 He entered the House of Commons in 1865 as member for Kildare, a seat he held until 1874.In 1866 he was sworn of the Privy Council and made Treasurer of the Household under Lord Russell, a post he only held until the fall of the Liberal government in June of that year.He returned to office as Comptroller of the Household under William Gladstone in 1868, a post he retained until the government fell in 1874.