George practiced law in Biddeford, Maine for many years. After his election
by the Massachusetts legislature in 1787 as a delegate to the Continental
Congress, George was elected by the District of Maine as a Federalist to
every Congress from 1789 until his retirement in 1801, when he accepted an
appointment as associate judge of the supreme judicial court of Massachusetts.
He held this office until his resignation in January 1824.
It is said that when in Congress, a bill was reported in respect to the
eagle to be imprinted on the American coin. George opposed it, saying "that
the eagle was a royal bird, not suitable for our democracy, but the figure
of a goose would be very proper to be stamped on the dollar, in which case
the goslings would be right for the dimes."
For this speech he was challenged to a duel by the reporter of the bill,
and he replied to the second, who brought the challenge "that he would write
a note consulting Mrs. Thacher on the subject--in the meantime the challenger
might mark [George's] size on a wall and fire at it with a pistol, and if
he hit it, he would acknowledge that he was shot." This ended the matter.
Source: Allen, D. W. Genealogy, and Biographical Sketches, of the Descendants of Thomas and Anthony Thacher, From Their Settlement in New England, June 4th, 1635. Vineland, NJ: Independent Printing House, 1872.
