 He started as a Whig but as that party collapsed, he looked elsewhere.For a time he was the Indiana leader of the Know-Nothings (called the American Party) and later aligned himself with the Republican Party.He served in the Indiana Senate 1843-1849, acting-Lieutenant Governor of Indiana 1845, U.S. House representative from Indiana 1863-1871 from 1873 to 1875 and 1879-1882.