 Starting in 1869, Aiken was a correspondent of "The Rural Carolinian", a magazine for southern planters and farmers.He eventually became editor and owner and held those positions until 1877.Aiken served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at St. Louis in 1876, and was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-fifth and to the four succeeding Congresses (serving from 1877 until 1887).