George Mifflin Dallas
1792 - 1864
A native Philadelphian and the son of a
prosperous
attorney
who served as President Madison's Secretary
of the Treasury,
George Mifflin Dallas led a life of public
service.
Three years after graduating from Princeton
University (Class of 1810),
Dallas became secretary to the chairman of
the commission
that negotiated the treaty ending the War
of 1812.
He was elected mayor of Philadelphia
and then chosen attorney general for the
Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania.
He ran successfully for the United States
Senate (D-PA), serving from 1831-1833.
He was then appointed Minister to Russia from
1837-1839.
In 1845, George Dallas was elected
the eleventh Vice President of the United
States
and was a loyal supporter of President James
K. Polk.
In 1846, he cast the tie-breaking vote on
low tariff legislation,
voting for the bill which Polk supported
but which was opposed by the majority of those
in his own state.
He never again held political office in the
Commonwealth.
Dallas served as Minister to Great Britain
from 1856-1861,
and was credited with improving the relations
between the two countries.
His biographer described him as
“conservative
and cosmopolitan,
precise and dignified…the gentleman in
politics.”
Princeton conferred an honorary LL.D. on
George
Mifflin Dallas in 1857,
about the same time the citizens of a thriving
community
in northeast Texas named their newly
incorporated
town for him.
The Dallas family headstone can be found
in St. Peter's churchyard
located in the Society Hill section of
Philadelphia.
Click here to go
to the Wikipedia profile page on GMD
Click here to learn
more about James K. Polk
Encouraging words are always welcome at
jdallas@att.net
