266 



DICK, WILLIAM. 



DICKINSON, DANIEL S. 



and courteous to all who were brought into 

 connection with him. 



DICK, Prof. WILLIAM, a veterinary surgeon, 

 teacher* and author of works on veterinary 

 science, born in Edinburgh, May, 1V93 ; died in 

 that city, April 4, 1866. He received his med- 

 ical training at Edinburgh University, and took 

 his diploma as a veterinary surgeon at the Lon- 

 don College. In 1818 he founded the Edin- 

 burgh Veterinary College, an institution which 

 from the first has enjoyed the highest repu- 

 tation as a school for that branch of science 

 and practice. In 1823 the college received the 

 patronage of the Highland and Agricultural 

 Society of Scotland, who conferred on him the 

 title of professor. At the public exhibitions of 

 that society his skill was in constant requisi- 

 tion, and as a judge of horses he was probably 

 unrivalled. He had also an extensive acquaint- 

 ance with all kinds of cattle disease, and on 

 the outbreak of the rinderpest he was called 

 extensively in consultation, and was at once ap- 

 pointed inspector for the County of Edinburgh. 

 Prof. Dick was for a long period secretary 

 and treasurer of the Royal Physical Society. 

 He contributed many valuable papers to the 

 Highland and Agricultural Society's " Transac- 

 tions," and to the Boyal English Society's 

 "Transactions;" also to several sporting jour- 

 nals, and was the author of the article on veter- 

 inary science in the seventh edition of the 

 " Encyclopedia Britannica," which has since 

 passed through two editions in book form. His 

 appointments were numerous, and embrace 

 that of veterinary surgeon to the queen, and 

 veterinary inspector to the ports of Leith and 

 Gran ton. 



DICKINSON, Hox. DAIJIEL STEVENS, nn 

 American statesman, born in Goshen, Litch- 

 field County, Conn., September 11, 1800; died 

 in New York City, April 12, 18G6. He removed 

 with his father's family in 1807 to Chenango 

 County, N. Y., and, with no better advantages 

 for obtaining an education than those derived 

 from common schools, he qualified himself for 

 the duties of a school-teacher at the age of 

 twenty-one years, and, without the aid of an in- 

 structor, mastered the Latin language, and be- 

 came well versed in the higher branches of 

 mathematics and other sciences. In 1822 he 

 married Miss Lydia Knapp, a lady of fine intel- 

 lectual attainments, and eoon after turned his 

 attention to the study of law, was admitted to 

 the bar in. 1828, and removing to Binghamton, 

 N. Y., at once entered upon an extensive prac- 

 tice, in which he met and successfully competed 

 with the ablest lawyers of the State. In 1836 he 

 was elected to the State Senate for four years, 

 and, though one of the youngest members and 

 inexperienced in politics, he speedily became the 

 leader of his party the Democratic Jacksonian. 

 During this time he was also judge of the Court 

 of Errors, and subsequently president of that 

 court. lu 1840 he was a candidate for the 

 Lieutenant-Governorship, but was defeated. In 

 1842 he received the nomination for the same 



office, and was elected by a large majority. 'As 

 Lieutenant-Governor, he was presiding officer of 

 the Senate, which was then a court for the cor- 

 rection of errors, and Mr. Dickinson gave fre- 

 quent opinions on the grave questions which 

 came before that court for final adjudication, 

 many of which may be found in the law reports 

 of the day. 



In 1844 Mr. Dickinson was a State elector of 

 the Democratic party, and as such cast his 

 vote for James K. Polk and George M. Dallas, 

 as President and Vice-President of the United 

 States. At the expiration of his term of office 

 as Lieutenant-Governor, in December, 1844, he 

 was appointed by Governor Bouck to fill a 

 vacancy in the United States Senate, and on 

 the meeting of the Legislature the appointment 

 was not only ratified, but was extended so as to 

 embrace a full term of six years. During the 

 period of his service in the Senate, he took an 

 important part in the debates of that body, and 

 held for a number of years the important po- 

 sition of chairman of the Finance Committee. 

 Upon the exciting questions of the day Mr. 

 Dickinson always adhered to the Conservative 

 side, and advocated non-intervention on ajl 

 matters relating to slavery. In the National 

 Democratic Convention held at Baltimore in 

 1852 he received the vote of Virginia for Presi- 

 dent, but being himself a delegate favoring the 

 nomination of General Cass, he withdrew his 

 own name, in a speech which has been univer- 

 sally commended for its elevated tone and 

 classic beauty of style. In the same year (1852) 

 President Pierce nominated Mr. Dickinson for 

 Collector of the Port of New York, and he was 

 soon after unanimously confirmed by the Senate 

 without reference ; but this honorable and lu- 

 crative position Mr. Dickinson declined. 



At the close of his term in the Senate, Mr. 

 Dickinson returned to the practice of his pro- 

 fession with renewed energy. On the breaking 

 out of the war he indicated his determination 

 to sustain the Government, regardless of all 

 party considerations, and for the first three 

 years he devoted himself to addressing public 

 assemblages on the question of the day, ad- 

 vising his hearers to ignore all party lines 

 and to defend by word, act, and united ef- 

 forts the laws, the Constitution, and the coun- 

 try. An estimate of the herculean task he 

 imposed on himself may be formed when it 

 is known that during the period referred to 

 he delivered in New York, Pennsylvania, and 

 the New England States over one hundred 

 addresses, each presenting prominent and dis- 

 tinctive features. In the performance of this 

 labor Mr. Dickinson displayed the unlimited 

 resources of his intellect, and enriched the rec- 

 ords of American eloquence. On the forma- 

 tion of the Union party in 1861, Mr. Dickinson 

 was nominated for Attorney-General of his 

 State, and was elected by about 100,000 ma- 

 jority. President Lincoln nominated Mr. Dick- 

 inson to settle the Oregon boundary question, 

 and the nomination was confirmed, but the po- 



