Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/111

Rh G. P. Robinson for eighteen months, after which he returned to Ann Arbor and attended law lectures for a year. In July, 1872, he was admitted to the Ohio bar, and soon formed a partnership with William A. Lynch at Canton, Ohio, where he also made the acquaintance of the prosecutin": attor- ney of Stark county. Major William McKinley, Jr. In the spring of 18i% he was elected judge of the common pleas court of the ninth judicial district of Ohio, and served until the following year, when he resigned to give his attention more closely to the practice of his profession. President Harrison nominated him to be U. S. district judge for the northern district of Ohio, and the senate eon- firmed the nomination ; but on the advice of his physician, however, he declined the honor. Ills health was somewhat recufierated by an outing in the woods of northern Michigan in the summer and fall of 1889, after which he returned to his home in Canton, and left it only at the urgent re- aucst of McKinlcy when the latter became presi- dent. John Sherman was appointed secretary of state, and Judge Day became his assistant. lie had just been appointed by the president a s|)ecial commissioner toCnba to investigate the Kuiz case, but the peculiar state of affairs in the state de- partment induced the jiresident to retain Judge I)aT near at hand. Owing to the feeble health of Secretary Sherman, the greater (wrt of the duties of the state de|>art ment ilevol vcd u|>on I he assistant secretary, who |K)s.sessed not only rare tiict,(li.scre- tion, reticence, and diplomatic qualities, notwith- standing his lack of previous diplomatic training and experience, but also a readv, careful, and accu- rate knowledge of the principles of international law. and an acquaintance with the practice of it as well. The Cuban question, grown acute during the previous administration, was uppermost in our diplomulic relations, anil he unuertook with earnestness the solving of the problem. He was soon convinced that Canovas would take no steps of real value to ameliorate the condition of Cuba; but after the as.sassination of the Spanish premier by steady pressure he secured the recall of Weyler and the substitution of Blanco in bis place,'thc promulgation of improved constitutions for Cuba and Puerto Uico, and received also characteristic- ally Spanish promist^s of further libenil rcfonns in the future. The blowing upof the " Maine." how- ever, in the harljor of Havana, 15 Feb., 18U8, forced the country to the f»int of war with .S|>ain. Judge Day's efforts between this timeand the actual out- break of war were devoted to pre[>aration for it, to securing the neutrality of the European f)owers, and to co-oi)cration with the other departments of the government. In the matter of the letter writ- ten by the Spanish minister I)e l/>me. speaking dis- paragingly of President McKinley and of his sin- cerity in relation to Siiain, which was intercepted and published. Day abancloiied diplomatic tnuii- tions, made a personal call upon the minister (who haain was patent to all, and early in August Jules ('aml>on, the French ambassador at Washington, made approaches that led to the signing of a prf>- tocol on 12 Aug., 18fl8, by Secretary Day on the part of the United States, and by M. Cambon on the part of Spain, which brought about a cessation of hostilities. In Septemljcr Secretary Day re- signed and went to Paris as chief of the American peace commissioners, which met the Spanish com- missioners in October, returning in December, 1898. In the following year he was appointed judge in the U. S. court of appeals, and in September an- nounced his retirement from active practice of law.

'''DE BESSOMES. John Francis August''' (bes- sone), R. C. prelate, b. in Alsace. France. 17 June. 1815. He was educated at the University of St. Sulpice, Paris, and in 1839 he removed to In- diana, and was ordained by the first bishop of V'inceniies. He became vicar-general of the dio- cese of Indianapolis in 1872, and a moiisignor twelve years later. He has since that time fre- quently l>een administrator of the diocese. His work in Indiana is represented by several churches which he has built, a Imy's school, a home forthe sis- ters of Providence, and another for the sisters of the Good .Shepherd. Moiisignor de Bessonies, who is an anient advocate of temperance, was in 1899 pointed out by Archbishop Ireland as an example of the results of totjil abstinence, having actively spent sixty-one vears in the priesthood.

DEBOE, William Joseph, senator, b. in Crit- tenden county, Ky., .30 June, 1849. and was edu- cated at Ewing college. He studied law, but later was graduated at the Metlical university of Louis- ville, and practised for several years. Renewing the study of law he was admitted to the Marion bar, and entered upon the practice of his profession. In 1893 he was elected state senator for a term of four years. When the Republicans carried the leg- islature he l»ecame a canilidate for U. .S. senator, to succeed Joseph C. S. lilackbuni, Democrat, but withdrew in favor of William E. Hunter, who failed to be elected during one session of the legis- lature. Again in 1806 Mr. Deboe was a candidate, and a second time withdrew in favor of Hunter, who again failed of success, after which Deboe was elected. His term of service will expire in 1903.

DE CAZES, Paul, Canadian publici-st, b. in Britanny, 17 June, 1841. and came to Canada at the age of seventeen. He was educated at LTnsti- tution Loriol. a naval training-school at Paris. In (Quebec province he editi-d " Le Messager de Joliette," " LeCourrierdeSt. Hyacinthe," and " La Nation." He was admitted to the (Quebec bar in Octolier, 1869, and formed a partnership with the late Hon. Honorc Mercier, which continued until 1874. He went to Paris in that year as agent of the Dominion government, but returned in 1879. when he was api>ointed to the department of public in- stniction, and Iwcaine secretary in 1886. He is a fellow of the Royal society of Canada, member of the Geographical society of France, ofllcier d'Aca- deraie, France, and a member of several other learned bodies. His work " Notes sur le Canada " has pa.sseil through five editions,

'''DECELLES. Maxime''', R. C. bishop, b. at St, Damarc, ('miadtt, 80 April, 1849. He made Ijoth his classical and theological studies at the Semi- narr of .St. Hyacinthe, and was ordained a priest by bishop La'Rocque in 1872. His first mission- ary work was at St. Denis, and next at Belu.>il. In 1875 he was called by Bishop Moreau of St. Hya- cinthe to the cathedral of that city, and he was cre- ated titular canon of the cathedrol. He resigned in 1880. and iL^sumed charge of the Church of .St. Itoch de Richelieu. and in 1889 was promoted to the more im[K)rtant parish of St. Peter, at Sorcl. In 1893 he was a[ipointed coadjutor bishop of St. Hyacinthe, and was consecrated under the title of