A Dogs Worth

[Lori]

George Graham Vest (1830–1904) was a lawyer and a politician who
served as a Missouri Congressman, a Confederate Congressman during the
Civil War, and finally a US Senator.  He is best known for his closing arguments from the trial of a dog named Old Drum in 1870. The dog was owned by a farmer and was shot by a neighbor.  The speech was delivered in the Johnson County Circuit Court in Warrensburg, Missouri.

George Vest (1830-1904) Gentlemen of the jury: The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it the most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.

Gentleman of the jury: A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his
enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.  The damages requested were $50 dollars but the jury awarded $500...a fortune at that time.

[Kecia Stewart]

Wow - great post! Things sure have changed since then - and not for the better. Seems like we've managed to move in the opposite direction ...

[Lori]

Hey Kecia,
I saw your blog and after reading the comment posted on it, I just had to post this...I think there are too many people who think we can 'own' nature and living things...perhaps this is why the environment is suffering. Do you wonder if these folks ever really bonded with an animal? Their loss I suppose.