sentences:  Elected as a Democratic candidate to the Forty-second Congress, Bell was a United States Representative for the second district of New Hampshire.He served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1873.He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1872 to the Forty-third Congress, but was elected to the Forty-fourth Congress, serving from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877.