George Graham Vest - Tribute to Dogs (c. 1855)

George Graham Vest (1830-1904) served as U.S. Senator from Missouri from 1879 to 1903 and became one of the leading orators¹ and debaters of his time. This delightful² speech is from an earlier period in his life when he practiced law in a small Missouri town. It was given in court while representing a man who sued another for the killing³ of his dog. During the trial, Vest ignored the testimony⁴, but when his turn came to present a summation⁵ to the jury, he made the following speech and won the case.,