In the Fourth Legislature, Dickson was elected Speaker of the House, defeating fellow representative Hardin Richard Runnels 30 votes to 27 on the tenth ballot.

[2] In his acceptance speech, Dickson promised to work on eliminating debts incurred by the Republic of Texas and passed on to the state.

In 1855, with the backing of the American Party (better known as the “Know Nothings”), he ran for governor against Pease but was defeated by a large margin.

On November 16, 1859, he moved that an interpreter be provided for Representative Basilio Benavides of Webb County, an action which prompted outcry from the Dallas Herald.

[3] After the war, he was appointed financial agent of the State Penitentiary in Huntsville by Governor James Webb Throckmorton and served in that capacity from 1866 to 1867.