He was elected to Congress as a Republican in 1862. He successfully contested the election of John Moffet to the 41st Congress. He was reelected in 1868 and served until March 3, 1875. He served as Chairman of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs (42nd United States Congress), United States House Committee on Patents (42nd Congress), and United States House Committee on Private Land Claims (43rd United States Congress). He was defeated in 1874.
