George M. Dallas Biography

George M. Dallas was an American politician who served as the 11th Vice President of the Unites States, from 1845 to 1849, in the Democratic administration of President James K. Polk. Born in Philadelphia in a political family, Dallas, after graduating from the College of New Jersey, studied law and was admitted to the bar. Afterwards, he accompanied as private secretary to Albert Gallatin on his diplomatic tour of Russia and returned a year later, commencing his legal practice in New York City. Later, he gravitated to politics and was appointed the mayor of Philadelphia and then became the United States district attorney for the eastern district of Pennsylvania. In 1831, Dallas was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate, where he served until 1833. Subsequently, he was appointed the Attorney General of Pennsylvania and later served as the Minister of Russia until 1839, when he was recalled at his own request. In 1844, Dallas was elected the Vice President of the United States on the Democratic ticket under the presidency of James K. Polk, and served from March 1845 to 1849. After ending his single term as vice president, he served as minister to Great Britain between 1856 and 1861.At the close of his diplomatic career, Dallas returned to private life in his birth town, and died there of heart attack after sometime. As a tribute to Dallas, the cities of Dallas in Texas and Oregon are named after him