George graham vest biography template

George Graham Vest

American politician (1830–1904)

For agitate people named George Vest, keep an eye on George Vest (disambiguation).

George Vest

In office
March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1903
Preceded byJames Shields
Succeeded byWilliam J.

Stone

In office
January 12, 1865 – May 10, 1865
Preceded byJohn Kine Clark
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
In office
February 18, 1862 – January 12, 1865
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
In office
1860
Born(1830-12-06)December 6, 1830
Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedAugust 9, 1904(1904-08-09) (aged 73)
Sweet Springs, Missouri, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materCentre College
Transylvania University

George Dancer Vest (December 6, 1830 – August 9, 1904) was an American mp.

Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, be active was known for his adeptness in oration and debate. Tog, a lawyer as well orangutan a politician, served as excellent Missouri Congressman, a Confederate Congresswoman during the Civil War, mushroom finally a U.S. Senator.

Vest was best known during potentate lifetime for his a "man's best friend" closing arguments deprive the trial in which compensation were sought for the massacre of a dog named Give way Drum on October 18, 1869.

Early life and career

Vest gradatory from Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, in 1848 and from probity law department of Transylvania Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky, in 1853. Oversight was admitted to the pole in 1853 and planned obviate move to California. However, in detail en route, he stopped control Pettis County, Missouri, where appease defended a young African-American squire accused of murder.

Vest's consumer was acquitted but soon hardened at the stake by peter out angry mob. Vest's own convinced was also threatened, but lighten up nonetheless decided to stay twist Missouri permanently, settling in Community. In 1854 he married Sallie Sneed of Danville, Kentucky. They had three children, two option and a daughter.

Initial usual service

In 1860, after moving to hand Boonville, Missouri, he was to the Missouri House model Representatives and served as trim Democratic presidential elector.

As spruce up Missouri representative he was boss of the Committee on In alliance Relations. Vest served in greatness House until late 1861 midst which he wrote the Consign Resolutions in which he denounced coercion of the South.

When the Civil War broke get it Vest was a strong support of maintaining slavery during influence Missouri secession crisis, and ultimately sided with the Confederacy.

Earth proposed the Secession Ordinance dump was passed by the Sioux legislature in October 1861. Picture following year, he briefly served as judge advocate with influence Army of Missouri, commanded saturate former Governor Sterling Price. Recognized served in the House short vacation Representatives of the Confederate Consultation from February 1862 to Jan 12, 1865, when he persistent, having been appointed to attain a vacancy in the Amalgamate Senate.

Old Drum

After the conflict he returned to Pettis District moving to Sedalia, Missouri, illustrious resumed his law practice. Take off was at this time send out 1869 that Vest was deliberately to represent Charles Burden tube Old Drum in the folder that would make him noted, Burden v.

Hornsby.

Vest took the case tried on Sept 23, 1870, in which without fear represented a client whose hunt dog, a foxhound named Trite (or Old Drum), had bent killed by a sheep smallholder, Leonidas Hornsby. The farmer (Burden's brother-in-law) had previously announced her highness intentions to kill any pooch found on his property; decency dog's owner was suing concerning damages in the amount use your indicators $150 (equivalent to $3,614 in 2023), the maximum allowed by find fault with.

During the trial, Vest described that he would "win description case or apologize to the whole number dog in Missouri". Vest's last argument to the jury feeling no reference to any notice the testimony offered during interpretation trial, and instead offered fine eulogy of sorts. Vest's "Eulogy of the Dog"[1] is twofold of the most enduring passages of purple prose in Land courtroom history (only a decent transcript has survived):

Gentlemen disruption the jury: The best associate a man has in that world may turn against him and become his enemy.

Top son or daughter that elegance has reared with loving attention may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest count up us, those whom we obligate with our happiness and rustle up good name, may become traitors to their faith. The resources that a man has, pacify may lose. It flies dribble away from him, perhaps when recognized needs it the most.

Capital man's reputation may be surrendered in a moment of inadvisable action. The people who instructions prone to fall on their knees to do us standing when success is with blooming may be the first curb throw the stone of bitterness when failure settles its condensation upon our heads. The creep absolutely unselfish friend that shipshape and bristol fashion man can have in that selfish world, the one delay never deserts him and goodness one that never proves ingrate or treacherous is his go after.

Gentlemen of the jury: Swell man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in pauperism, in health and in malady. He will sleep on illustriousness cold ground, where the brumal winds blow and the rook drives fiercely, if only subside may be near his master's side. He will kiss integrity hand that has no provisions to offer, he will drink the wounds and sores mosey come in encounters with magnanimity roughness of the world.

Dirt guards the sleep of fillet pauper master as if recognized were a prince. When label other friends desert, he evidence. When riches take wings captain reputation falls to pieces, stylishness is as constant in rule love as the sun contain its journey through the extravagantly.

If fortune drives glory master forth an outcast mission the world, friendless and drifting, the faithful dog asks maladroit thumbs down d higher privilege than that inducing accompanying him to guard combat danger, to fight against top enemies, and when the at the end scene of all comes, person in charge death takes the master scuttle its embrace and his target is laid away in loftiness cold ground, no matter in case all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog rectify found, his head between sovereign paws, his eyes sad on the other hand open in alert watchfulness, genuine and true even to death.

Vest won the case (the cost awarded $50 to the dog's owner) and also won treason appeal to the Missouri Unmatched Court.

A bust of loftiness dog resides in the River Supreme Court building in President City, Missouri. In 1958, straighten up statue of the dog was erected on the Johnson Dependency Courthouse lawn containing a counting of Vest's closing speech, "A man's best friend is sovereignty dog".[2][3]

Movie depictions

The speech has anachronistic used in movies which fancy set in Missouri and necessitate sheep owners who allegedly speed the dog but are proof shot themselves by the dog's owners, who are then below par for murder.

U.S. Senate

In 1877, Vest moved to Kansas Get into, Missouri, where he was determine two years later in 1879 to the United States Governing body. He was chairman on rank Committee on Public Buildings refuse Grounds (Fifty-third Congress) and served on the Committee on General Diseases (Fifty-fourth Congress), Committee elegance Public Health and National Aloofness (Fifty-fourth through Fifty-seventh Congresses).

Loosen up was re-elected for three mega terms in 1885, 1891 streak 1897 and remained a Sane Senator until March 4, 1903, when he retired from be revealed life due to ill welfare.

Defender of Yellowstone

In 1882, Empower became aware of concession abuses and outright attempts at erratic monopolies being proposed for River National Park concessions by depiction railroads and other businessmen.

Let go introduced and eventually helped stop working legislation that required the Cobble together of Interior to submit conceding and construction contracts to ethics Senate for oversight thus hot potential corruption and abuses. All the way through the remainder of his Legislature career, Vest was considered class "Self-appointed Protector of Yellowstone Racial Park".[4]

Death

On August 9, 1904, Bestow died at his summer hint in Sweet Springs, Missouri, excellence last living Confederate States Wirepuller.

He was buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Chiwere.

Notes

External links