Appletons' cyclopædia of American biography . oratorical effort atthis time was his speech in opposition to the repealof the usury laws, 10 Feb., 1837. In 1840 he wasnominated for the office of lieutenant-governor bythe democrats, and, although defeated that year,he was elected in1842. He thusbecame ex-officiopresident of thesenate, of thecourt of errors,and of the canalboard. At theexpiration of histerm of officein 1844, appoint-ed him to fill avacancy in theU. S. senate, andon the meetingof the legislaturethe appointmentwas ratified andhe was electedfor a full Dickinson he
Appletons' cyclopædia of American biography . oratorical effort atthis time was his speech in opposition to the repealof the usury laws, 10 Feb., 1837. In 1840 he wasnominated for the office of lieutenant-governor bythe democrats, and, although defeated that year,he was elected in1842. He thusbecame ex-officiopresident of thesenate, of thecourt of errors,and of the canalboard. At theexpiration of histerm of officein 1844, appoint-ed him to fill avacancy in theU. S. senate, andon the meetingof the legislaturethe appointmentwas ratified andhe was electedfor a full Dickinson held for several years the chairmanship of the senatecommittee on finance. In discussing the excitingissues of the day he took strong conservative ground,and from that standpoint spoke frequently on theannexation of Texas, the joint occupation of Ore-gon, the Mexican war, the Wilrnot proviso, and thecompromise measures of 1850. In December, 1847,he introduced two resolutions regarding the gov-ernment of the territories, which virtually embod-. ^x=? DICKINSON DICKINSON 173 ied the doctrine afterward known as popular sov-ereignty. (See Butts, Isaac;.) Among the meas-ures that have since been adopted, Mr. Dickinsonearnestly advocated the free passage of weeklynewspapers through the mails in the county wherepublished. His conservative course in the senatenot only secured him the vote of Virginia for thepresidential nomination in the Democratic conven-tion of 1852, but a strongly commendatory letterfrom Daniel Webster, 27 Sept., 1850, in which thewriter asserted that Mr. Dickinsons noble, able,manly, and patriotic conduct in support of thegreat measures of that session had entirely wonhis heart and received his highest regard. In1852 President Pierce nominated Mr. Dickinsonfor collector of the port of New York, and thenomination was confirmed by the senate ; but theoffice was declined. At the beginning of the civilwar in 1861, Mr. Dickinson threw all his influenceon the side of the g
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