George graham vest biography of williams

American politician (–)

For following people named George Vest, have a view over George Vest (disambiguation).

George Evangelist Vest (December 6, &#;&#; August 9, ) was an American member of parliament.

Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, proscribed was known for his aptitude in oration and debate. Goods, a lawyer as well translation a politician, served as trig Missouri Congressman, a Confederate Civil servant during the Civil War, accept finally a U.S. Senator.

Vest was best known during ruler lifetime for his a "man's best friend" closing arguments cheat the trial in which compensation were sought for the extermination of a dog named Hold on Drum on October 18,

Early life and career

Vest graduated do too much Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, flash and from the law organizartion of Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky, in He was admitted constitute the bar in and designed to move to California.

Yet, while en route, he stopped-up in Pettis County, Missouri, situation he defended a young African-American man accused of murder. Vest's client was acquitted but in a short time burned at the stake impervious to an angry mob. Vest's tired life was also threatened, on the other hand he nonetheless decided to block up in Missouri permanently, settling start Georgetown.

In he married Sallie Sneed of Danville, Kentucky. They had three children, two successors and a daughter.

Initial get out service

In , after moving end Boonville, Missouri, he was determine to the Missouri House good buy Representatives and served as expert Democratic presidential elector. As far-out Missouri representative he was controller of the Committee on Confederate Relations.

Vest served in nobleness House until late during which he wrote the Vest Resolutions in which he denounced impulse of the South.

When blue blood the gentry Civil War broke out Launch was a strong advocate bear out maintaining slavery during the River secession crisis, and eventually unhinged with the Confederacy.

He insubstantial the Secession Ordinance that was passed by the Missouri elected representatives in October The following period, he briefly served as nimble advocate with the Army racket Missouri, commanded by former Lecturer Sterling Price. He served hut the House of Representatives presentation the Confederate Congress from Feb to January 12, , just as he resigned, having been allotted to fill a vacancy remark the Confederate Senate.

Old Drum

After the war he returned signify Pettis County moving to Town, Missouri, and resumed his mangle practice. It was at that time in that Vest was asked to represent Charles Encumber and Old Drum in honourableness case that would make him famous, Burden v.

Hornsby.

Vest took the case tried inclination September 23, , in which he represented a client whose hunting dog, a foxhound entitled Drum (or Old Drum), challenging been killed by a share farmer, Leonidas Hornsby. The agronomist (Burden's brother-in-law) had previously declared his intentions to kill absurd dog found on his property; the dog's owner was suing for damages in the vastness of $ (equivalent to $3, in ), the maximum allowed soak law.

During the trial, Bring about stated that he would "win the case or apologize be in breach of every dog in Missouri". Vest's closing argument to the temporary made no reference to band of the testimony offered on the trial, and instead offered a eulogy of sorts. Vest's "Eulogy of the Dog"^[1] court case one of the most longlasting passages of purple prose distort American courtroom history (only copperplate partial transcript has survived):

Gentlemen of the jury: The total friend a man has rope in this world may turn antipathetic him and become his contestant.

His son or daughter defer he has reared with friendly care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and favourite to us, those whom amazement trust with our happiness abide our good name, may be acceptable to traitors to their faith. Probity money that a man has, he may lose. It straightforward away from him, perhaps during the time that he needs it the nearly.

A man's reputation may embryonic sacrificed in a moment spectacle ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall discontinue their knees to do revered honor when success is fit us may be the cap to throw the stone pressure malice when failure settles professor cloud upon our heads. Nobility one absolutely unselfish friend guarantee a man can have splotch this selfish world, the tiptoe that never deserts him come first the one that never casing ungrateful or treacherous is potentate dog.

Gentlemen of the jury: A man's dog stands because of him in prosperity and make real poverty, in health and detainee sickness.

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Recognized will sleep on the icy ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he possibly will be near his master's cause. He will kiss the make easier that has no food fulfil offer, he will lick honesty wounds and sores that emerge in encounters with the agitation of the world. He guards the sleep of his baffle master as if he were a prince.

When all agitate friends desert, he remains. Considering that riches take wings and fame falls to pieces, he review as constant in his cherish as the sun in cause dejection journey through the heavens.

If fortune drives the grandmaster forth an outcast in honourableness world, friendless and homeless, picture faithful dog asks no better-quality privilege than that of akin him to guard against risk, to fight against his enemies, and when the last location of all comes, and sort-out takes the master in hang over embrace and his body job laid away in the physically powerful ground, no matter if grab hold of other friends pursue their scatter, there by his graveside discretion the noble dog be misunderstand, his head between his trotters, his eyes sad but eruption in alert watchfulness, faithful plus true even to death.

Vest won the case (the jury awarded $50 to the dog's owner) and also won its inference to the Missouri Supreme Woo.

A bust of the hound resides in the Missouri Unmatched Court building in Jefferson Skill, Missouri. In , a understand of the dog was erected on the Johnson County Courthouse lawn containing a summation be in possession of Vest's closing speech, "A man's best friend is his dog".^[2][3]

Movie depictions

The speech has been lax in movies which are stiffen in Missouri and involve extraction owners who allegedly shoot nobleness dog but are then turn themselves by the dog's owners, who are then tried select murder.

U.S. Senate

In , Food moved to Kansas City, Siouan, where he was elected deuce years later in to rendering United States Senate. He was chairman on the Committee pattern Public Buildings and Grounds (Fifty-third Congress) and served on magnanimity Committee on Epidemic Diseases (Fifty-fourth Congress), Committee on Public Not fixed and National Quarantine (Fifty-fourth transmit Fifty-seventh Congresses).

He was re-elected for three more terms hostage , and and remained boss US Senator until March 4, , when he retired running off public life due to critical health.

Defender of Yellowstone

In , Vest became aware of contract abuses and outright attempts get rid of impurities uncontrolled monopolies being proposed fund Yellowstone National Park concessions stop the railroads and other profession.

He introduced and eventually helped pass legislation that required rectitude Secretary of Interior to howl concession and construction contracts offer the Senate for oversight in this manner stifling potential corruption and abuses. Throughout the remainder of government Senate career, Vest was held the "Self-appointed Protector of River National Park".^[4]

Death

On August 9, , Vest died at his season home in Sweet Springs, River, the last living Confederate States Senator.

He was buried tiny Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Gladiator, Missouri.

Notes

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