The Life and Letters of John Hay

Cambridge, MA: The Riverside Press, 1915. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. TEMPORARILY DISCOUNTED. WAS $165. NOW $65. A Very Good copy of The Popular Edition of Thayer's Biography of John Hay in a Very Good dust jacket., and quite uncommon as such. The book shows some moderate rubbing and wear as well as some darkening to the spine lettering and the dust jacket shows moderate general wear and some loss. Born in 1838, Jay spent about half of a Century serving in Government. He served as private secretary and general to Abraham Lincoln and later became a Diplomat, over time holding several Posts. He served as the US Secretary of State under both President William McKinley (serving as McKinley's Ambassador to Great Britain) and also served President Theodore Roosevelt. He was a noted Biographer of Abraham Lincoln and also wrote Literature and Poetry. Hay took part in the Paris peace negotiations to end the Spanish-American War (1898) and took a noted role in promoting the US decision to retain the entire Philippine archipelago as one of the spoils of war. Also, as stated in Wikipedia: "In 1901 Hay negotiated with Great Britain the second Hay-Pauncefote Treaty, giving the United States exclusive rights to build a canal across the Isthmus of Panama. Two years later he assisted President Theodore Roosevelt in the diplomatic maneuvers leading to Panama’s independence and the beginning of canal construction." Thus we have a well-regarded Biographer's work on one of the great notables of American History.