The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-24
GEORGE GRAHAM VEST.

the Distinguished gentleman, whose
game stands at the head OF this arti-
,t,e. ever sat in the Senate OF the
# t'l,Ited States. He was not only great
K is an orator. but lie WAS pre- -emnentlY
great MS n logician. He cXcelled most
tucn OF his day as an of hand debatcr.
kn,l was quick. Ebert. resourceful and
ftunarkably aggressive as an antago-
mist. He was wonderfully well equip
,Jefl and dealt pondrous blows In de-
hsic. holding his own against any an
t!tronist who entered the lists against
linn.
'rho records OF the Senate will show
that Vest made powerful and abe
Speeches upon all the great national
questions that attracted the public at
trntion during his term of service In
that body. He was n member of the
Committees on Finance, Commerce.
T,ublic Buildings and Grounds, Trans
portation and Sale OF Meat Products
and International Expeditions, in all
uf which he rendered most valuable
and conspicuous service. He was born
itl Frankfort Ky. December g. 1890,
and graduated at Centre College, KY
jrIlsJs. He read law with James Har-
ian. Attorney General OF the State OF
Kentucky, who was the father of the
present associate justice OF the SUI
meme Court of the United States, and
graduated at the Transatlantic Law
School. in Lexington. He settled IN
Georgetown. Mo-. and practiced his pro-
fession until 1856. when he removed to
another county in the same State.
Sent to Confederate Congress.
In 1850, he was selected as Demo-
cratic elector and was made n repre-
sentative in the General Assembly Of
Missouri He actively espoused the
cause OF the Southern Confederncy upon
the breaking out of hostflities. and
served during the summer in the army
III General Price and was made judge
advocate general of a general court
martial which convened at Lexington.
He, was elected in the fall OF 1861 as
!. member OF the Provisional Congress
at Mont gornery for two years, and was
subsequently appointed by Governor
REYNOLDS to the Senate of the Confed-
crate States.
After the war he returned to Mis-
souri, and resumed the practice OF law
All Lebanon In partnership with Colonel
John T. Phillips, who subsequently be-
came Judge of the United States Dis
trict Court. He was elected to the
United States Senate in 1878, and re-
elected without opposition in 1885. 1890
and 1897. He was the last survivor OF
the Confederate States Senate. and died
full of years and full OF honors. be-
AI0leu- ana ldIlGHleu ny oil WIN hHeh
him.
As senator. lie was ono OF the
ablest and most eloquent statesmen in
Inc entire country and was distin-
suished senator in the counscls of the
nation. To the highest legal ability
and most powerful grasp OF constitu-
tional questions. he added broad. bold
and conservative craftsmanship which
caused him to take rank among the
foremost senator's of his day
While on his way to California. Vest
was unexpectedly detained at George
town. KY and on July 4. 1858. he was
employed by 9. man named France to
defend n colored boy accused of MUIR
dering white woman and her two
children. He entered into the tpial
With all his accustomed zeal aud en-
orgy and the negro was acquitted, but
he was seized by a mob and publicly
burned in the presence of 1900 citi-
zens who had assembled to witness the
execution. Threats were freely made
against Mr.. Vest on account OF his
participation in the trial and he de-
4 termined to remain in Missouri and
q face the consequences whatever they
might be. 1t was thus that he aban.
, doned his contemplated trip to Cali
fornia to which place he had deter
I mined to SO in order to practice his
profession
He Loved Jefferson.
He delivered an address on Thomas
Jefferson in June. 1855, at Columbia
Mo-, III which among other things he
quoted from the. inaugural address
which, no said. should be classed witt
Washington's farewell address. EIs
Auns up the principal points in the in.
augural as follows:
Equal and exact Justice to all mer
ls.fS ~
Sious or political, peace. commerce ant
honest friendship with the nations, en-
tang!ing alliances with none; the sup
port OF the State government In al
( their rights as the most competent ad
ministration for our domestic concern
and the surest guarantee against anti
republican tendencies; the preservatio,
+ Of the general government In it's Who'll
constitutional vigor as the sheet ancho
58of our peace at home and safet.
abroad jealous care of the right o
election by the people. a shield an,
y safe corrective of abuses which ar
Topped by the sword of revolutio,
q when peaceable remedies are unprovid
"A ed. absolute acquiescence in the dcci
sion of the majority, the vial princl
4 pie of republics. from which there is n
appeal but to force the Vital principl
! and immediate source OF despotism;
we'll disciplined militia. our best reli
gance in peace and for the first moment
y Of war when the regulars may rcliev
them; the supremacy of the civil owe
the military authorities: economy q
" the public expense that labor may b
lightly hnrdened; the honest paymen
III our debts and sacred preservatio
g pf the public faith: encouragement q
& agriculture and of commerce ms 1t
landmarks: the diffusing OF informa
lion and the arraignmenr of all abuse
x Mt the bar of public reason: freedol
Of speech. freedom of the press free
& dom OF persons under the protection {
be States and trial by juries impair
tally selected
AR. Vest was an ardent and devote
adrnirer of Thomas Jefferson; he be
z lonGed to the States rights school {
party politics and was strict cor
vi structionist of the straightest sect II
considered Mr.. Jefferson ono of Il,
most remarkable men of the age 1
which he lived, and delighted aiwas
listen to his philosophical disquis
Is tons upon the true principles OF go,
eminent and the inalienable rights
.s man. In speech on Hawaii d.
S7lg liyercd In the Senate on Eebruary 2