Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/124

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104
DAVIS
DAVIS

a conspicuous part in the debates as an advocate of protection lor American industry, replying to the free-trade arguments of southern statesmen in speeches that were considered extremely clear ex- positions of- the protective theories. A declaration in one of his speeches, that James Buchanan was in favor of reducing the wages of Ameri- can workingmen 'to ten cents a day, was the origin of the epi- thet "ten-cent Jim- my," which was ap- plied to that states- man by his political opponents for sev- eral years. A short speech against the sub-treasury, deliv- ered in 1840, was

printed during the

presidential canvass of that year as an electioneer- ing pamphlet, of which more than a million copies were distributed. He was again elected U. S. sena- tor, and served from 24 March, 1845, till 3 March, 1853, but declined a re-election, and died suddenly at his liome, lie protested vigorously against the war with Mexico. In the controversy that followed, over the introduction of slavery into the U. S. ter- ritories, he earnestly advocated its exclusion. The VVilmot proviso received his support, but the com- promise acts of 1850 encountered his decided op- position. He enjoyed the respect and confidence of his constituents in an unusual degree, and es- tablished a reputation for high principles that gained for him the popular appellation of " hon- est John Davis." — His wife, who was a sister of George Bancroft, the historian, died in Worcester, Mass., 34 Jan., 1872, at the age of eighty years. — His son, John Chandler Bancroft, diplomatist, b. in Worcester, Mass., 29 Dec, 1822, was gradu- ated at Harvard in 1840, studied law, and began practice. On 31 Aug., 1849, when Mr. Bancroft left the English court, he succeeded John R. Brod- head as secretaiy of legation, and acted as clmrge d'affaires during the absence of the minister, Ab- bott Lawrence, tor several months in that and the two succeeding years. He resigned on 30 Nov., 1852, was American correspondent of the London "Times" from 1854 till 1861, and during that time practised law in New York city. In 1868 he was elected to the New York legislature, and on 25 March, 1869, appointed assistant secretary of state, which post he resigned in 1871 to act as agent of the U. S. government before the Geneva court of arbitration on the Alabama claims. On 24 Jan., 1873, he was reappointed assistant secretary of state. While in the department of state he acted as arbitrator in a dispute between Great Britain and Portugal. In 1871 he was a member, and the secretary, of the high commission that concluded the treaty of Washington. He resigned his place on receiving the appointment of minister to the German empire. After his return from Berlin, in 1877, ho was made a judge of the U. S. court of claims in Washington, D. C, and served from Janu- ary, 1878, till December, 1881. In November, 1882, he was again appointed to the same post, and on 5 Nov., 1883. became reporter of the V. S. sii|>r('mo court. He has published "The ^hissacluisetts Justice" (Worcester, 1847); "The Case of the United States laid before the Tribunal of Arbitration at Geneva " (Washington, 1871) ; " Treaties of the United States, with Notes " (revised ed., 1873) ; and vols. 108-118 of " United States Reports." — Another son, Hasbrouck, soldier, b. in Worces- ter, Mass., 19 April, 1827; drowned at sea, 19 Oct., 1870, was graduated at Williams in 1845, and afterward studied in Germany. He taught in the Worcester high-school for a year, and was settled as pastor of the Unitarian society in Wa- tertown, Mass., in 1849. He afterward studied law, was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1854, and went to Chicago in 1855. He was mustered into the United States service in 1862 as lieutenant- colonel of the 11th Illinois cavalry. He served with conspicuous gallantry in Stoneman's pursuit of the Confederates after their retreat from York- town in April, 1862, and in the autumn distin- guished himself at Martinsburgand Harper's Ferry, where he was in command of the Union cavalry, and led them, on the night of 14 Sept., 1862, through the enemy's lines to Greencastle, Pa., capturing an ammunition-train on the way. He was promoted colonel, 5 Jan., 1864, and at the close of the war was brevetted brigadier-general. After returning to Chicago, he was elected city attorney. He was lost on the steamer " Cambria " in the voyage to Europe. — John, son of Hasbrouck, b. in Newton, Mass., 16 Sept., 1851, studied in the universities of Heidelberg, Berlin, and Paris. After holding va- rious posts in the department of state and the diplomatic service, he was appointed clerk to the court of Alabama claims in 1874. He practised law in Washington and New York, and was assist- ant counsel for the United States before the Franco- American claims commission in 1881. On 7 July, 1882, he became assistant secretary of state, and while holding that office was several times acting secretary. On 20 Jan., 1885, he was appointed judge of the U. S. court of claims. — Another son, Horace, manufacturer, b. in Worcester, Mass., 16 March, 1831. He was graduated at Harvard in 1849, and, after beginning the study of law, went to California in 1852, and engaged in manufacturing. He represented the San Francisco district in con- gress from 1877 to 1881. He contributed a paper to the American antiquarian society on the " Like- lihood of an Admixture of Japanese Blood on the Northwest," which was afterward published separately. He also published " Dolor Davis, a Sketch of his Life" (1881), and " American Consti- tutions," in the Johns Hopkins series (Baltimore, 1885). — Another son, Andrew McFarland, anti- quarian and author, b. in Worcester, Mass., 30 Dec, 1833. He was graduated at the Lawrence scientific school of Harvard university in 1854, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1859. After practis- ing a short time in Massachusetts lie went to Call-, fornia, and was for several years a partner of his brother in the manufacturing business. He pub- lished articles in the "Overland" and "Atlantic Monthly" magazines, presented a paper on the " Journey of Moncacht-Ape " to the American an- tiquarian society, afterward printed separately (Worcester, 1883), published a paper on "Indian Games " in the " Bulletin " of the Essex institute^ which was also printed separately (Salem, 1886), and contributed to Justin Winsor's " Narrative and Critical History of America" the chapter on " Louisiana and Canada " and that on " Border Warfare during the Revolution."


DAVIS, John Anthony Gardner, jurist, b. in Middlesex county, Va., in 1801 ; d. in Williamsburg. Va., 14 Nov., 1840. He was educated at William and Mary college, practised law, edited a weekly journal at Charlottesville, and in 1830