov- ernment. Mr. Day resigned the position of secretary of state Sept. 16, 1898, to accept a place on the commission appointed by the President to negotiate a treaty of peace with Spain, which was executed in December, 1898. Mr. Day acted as pi-esident of t!ieconinii.ssion. On Feb. 25, 1899, he was nominated by President McKinley for U.S. circuit judge of the sixth judicial circuit, and in 1903 he was called to the bench of the U.S. supreme court. He was married in 1875 to Mary Elizabeth, daughterof Louis Schaefer, of Canton, Ohio.

DAYAN, Charles, representative, was born in Amsterdam, N.Y., July 16, 1792. He was a teacher in the public schools for four years, was admitted to the bar in 1819, and became a law-yer in Lowville, N.Y^. He was a state senator, 1827- 29; president of the senate and acting lieutenant- governor of New Y'ork from October 17 to Nov. 3. 1828; a Democratic representative in the 22d congress, 1831-33; a member of the New Y^ork assembly, 1835-36; district attorney of Lewis county, 1840-45; and a presidential elector in 1828. He died in Lowville, N. Y., Dec. 25, 1877.

DAYE, Stephen, printer, was born in England in 1611. He immigrated to America in 1638 in company with the Rev. Joseph Glover, who had shipped a printing press and material for the use of Harvard college, and had secured the service of Daye as printer. On the passage Glover died and Daye set up the press and in January, 1639, by direction of the magistrates and elders printed the "Freeman's Oath," the first work on a printing press done in the colo- nies. Daye represented that he was a descend- ant of John Day, the London printer. He was a good pressman, but deficient in orthography, and he printed in 1639 an almanack compiled by William Pierce, mariner; in 1640, the Psalms "newly <^urned into metre for the tnlification and comfort of the saints " and in 1641, "Body of Liberties." In 1649 he was superseded by Samuel Green, by order of the magistrates and elders, who gave no reason for the change. The general court in 1041 gave him 300 acres of land for " being the first that sett upon printing. He died in Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 22, 1668.